Taft's Weekly Tips: Set up & Stance in the batters box

My name is John Taft with Triple Crown Baseball. The purpose of this blogs is to help baseball players identify and correct some hitting flaws. As coaches, our job is to help our players be very successful in games and not just being good in drills. Drills have a very useful purpose to help players feel and understand the correct motion of the swing. Something that is often overlooked by players is our set up & stance as we get into the batters box, so I've put together 5 key steps that every player should do each time they get in and out of the box.

Set up & Stance: Start from the ground up

1. Step in the batters box with your back foot first, then your front foot.

2. Feet should be wider then our shoulders with your toes pointed forward which helps create a solid foundation.

3. Slight knee bend with flection in the hips putting us in a nice athletic position.

4. Batters should focus on keeping their elbows below the hands. Hands should be somewhere between the shoulders and ears.

5. Both eyes should be focused on the pitcher with our bat held at a 45 degree angle.

Players should practice this set up every time they get in and out of the batters box whether they are doing tee work, soft toss, or BP, and should go through these 5 steps as a checklist. Not only will this create a good routine, but it will also help mentally prepare them as hitters.