2 strike hitting

Hitting with 2 strikes is certainly an art. I think it goes to reason in amateur baseball that a player that can make consistent contact is a valuable asset to a team. If you can cut down on your strikeouts than you put pressure on the defense and give your team a chance for a baserunner.

Here are the basic tenets to be used when hitting with 2 strikes.

1) Widen your stance. This is designed to prevent lunging and therefore allow you to hit the offspeed pitch. Offspeed pitchers are often taken because the batter commits all of his weight to his front foot too quickly.

2) Shorten up on the bat. By "choking up", you give yourself better bat control.

3) Expect to hit the fastball to the opposite field. By hitting the fastest thing a pitcher can throw you to the opposite fied, you're not being too quick. This allows the hitter to have better timing again on the offspeed pitches that pitchers like to throw as strikeout pitches.

4) Look for the ball away. Pitchers at amateur levels prefer the ball on the outside corner. There is less risk for a hit batsmen out there. Plus to come inside with two strikes you have to be really precise. Most pitchers throw away, look away. A good rule of thumb- if you're going to strike out looking, make sure it is on the inside corner. Never strikeout looking on the outside corner.

5) Learn to recognize the curveball out of the pitchers hand. Curveballs on some level will appear to pop up out of the pitchers hand. That is, the ball gets higher than the fingers at release and "white" is on top. Hitters need to think "curveball up and fastball down." Learning to take the curveball in the dirt and lay off the fastball up will cut down immensely on strikeouts.

6) Learn to pull your hands in. This is probably the most important aspect to 2 strike hitting. You absolutely must be able to shorten your swing by pulling your hands in close to your body to adjust to that inside pitch when it does come. It is an emergency swing because you should be looking away. However, being able to pull your hands in gives you the confidence to truly look away.

These adjustments can truly make you a better hitter and a tougher out.