Normally, I would not have paid much attention to this, but I had just finished reading a very good book – The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle.  This book is about talent, and more specifically talent development through something called “deep practice”.  Shaun White, for example, says that he was able to get in a couple years of riding in one day of practice!  How is that possible?

Check out Coyle’s post on this topic and learn 3 lessons of High Velocity Learning demonstrated in Shaun White’s training video (shown in the post linked below):

3-rules of High Velocity Learning

And how does this apply to baseball practice?

Here’s how we do it…

1. Teach fundamental concepts of movement in the swing and use video to illustrate these concepts
2. Each one of our drills and exercises either isolates a segment of the swing so that the player can “feel” to correct movement or forces the player to execute the entire movement/swing more efficiently
3. We’re able to transfer the “feel” from our hitting drills and exercises into the skills necessary to improve on-field performance.

In short, we create batting practice and training environments where each hitter can learn and develop skills at a high velocity.

My short answer is no.  Is it possible to run too fast or throw too hard?  I don’t think so – it’s not possible to have too much physical ability, or “tools” in the baseball world.  But bat speed, foot speed and throwing velocity are measures of just that – physical ability.   More raw bat speed doesn’t correlate perfectly with a higher batting average or increased slugging percentage, but it sure gives you more ability to do those things.  It’s like adding horsepower to a race car – the car can go faster, but you still need to be a good driver! It’s important to take those raw tools and convert them into on-field performance.

Is this car too fast?

One thing that differentiates baseball is the need to convert those physical abilities into game skills, like being able to consistently hit line drives, steal bases, or throw strikes.  There is a difference between physical ability and skills…that’s part of the reason we see so many different types of athletes in the game of baseball.

So while I’d say that you can’t have too much bat speed, I would say that it is easy to get out of control when trying to gain bat speed.

The parent writes:

In games he wasn’t making contact… he was pulling off theball. The next thing was a loop in the swing…

These are signs of poor swing mechanics.  One of the easiest ways to generate more bat speed is to lengthen your swing, which allows you to apply force over a longer period of time.  But unlike golf, for instance, baseball and softball hitters have a very short, defined period of time in which they need to execute their swing in order to have consistent success.  Swinging faster is not very helpful if takes too long.  This is why we have several drills that not only develop bat speed, but also emphasize and measure quickness, timing and anticipation in the swing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the direction of focus changes during training, practice, and games.  For example, when a player is training for bat speed (as in using the swing away for bat speed training), the set up allows for the player to focus 100% on executing the swing with as much bat speed as possible.  Study after study has shown that this intent to swing faster is a key element in bat speed development.  But one thing that is often overlooked is the progression from training or swinging (physical ability) to actually hitting (execution of game skills).  What happens during this process is that different elements are introduced (ie the moving ball with changing speeds and locations) which force the player to change his focus.  As the player directs more of his attention to seeing the ball, he or she can’t just swing as fast as possible anymore – bat speed in a game situation where the batter is focused on facing the pitcher is typically going to be less than when a player can stand there and take a dry swing or hit off of the tee.

If the player appears to be swinging out of control, many times his or her attention is directed in the wrong place.  Learning to shift focus and attention to the baseball is a mental skill that is just as important as working on swing mechanics or bat speed.  And remember why you did all that bat speed training in the first place – so you can be confident, trust in your preparation and allow yourself to actually play the game, rather than focus on things that should have been taken care of during practice in the batting cage.  Being able to “trust” your swing doesn’t just happen automatically…you have to prepare for it and develop it over time, just like you would build trust in any other relationship.

Do your training, beef up your swing and prepare yourself to execute your strengths in the game.  Then have actually fun playing the game!

Coach Bill Gentry and myself

Coach Gentry has a long list of baseball coaching experience, but some of the highlights are being a High School Coach of the Year in Southern California, being the head coach at the University of California Bakersfield, directing the So Cal Cardinals scout team in the MLB scout league, and covering the Southern California area as a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.

If you are looking for instruction in the Southern California area, check out Coach Gentry’s Pro Player Academy in Bakersfield, CA.  In addition to his baseball knowledge, you’ll be impressed by his character, professionalism and how much he cares about the success of his players.

Aguayo, Albert Joined By Returning Martinez

I’ll be returning to Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL for my 3rd straight year, joined by former Major Leaguers Luis Aguayo (manager) and Dennis “El Presidente” Martinez (pitching coach).

Dennis Martinez, Luis Aguayo, Jeff Albert

“The Dean” hosts both the Florida Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training, and then both of those teams’ Florida State League affiliates – the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Palm Beach Cardinals.  That means there is a professional baseball game here almost every single day from April through the beginning of September.  Let me know if you’re stopping by for a game!

Hours are spent together inside batting cages hidden underneath the stands, sitting around video screens analyzing the intricacies of a swing and standing around batting cages, where a simple reminder to keep the bat head in the zone longer could be the key to breaking out of a slump.