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Pitch Recognition Hitting Drills

2 Tee Hitting Drill

gameSense Hit Station

Output gameSense app from computer or iPad/iPhone to a TV or a video projector. Use the same gS pitcher, but choose

-Choose HitStation mode on Drill List.

-You get 10 pitches, straight through with Occluded pitch followed by Replay.

-No computer input.

-Choose a pitcher, then a goal: “Ahead in the count. Looking for your pitch, extra base hit.” Hitters see Occluded pitch and do ghost swing (or take), then see the replay.

-Hitters decide for themselves if they made good swing decision. DON’T call pitch type — trying to get away from that into Batters box think.

-Hitters can hit off of a tee if set up allows.

Net Occlusion Drill

Eyes Closed Tee Drill

Two Tee Drills

You need an overhang tee, like a Backspin tee. And a normal tee, even a Tanner low tee. You can set up any pitch combination. FB on the corner, SL off the corner. Hitter working on his own can visualize one of the gS pitchers (maybe even do a gS before going into cage). Or he can visualize a Big 10 pitcher he has seen before. Think about the combo pitches that pitcher uses to get chases (you said to reduce swing-and-miss — I’ll take that as reduce chase. Swing and miss in the zone is another issue).

This can be great with a coach or teammate teeing up the balls and making some sort of Verbal sound (or get a buzzer or something to hold in hand). The hitter triggers and starts swing, going for the FB. But if “slide” or “beep” sound, then needs to adjust mid-swing and get the other tee’d ball. This isn’t Pitch Recognition, it’s the swing adjustability back end. PR isn’t just for swing decision, but also for swing adjustment. Your hitters will really like that because you’re hitting a guy’s put-away pitch!

How to Use gameSense

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gS Video-Occlusion Method: Watch pitches that are cut off during ball flight; identify pitch TYPE and BALL/STRIKE.

DRILLS

Players select a pitcher and choose RHB or LHB view. Each pitcher has multiple Difficulty levels:

• Full-Pitch (into catcher’s mitt)

• Basic (one-third of ball flight)

• Advanced (6-8 feet of ball flight)

• Wicked (cut off at release)

Drills are 10 pitches long and take about 90 seconds. Pitches are in random order so drills can be repeated frequently.

SESSIONS

• Off season or pre-season= once a day

• In season= 3 or 4 times per week

• Session= 6-8 video drills (10-12 minutes)

Players do gS sessions at the clubhouse or on players’ own laptop, iPhone, or iPad.

How To Hit a Pitcher With a Dominant Two Seamer or Cutter

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You look at the scouting report and the pitcher you’re facing has a dominant fastball.

You don’t panic because you’re a good fastball hitter. You eat 90+mph for lunch, every day.

Then underneath that, it says…..with good movement. Uh oh.

Anyone can hit a flat fastball, but the two-seam/cutter…different story.

If you get jammed on the cutter or two-seam, the reason is that the pitcher is doing a better job of locating his pitch than you are at fighting to get to the inner-half of the ball.

Stand In On A Bullpen

Sometimes we struggle to face a pitcher with good movement because we don’t see it enough. Being able to dominate the plate with decent velocity & movement is rare which is why it’s held at a premium.

If you have a teammate who pitches with some movement, ask to stand in on his next pull pen.

Track the ball. Repetitions at game speed if how you practice this.

Another way to stand in on a pitcher with some movement is to face the pitchers inside the gS app.

Tee Work & Fighting The Pitch

There’s nothing worse than getting jammed, having the ball roll to the pitcher and then you having to pick up your thumbs on the ground.

If you got jammed, two things happened. Either you were late on the pitch, or you didn’t fight to get to the inner half on the ball well enough.

How do you train to nip both these in the bud? Simple. With Tee work.

Focus on getting your front foot down early while placing the Tee on the inner half of the plate, and practice driving the ball back up the middle.

Choke Up

Lastly, if you’re struggling to make consistent solid contact with the two-seam or cutter, choke up.

