PRO BLOGS: DURAHIT | May 12th
EMPOWERING HITTERS
By: Greg Brown
Being a Hitting Coach is TOUGH. Being a Hitter is TOUGHER.
As a hitting coach, there’s always a balance—some of your players are locked in, some are struggling. If you’re lucky, most are in a good spot and just need regular maintenance. But at any moment, even your best hitter can spiral into a slump.
For hitters, the challenge is relentless. Day in and day out, they face waves of pitchers—all strategically selected and developed to exploit any edge they can find. Pitch combinations, matchups, pitch design—it’s a constant arms race.
As complex as the game has become, the core of the pitcher/hitter relationship remains simple:
- Pitchers are trying to disrupt timing and balance.
- Hitters are trying to maintain timing and balance.
Yet we spend most of our time developing mechanics rather than timing and balance. Hitters chase the perfect swing, obsess over video, and often get flooded with cues—from coaches, parents, even strangers in the stands. “Keep your elbow up.” “Stay back.” “You’re dropping your barrel.” Even well-meaning advice can become noise, disrupting focus instead of enhancing performance.
At the amateur level, it’s often chaotic. At the pro level, the noise just changes—real-time video, swing data, pitch usage metrics. And while these tools are powerful, they can also pull hitters away from the moment and into analysis paralysis.
Are mechanics important? Absolutely. But dial them in during training.
Is data valuable? Without question. But it’s only useful if a coach can translate it into something meaningful for each individual hitter.
Remember this:
- There is no greater corruptor of mechanics than poor timing.
- There is no greater disruptor of approach than information overload.
When the game starts, the focus must shift from preparation to execution. Each at-bat builds on the next. The goal is to strategically dismantle a pitching staff—together, as a unit.
Simplify your thoughts.
Be on time.
See the ball.
Know the game situation.
This is your box. Your at-bat. Own it. Focus on what actually helps you perform—then, after the game, go back to the lab and make your adjustments.
Empower yourself to be your own best hitting coach.
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