By: Coach Mike Villareal (Zapata, TX)
Equipment Needed: Balls, bat, screen, and a plate.
Perform the soft toss drill from an angle towards the hitter. The toss should be straight and sharp, aiming right at the player's belly button. This helps to better simulate a fastball.
After you have tossed four or five balls (vary this frequency at random) at the hitter, and he's in a timing groove, simply hold the next toss as your hand comes up. If he lunges or leans toward the ball then he's been fooled with an off speed pitch. If his hads and wight stay back without swinging, then he is in good shape to handle off speed pitches.
Says Coach Mike: "I have used these drills with much success helping us become better off speed hitters. I always tell our kids to think fastball and adjust to anything else."
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