Dugout cards: Helping batters improve their approach

Here are a few situations that I guarantee will get your coaching blood pressure up:

• A hard thrower enters the game for the other team and proceeds to throw every warm-up pitch high and out of the strike zone.  Your first batter swings and misses at the first pitch that is at his shoulders.
• A soft throwing lefty enters the game and nibbles every pitch towards low and away.  Your first batter swings at the first pitch low and away and grounds out to the shortstop.
• A pitcher with an absolutely nasty swing-and-miss slider enters the game with runners in scoring position.  Your next batter takes a first pitch fastball right down the middle.

How’s your blood pressure?  Mine is up just by typing them!

In each situation, the batter had a horrible approach to his at-bat.  

The problem with coaching players of any age is that it takes a lot of thoughtful time on the field to develop a proper approach to at-bats.  The best hitters seem to have a knack for it almost immediately.  Some never get it right.  Most fall somewhere in between.

If this all sounds familiar to you then I might have something that can help.  They are cards you can place in your dugout that cover the four basic types of pitchers and their strengths and weaknesses.  When a pitcher enters the game, hitters just figure out what type of pitcher he is and check the card to see what they are likely to see and develop an approach accordingly.  Click the following link to see the cards.  Print them out and use them if you wish.

Dugout Cards For Hitters  (PDF format)

Each coach knows his players best.  Some good hitting teams are better off left alone to do what comes naturally.  For that team, cards like these may end up getting them to think too much.  Other teams may find them to be just what they are looking for to improve their overall approach towards at-bats.  Your call.

I just came up with the idea so I’ve never used them.  I’d love to hear what you think.

Tomorrow’s post: Take two aspirin and …