I previously posted the “Home Run Drill” that Yankees hitting coach, Kevin Long, came up with and used with Robinson Cano, and now here is a look at Cano’s hitting mechanics that were recently on display in the 2011 Home Run Derby. At the :56 mark, there is a good side view in super slo- mo:
A few things that I really like:
1. The way he moves against his back leg
2. The position of his upper body
3. How his bat gets on and stays in a really great swing path
It’s not easy to have a short swing and create bat speed at the same time, but this is a pretty good example of what it looks like.
ESPN.com posted a nice short video today that details Manny Ramirez’s approach to his workout and training this off-season. You’ll see some movement drills, sprinting mechanics and instruction, as well as a number of rotational drills and exercises.
Aside from all of the drills and exercises, here is one quote I found particularly interesting:
Everything in every sport really boils down to rotational power.
I made a previous post where Don Mattingly explains hitting mechanics and drills for youth league players. Here’s another episode of Coaches Corner where Donnie Baseball talks about an often overlooked aspect of baseball offense – situational hitting:
Most times in youth, high school and even college baseball, hitters are just trying to get hits and put up numbers – it’s important to get noticed, right? But something different happens as you climb the ladder of professional baseball. It’s still important to get noticed, but it’s important to get noticed for being able to contribute to a winning baseball team. Execution in situational hitting is part of winning baseball. Although not always glamorous to the average fan, it does show off a hitter’s ability to handle the bat and display a complete skill set in the batter’s box.
Here’s a short video from Jr. Dodgers Coaches Corner featuring Los Angeles Dodgers’ hitting coach Don Mattingly. He’s explaining his take on hitting and swing mechanics, especially for youth and little league players.
The Front Toss Drill
As I’ve stated before, I always enjoy listening to other coaches, especially those with such a great amount of experience, because I learn things regardless of how much I agree or disagree. One of the main points from this video that I like is the emphasis of direction in a straight line back to the pitcher. It seems like a minor detail, but that’s why it often gets overlooked and leads to problems. Tee work and front toss (the soft toss show in the video) are simple drills to work on this, and are probably the most common things you’d see if you hang around the batting cage at any pro ballpark.
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