We all know the common sports phrase, “Offense wins games, but defense wins championships.” While there is serious truth behind this classic phrase from Coach Bear Bryant (a famous and successful football coach), recent debate has arisen around this classic quote.
Simply put: offense, not defense, gets points (or, in baseball and softball’s case, runs) on the board for your team. Therefore, as a baseball or softball player, you know just how important every one of your performances at the plate can be.
So, what if you’re underperforming and your batting average is at a .230 or below? How do you pick that number up so that your team can depend on you to get hits and runs when they need them the most? Let’s look at four ways to improve your batting average so you can start stepping into the batter’s box with unwavering confidence.
1. Get a Pair of Batting Gloves or Apply Some Bat Grip
You may not realize it, but your grip could be one of the main reasons behind your low batting average. This may sound trite but get yourself a pair of batting gloves if you don’t already have a pair. These gloves are made to profoundly improve your grip on the bat, making your connection with the bat synergistic and nearly unfaltering.
These are typically made of leather and are made of various other special materials on the palms and fingers to allow you to hold and swing the bat with optimal control. Some even offer wrist support and cushions to protect you from those fast pitches.
Some players complain that they “don’t connect with the bat” as well with a pair of these gloves on. In that case, instead of using batting gloves, apply more bat grip to your bat. It’s common for the bat grip that comes on your bat to wear, tear, and overall degrade. By replacing it with new bat grip tape, you can vastly improve your grip and overall swing.
2. It’s All in the Hips, Not the Arms
Many batters face the problem of using their arms far too much in their swings. When that happens, you are not only losing out on a lot of power in each of your drives but also your consistency.
Make sure that you aren’t focusing solely on using your arms in your swings. Twist your hips using your back foot and come slightly forward in your swing (your torso should end up perpendicular to the ground) so the power comes from your entire body.
3. “Keep Your Eye on the Ball”
It could be something as simple as not watching the ball well enough! When you’re watching the ball leave the pitcher’s hand and come to you in the batter’s box, keep your head down and chin tucked to your chest. However, don’t swivel it during or after your swing, no matter if you make contact with the ball or not.
4. Watch Your Feet
Make sure that you aren’t stepping too much with your front foot or rotating your back foot too much. If you step too far with your front foot, you may be experiencing two issues: you’re taking away from the time you need to swing and you’re losing out on the power from your hips and body.
If you are twisting too much on your back foot, you are likely to be off-balance and could even injure yourself.
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