There is a saying I’ve heard a million times in my life that applies directly to the art of hitting. I’m pretty sure it has it’s roots in military slang or code but no matter where it comes from it’s pretty strong. “Keep it simple, stupid” is something that I talk to players about all the time because I firmly believe that this acronym can go a long way in helping them have the success we all want them to have.
Now on the opposite end of the spectrum is another acronym that I recently created that, unfortunately, is the choice that too many hitters choose to follow. We all know that hitting is already a very difficult skill. Many players make it harder by allowing there focus and concentration to be torn down by many different outside distractions.
Too many hitters worry about what pitch the pitcher is going to throw, or what the umpire might call a strike, or what their parents just yelled at them from the stands or that last-second gem of hitting wisdom that their coach is yelling at them from the third-base coaching box. They are so worried about whether they get a hit or not that they have a head full of snakes before they even step into the batter’s box. They are so afraid of failure that they are going to struggle to show the world what they are capable of doing.
“Make It As Complicated As Possible, Please!” Is the approach that too many players are following when they play the game. We need to help them change this ASAP!