I get it. Every one of you hitters with an ounce of ego wants to be able to control the bat without having to choke-up, but let me just shut down that thinking with two simple sentences…

  1. Barry Bonds choked up.

  2. Tony Gywnn swung a 32.

Pitch Recognition Recap

Pitchers that can sling it with movement are held at a premium.

Hitters who can hit pitchers with movement are too.

That’s the sign of an elite hitter. An athlete who can make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat and from pitch to pitch.

P.S. Get 40% off with an annual membership inside the gameSense pitch recognition & baseball vision training platform. Over 40% off with you start an annual membership!

Pro & College Level Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Speciality Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Starters Sports Training and gameSense Sports Team Up to Help Hitters Read Pitches

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Starters Sports Training will team up with gameSense Sports to bring pitch recognition software solutions to Starters’ baseball and softball players.

“We are extremely excited about this opportunity,” said Ryan Schwartzman general manager of Starters.  “Pitch recognition can be difficult to teach.  During a game a player might get 2 to 4 plate appearances of which they might see a handful of pitches.  With gameSense players will be able to see and get feedback on over 50 plate appearances in 15 to 30 minutes of time.”

Founded by internationally renowned sports performance neuroscientists, gameSense cutting-edge technology is based on decades of proven brain research.  gameSense programs are designed to enhance an athlete’s ability to make faster and better in-game decisions. Developing this edge can be the difference between making the travel team, winning a state championship or earning a college scholarship.  Additional detail can be found on the company’s website: gameSense Sports.

Starters will now incorporate gameSense into some of its training programs as part of Starters’ commitment to develop top talent in the Upper Midwest.  Starters strives to provide advanced technological training resources and support to its softball and baseball Club, Academy and Advanced Training members.  Starters coaches will not only evaluate a hitter’s pitch recognition skills, they will train and improve pitch recognition.

“gameSense will be an important tool for Starters’ trainers and athletes. We can boost our player development, talent identification, player monitoring with this high-quality video training platform and the feedback it provides,” said Jeff Thuringer, Co-Founder of Starter Sports Training.

In addition, all coaches at Starters will become gameSense Certified with access to exclusive training content, reporting and analysis through gameSense’s learning management tools. This content will feature exclusive videos of pitchers from every level of play, as well as tips and tricks for using gameSense’s tools to their fullest potential.

“Starters Sports Training’s progressive approach to performance improvement and talent identification, distinguishes it among other academies. In bringing all of the development academies and teams into the gameSense platform, coaches and scouts are able to utilize detailed pitch recognition metrics and skill enhancement to supplement talent identification across an entire season more easily and effectively. gameSense is extremely proud to play its part in what should serve as a model for other academies,” said Tom Pardikes, Ph.D, CEO at gameSense Sports. 

“Starters Sports Training believes in a holistic approach to elite player development and cutting-edge technology for educational and skill development purposes is a key component in that process,” Jeff Thuringer.  “Because at its core it is brain-training, being able to leverage the convenience of a mobile device (can be used on or off the field) to develop and improve such a critical skill is a game changer!  The gameSense platform provides players, coaches, and scouts opportunities to continually assess and improve a player’s performance.” 

Learn more about gameSense Sports  and Starters Sports Training.

Published: Aug 28, 2019

Be a Gamer.

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Popping out in foul territory. Striking out looking. Swinging and missing on a hanging breaking ball. Being late on an 0-2 fastball…

…these are hands down some of the worst feelings in baseball, for hitters.

Here’s a possible antidote. It starts with a quote…

“Instead of trying to be great, be good consistently. Greatness is being consistently good”.

In other words…instead of being the next “Mike Trout” or “Cody Bellinger”, be the guy who makes the pitcher pay when he leaves a breaking ball up in the zone, who does damage in hitter’s counts or who battles with behind in the count, consistently…

See – this doesn’t mean you have to hit 450-foot homers, run a 6.3 60 yard-dash or have a cannon for an arm…

…it just means, you know how to play the game.

You’re a gamer.

What’s a gamer? Great question.

A gamer:

  • competes w/ the intention to win ball games.

  • plays both sides of the field well.

