Ideal Line Drive Launch Angles & Ball Exit Speeds For Optimal Distance While Hitting A Baseball Or Softball
Discover the ideal line drive launch angles and ball exit speeds for optimal distance while hitting a baseball or softball.
Addressing The Biggest Lies In Hitting: Improve Line Drive Frequency In A Few Short Weeks
This Hitting Think Tank will be doing more talks like this at the 2017 ABCA in Anaheim in our booth (from left to right: Matt Nokes, Taylor Gardner, Jarrett Gardner, & Joey Myers)
I have a confession to make…
But first, the context,
After driving 7 hours down to San Diego, I met up with a couple boss hitting/pitching dudes.
I had the privilege to sit down and talk hitting with the two co-founders of the Backspin Tee (brothers Taylor and Jarrett Gardner), and 1987 All-Star Silver Slugger Matt Nokes.
Now, the confession…
We only spent 15 minutes “sitting down” (for the above interview), the other time was spent talking hitting in:
- Underground parking garages,
- A library,
- Down the streets of Padre’s Petco Park,
- At a USSSA Pride professional fast-pitch softball game, and
- In a Hilton Hotel lobby over beverages with USSSA Pride infielder Shelby Pendley….
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Not to mention, Matt Lisle graced us with his presence to talk hitting for over an hour at the Pride game.
Also, we narrowly missed Ryan Lehr on account of him having to be home late night to be a good dad and husband 😉 lol j/k Lehr just busting your balls.
…By the way Lehr (if you’re reading this), Matt Lisle’s wife allowed him to attend the All Star festivities in San Diego (he’s from the Bay Area), for 4+days away from the her and their 4 kids!!
I told him, he must have a lot of money in the family’s ’emotional bank account’ to have the ability to do that.
So, there’s NO excuse Lehr 😛
Needless to say, my brain hurt on the 7-hour drive back home the next day (not a hangover, believe it or not, I only had one beer the night before)…
Moreover,
We’ll be sharing a booth at the 2017 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) conference in Anaheim,
And will be doing more of these LIVE Hitting Think Tank Q&A’s during the conference, so if you find yourself out that way, at that time, then please stop by booth #383 and say hi.
In addition, there will be other mystery guests at the conference coming to our booth to talk about things like pitch tracking, recognition, bat lag, and distraction training.
So, DON’T MISS IT!!
Besides me, here are the cast of characters in the above video:
- Jarrett Gardner – pitched 7 years in the Minors, and is co-founder of the Backspin Batting Tee (post titled, “Baseball Batting Mechanics Risk Hiding In Your Batting Tee”).
- Taylor Gardner – college Track athlete and golfer, and is co-founder of the Backspin Batting Tee (HPL interview with T.G.).
- Matt Nokes – 11 year Big Leaguer (SFG/DET/NY/BAL/COL/TOT), 1987 All-Star and Silver Slugger, CLICK HERE for his hitting site.
In this interview, we discuss the following:
- Defining a line drive (Matt Nokes at 2:13 mark)
- How to get a line drive? (Matt Nokes at 3:20 mark)
- Making adjustments to get to the line drive (Matt Nokes at 4:20 mark)
- The right swing path to get a line drive (Jarrett Gardner at 6:00 mark),
- The idea of a “flat swing” (Matt Nokes at 7:37 mark),
- The goods and bad of “Feel v. Real” & making bold adjustments (Joey Myers at 10:20 mark),
- Correlation DOES NOT necessarily equal causation (Matt Nokes and Joey Myers at 13:31 mark).
We’d love to get YOUR take on what was discussed in the above video,
And, please respond below by letting us know what else you’d like us to discuss at the upcoming ABCA event…by the way, we may record these Q&A sessions and make them available to you at a later date.
THANKS in advance!
With 28,000+ online bat speed program sales, my methods have transformed coaches, instructors, and parents just like you. I'm affiliated with esteemed organizations like ABCA, IYCA, and SABR, advocating for positive coaching. With 15+ years in corrective fitness and a Division One baseball background, my knowledge is unmatched.
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Hey Joe,
Thanks for the conversation. Admire your work. Couple of remarks:
1. Love how Matt approaches the idea of intent when discussing the swing.
2. Understanding the shape you want to hit – especially for younger hitters.
3.Trout’s up in the zone issue you discuss, I believe, is the fact that he is late on the up FB and that looks like pulling hands in and up. I’d bet that is his”feel”. So he’s going to work on high tee and swing down as to exaggerate and come out “level”.
Without knowing, I’d bet he looks for FB away and slider down/in because what little I’ve seen of him, he crushes that.
I believe he’s trying to correct a timing issue with a physical action and I don’t think that will work. But, it is my experience that “Baseball Guys” think everything is physical.
I’m a former collegiate hockey coach and player (not even a former college baseballer) that instructs hitters. That part made me chuckle.
Anyway, thank you for the conversation and Keep Swingin’
Bill Masullo
Bellefonte, PA
Great comments Bill! It’s funny you talk about your background in hockey…another friend of mine Bob Hall in Canada has a similar background as you and can go toe-to-toe with any self proclaimed ‘hitting guru’. Keep up the good work!
Joey… I wish I can ask these pro questions especially from my angles …if you don’t mind I would like a crack at translating what Trout really means as I don’t think he has the tools to really express it that is why I wish I can ask him…
So I think first when you have a conventional tee since the ball is not where it would be out in front but besides you it’s really weird if doing it my way with starting with the lead hand… And since its on a conventional tee it’s weird to under cut it… So it inherently makes you hold the lead hand pinch with the top hand which goes down the rear elbow and shoulder… So he’s working on keeping his feel in his upper right back/chest/shoulder/arm ( keeping his rear arm level with the ground)… And this is real so he’s not worried about bat path… Because many look at this about casting and blah blah… It’s big when using the lead hand… Because this feel coordinates it all but it’s funny many never see how the lead hand/elbow/shoulder can be controlled by this move….. It’s always casting or bat drag…. But Trout has to be trying to feel the lead hand going agaist the rear and the rear controlling
Or
Just keeping that rear up and strong and since the lead isn’t firing the swing has to go down since we need the added force of the lead hand in order to get the path right….
Ok… I may not of expressed it but he’s really think of a feel and needs to hit a ball or else it’s weird just to dry swing… So this drill has nothing to do with bat path or where to hit the ball and this bat path makes sense given what he is doing…
So like doing a slow motion swing SHOULD feel weird if your trying to get a good bat path…
Also… I’ll put money on it that Troutbswing just like I explain it.. What he needs to learn is in the high pitches he needs less lead hand and more top hand… That is why way back I said you need a little of both…
Anyway I hope this angle is helpful in some way…
Later…
And these Yankees are reminding me of the 96 Yankees… In a small way…They are starting to build confidence look out MLB…..
~DM