What’s your approach? do you have one? do you know what it is?

Put simply an approach is what pitch a hitter is looking for going into each at bat.  Your approach can change with situations, counts, and even the pitcher.  To keep things simple we are going to talk about your approach with nobody on and nobody out, because this is when you get to dictate your exact approach, you don’t have to worry about getting guys over or getting guys in you get to simply hit.  Also, this approach should not change.  The one exception is if you pick up on something a pitcher is doing that you can exploit.

When you go from the on deck circle to the batter box you should be thinking about getting a pitch you can drive.  This means you should be looking for a pitch from the middle of the plate and in.  More precisely you should be looking for a fastball middle-in.  The reason behind this thinking is a pitcher wants to get a head and their best pitch is the fast ball.  If we know that, they are playing right into our hands, the only way the pitcher won’t get a first pitch fastball crushed is if he locates it perfectly.  If a pitcher is good enough to get ahead with a curve ball, good for him, it is not the pitch you are looking for and swinging at it will only result in you getting yourself out.  Also, this approach should not change as long as you are ahead in the count.  0-0, 1-0 2-0, 3-0, (1-1, 2-1).  The reason I put 1-1 and 2-1 in a special category is to me you are still ahead, only when I have two strikes do I change my approach and start fighting pitches off.  I want my players to put their best swing on the ball in 1 strike counts, when they get to two strikes you either hit a mistake, or try and put the ball in play the best you can.

I will talk more on approach in other posts and I will talk more about situational approach as well.