  • makes their teammates better.

  • works on the little things.

  • builds on strengths and weaknesses.

Requires zero talent, and the process is 100% within your control.

So the only relevant question is this…

…how bad do you want it?

Best,

P.S. We see the ball well when we’re confident. We’re confident when we see the ball well.

Train to see the ball well, effectively, then confidence comes rolling at your feet.

#seetheballbetter

Get 40% off with an annual membership inside the gameSense pitch recognition & baseball vision training platform. Over 40% off with you start an annual membership!

Pro & College Level Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Speciality Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Why you struggle with two strikes at the plate.

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Admit it.

Most of your strikes-outs happen because of either one of two things.

1. You tried pulling a ball you had no business pulling.
2. You were trying to “NOT”strike out instead of competing to make hard contact while putting the ball in play.

Here’s a tip.

STOP trying to pull the ball when you’re behind in the count and be ready to put the ball in play and put pressure on the defense!

Understanding these two concepts will make you a better hitter at the plate. 

Mastering these two concepts will keep your but in the line-up even when your swing feels off or you’re facing a pitcher who has your number.

END. OF. STORY.

What does it come down to? 

Having the right approach.

Playing to win instead of to “NOT” lose.

How do we practice this?

We put ourselves in “game-like” situations.

Imagine this…

You step in the batter’s box KNOWING you’re going to hit the ball hard instead of hoping.

Instead of “a deer in the headlights” you execute because you’ve refined your instincts.

Instincts you’ve refined with training.

Here’s what to do.

1. Train to recognize the breaking ball and off-speed in a minimum of five simulated at-bats in gameSense over the weekend against Adam.

2. Early in the count, sit fastball, and look for the wrist action and early PT(Pitch Trajectory) out of the Adam/s hand.

3. Measure how consistent you are at recognizing the off-speed. Adam’s slide piece is LEGIT. 

Be ready.

If you’re getting the off-speed WRONG inside the gameSense training, especially behind in the count, YOU’VE FOUND a weakness in your approach at the plate.

Work in it.

This summer is a perfect chance to put all of this in action.

Let’s get after it.

Best,

Now a member? Join Here!

Save BIG TIME with an annual membership inside the gameSense pitch recogntiion& baseball vision training platform. Over 40% off with you start an annual membership!

Pro & College Level Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Speciality Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

gameSense in action – Hit Stations, Game Simulation & Pitch Recognition Reps

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We put hours in the cage to refine the swing.

We put hours in the gym to develop explosive power and bat-speed.

We get the pitch recognition part right, the refined swing and the explosive power translate better.

Period.

This is why hitting instructors, top baseball programs and the individual player who’s willing to take their development as a hitter in their own hands are taking their vision skills and pitch recognition training to a whole new level.

Come take a look and see how some of these players are utilizing the training as part of their hitting stations during B.P.

Pro & College Level Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Speciality Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

gameSense in action – Hit Stations, Game Simulation & Pitch Recognition Reps

by

We put hours in the cage to refine the swing.

We put hours in the gym to develop explosive power and bat-speed.

We get the pitch recognition part right, the refined swing and the explosive power translate better.

Period.

This is why hitting instructors, top baseball programs and the individual player who’s willing to take their development as a hitter in their own hands are taking their vision skills and pitch recognition training to a whole new level.

Come take a look and see how some of these players are utilizing the training as part of their hitting stations during B.P.

Pro & College Level Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Speciality Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

3 MAIN parts of a GREAT hitter.

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Coach Trent Mongero @trentmongero (Founder of Winning Baseball & Dirt Bros) shares his 3 main pillars of being a solid hitter, what it looks like and what we should work on if there are weaknesses in our skills and approach.

”As the game speeds up, we have to be able to recognize quality pitches. We have to swing at strikes.”

He has a growing Youtube Channel that you should definitely subscribe to as well.

In this video, he’s going to share strategies that professionals use to see the ball as early as possible.

Out of the 3 main pillars, what would you say you need to work on?

Pro & College Level Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

Speciality Pitch Recogntion & Vision Training Sequences.

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