DIY Network

*Marathon Special: Terry Pendleton's Batting Tips, Pt.2 From "Major League Remodel Marathon" episode DMLR-M3

Terry Pendleton, former player and current batting coach for the Atlanta Braves offers these batting tips and fundamentals for kids and their coaches.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Quick Review:
Rather than following the old adage, "Keep your eye on the ball," Terry recommends instead focusing on batting stance and keeping your head still. A more effective technique may come from following the adage "Where your head goes, your body and the bat will follow."

• Keep your head still.
  
• Your body and the bat follow your head.
  
• Let the momentum and rotation of your body do the work.

Head Position and Bat Position

• To illustrate the adage, consider this: When in batting position (figure A) if you lean forward, bringing your head down, the bat will move down also. Likewise, if you lean back, the bat will move back also. If you lift your head up, distancing it from the base, the bat moves up also. The lesson: the theory that the bat follows your head remains true in almost every position.

• For the best chance at hitting the ball, Terry recommends that you keep your head still all the way through the point of contact and even while rotating through the rest of the swing (figure B).

• Parents and coaches can illustrate this concept to young players with a simple drill. Starting with the player in batting position and your hand on the player's head (figure C). As the player holds in a "swing" pose (with the bat at the point of contact), move the player's head to angle it at different positions until the player identifies the point where he can see the ball best. That point is the optimum position of the head for the swing. Encourage the player to keep his head in that position when batting -- from starting position all the way through the swing.