Expert: Rick Bundy - 3/15/2009

Question
what can be done to help a child stop bailing out due to excess fear when hitting

Answer
Ray:  Thank you for your question.  

The fear of being hit with a baseball, whether batting or fielding has certainly been a part of the game since its' inception.

I would suggest that you show them how to best protect themselves in the batters' box, by turning their front shoulder back towards the catcher.  That will get their head turned also, protecting their face.  

You can practice it with no ball, then with a rolled up sock.  Once they develop a good reaction to the pitch, no longer freezing or turning into the ball, they should have a little more confidence, as they will have a definite plan for dealing with the situation.

If you can get them to focus on the pitchers release point, then load/stride on line(straight back at the pitcher), getting their front foot down early, it will help them focus on the at bat, rather than the possibility of getting hit.

Bailing out, or stepping in the bucket is generally caused by steeping to hit, rather than step, then hit.  When the pitcher is in his power position, with the ball loaded back, the hitter should be load/stride in his power position, the position he will hit from.  That is accomplished before the pitch is released, so it should be on line, straight back at the pitcher.

I have a page on my website at www.theoleballgame.com on hitting progressions for rookies.  If you click on the hitting link under baseball instruction, then locate the link in the list at the bottom of the hitting page entitled Hitting Progressions, Rookies, you will find more details on hitting for younger kids.

The fear of being hit with a baseball is universal for sure.  Much of it disappears with experience.

Hopefully your league is playing with safety baseballs, or incrediballs, something along that line.  It truly makes a better experience for younger kids.

I have worked baseball camps for the Diamondbacks for the past 8 years.  In those camps we seldom use a hardball, in particular for those kids under 10 yrs. old.  If they have a bad experience at a young age, it takes a long time to overcome it.

I hope this will help!

Yours in baseball,

Rick