Being a good fastball hitter

Question
Hey my name is Wilson and my age is 13 and I just started my 2008 little league season . I am a cleanup hitter for my team and I am a righty . I wanted to know what are the techniques for becoming a good fastball hitter . Thanks .

Answer
Hi Wilson,

The best technique for hitting fastballs starts during batting practice.  If you're a cleanup hitter, keeping going to batting practice as often as you can.  Get comfortable with your swing and work on improving your grip, stance, weight shift and swing.  During batting practice, a real pitcher vs a pitching machine will help you more with the fastballs.

During the game, have someone keep a pitch count.  As fastball pitchers go, the start out a easy, peak after 4 innings and then start using changeup combos.  If you know this, you'll be prepared for those innings where the fastball will come out more often.

For younger pitchers, it often seems they always want to throw FBs.  Eventually, the arm will become tired and thats when they are changed ... otherwise, guys like you will start hitting homers!

So knowing approximately when the FB will be more affective is a good start.  Actually reading the FB is something that will challenge you for many more years.  If you continue to practice your explosive swing and timing, you'll have a better chance.  

Hitting a FB has more to do with your judgment and reaction time.  The faster you can swing, the more likely you'll hit the FB.  A 90mph fastball takes only a fraction of a second to reach the plate.  For younger players, most FBs will take about a half second or so to reach the plate.  

You will have to improve your reaction time for FBs.  Its like a muscle, the more you use it the better it becomes.  The combination of eye to brain to body coordination is improved only with practice, practice and more practice.  Even after all that you have less than a 25% chance of hitting one.  

Another way to improve your chances against the FB is to study your pitcher.  Instead of horsing around in the dugout, study the pitcher and watch how the FB is delivered.  Most pitchers have a routine they use for different pitches.  They will usually do the same technique for a FB everytime.  If you can spot that routine, you'll have a good head start on the FB.

Here's are YouTube tips on the mechanics of hitting a FB, shifting your weight, batting speed, judgement factors.  Video is worth at least a thousand words...

Best of luck,

JohnMc