"idiot's guide"
  
 
 
 

PART 5: BATTING

There are several stages involved in basic batting technique.

  • Start with your weight mostly on the back foot and the bat drawn back.
  • Watch the ball all the way to the point of contact with the bat.  
  • Begin the swing by stepping towards the pitcher with the front foot.
  • Twist the body to open the hips, then the shoulders, which pulls the bat through to meet the ball.
  • Just befoe the bat meets the ball, the wrists should snap to accelerate the bat into the ball and to help generate follow-through on the swing.

From our discussion of balls and strikes, it should be clear that judging whether a pitch is good is a vital skill that batters must learn, because it is foolish to swing at bad pitches.  Why?  Because it's hard to make good contact with bad pitches, and four bad pitches will put you on base with a walk.  Getting on base, with the possibility of coming around to score, helps your team.

If and when you hit the ball into Fair Territory, you must run.  You have no choice.  You must drop (never throw!) the bat down into Foul Territory and run as fast as possible to first base (and on to further bases if you think you can make them safely - i.e., before the fielders can get the ball to a player on the base).  Remember that you must touch every base with your foot as you run past it, and when you decide to stop at a base (apart from first base and home plate), you must stop on it, not run past it.  If you run past, you are liable to be tagged out.

If the ball is touched by a fielder, the position of the ball when first touched determines whether it is fair or foul.

FAIR BALLS AND FOUL BALLS

  • If a ball is hit into the infield (i.e. in Fair Territory) but then rolls foul before it passes first or third base, it is considered FOUL.
  • If a ball lands in the outfield (i.e. in Fair Territory), and then rolls foul, it is considered FAIR.
  • If a ball is hit into Foul Territory outside the infield, but then rolls into Fair Territory before it passes first or third base, it is considered FAIR.
  • If a ball is hit into Foul Territory outside the outfield and then rolls into Fair Territory, it is considered FOUL.
  • First base and third base are considered Fair Territory.  If a batted ball hits either first or third base, it is considered FAIR no matter where it goes afterwards!