An MLB 2-Strike Approach

Physical Adjustments 

• Choke Up 
  
  • Make the bat shorter & more controllable (2” to 3”)

• Widen Your Stance
  • Get to your full stride
  • No leg lift
    Shift weight into your back leg - “pre-loaded”

• Move Up in the Box
  • Cut off the distance that the curveball has to drop in.
  • This will allow you to foul off good CBs & take bad ones.

• Get Lower to the Ground - Hunch
  • Shrink the strikezone to make your job easier.
  • Getting your eyes on plane with the ball will make tracking it & fighting pitches easier.

• Get Closer to the Plate
  • Most HS & College pitchers struggle to throw the ball inside.
  • Force the pitcher to beat you in a way he doesn’t feel comfortable by covering the outside half - a little forward lean might also help here as well.
  • If he beats you inside, so be it, but we will not be beat by outside fastballs.
  • Getting closer to the plate will often force more mistakes from the pitcher : HBP + misses down the middle + Balls. 

Mental Adjustments

• Your job is to put the ball in play
  • CONTACT, CONTACT, CONTACT
• Short & quick to the ball - think oppo gap
• Be ready to hit an outside fastball & battle off curveballs
  • If he beats me with anything else, good for him. 
    
• If I can see 3+ pitches once I get 2 strikes, I will get on base.
  • “This guy has nothing to beat me with” 
    
• Put 100% of your focus into picking up the ball as soon as possible. This will give you more time to react and fight.
• “It’s you versus me… let’s go”
  • Mano a Mano - Step into the arena ready to fight. If you are totally absorbed & locked in on the battle - you will get the job done.