Friday, November 4, 2011

Batting Cages Hinder Players

By Jeff Wise


Believe it or not, sometimes really good baseball players have trouble hitting at batting cages. Many of them wonder why, but there is a logical explanation. Players shouldn't be discouraged if this happens to them.

Players explain that in the first round at the batting cages they do just fine. It's after that they feel as though they're in a slump. Each round gets worse and worse. While in many cases the more you practice the better you play, batting cages are a different story.

This form of batting practice wears out the body more than live batting practice, tee ball hitting or games. When players get tired, they don't play as well. Batting cages are a pretty unrealistic form of practice.

When you visit a batting cage, each token gives you about 25 balls. Unlike live batting practice, a ball is thrown to you every five seconds. It only takes a couple minutes to finish one round. After one round, a player may feel like they've gotten the hang of it and they're ready for another round. They don't consider how it may be affecting their body.

If may feel good to hit so many balls in a short amount of time, but it's not really the best way to become a better hitter. You need more than five seconds between each pitch so you can rest and set up for the next ball. Batting cages may be fun, but don't expect to become a better hitter because of them.

In the first round, focus mainly on your hitting mechanics. Then, take a five to 10 minute break before starting another round. During the second round, try hitting the balls to different areas of the field. Once that round is over, call it a day. Anything more will probably tire your body and negatively affect your swinging.

There's nothing wrong with batting cages. They can help in many ways, like focusing your eyes on the ball. If you want to improve in your hitting, though, live batting practice or hitting drills are preferable. If you do ever have trouble at batting cages, don't worry. It doesn't reflect your hitting capabilities.




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