I played minor league baseball for 4 years, and I have been giving private lessons for the last seven years. I have recently accepted an offer to be a volunteer assistant at Central Michigan University. I have worked with a world series champion, Little League players, and everyone in between. I cover topics from hitting and fielding instruction down to how parents should use the resources that are available to their kids, and what is going on in the MLB as well. I'll save you money, sanity, and your valuable time, while giving you information that is priceless.
What is the true purpose of the hit and run and what should the hitter be trying to do? These are questions I always ask every time I watch a hitter take BP and try and chop the ball into the ground or really try to go the opposite way with a pitch when it is inside. I do not understand what is being taught and why when I see this.
Here are my thoughts: The hit and run is a calculated risk which puts my runner in motion and puts my hitter at ease by knowing he must swing (he does not have to think). I want my hitter to keep his same approach, I do not want him thinking about hitting a ground ball or trying to hit the ball the opposite way. Why do I feel this way? First of all you do not know what the pitcher is throwing and even if you did it would be hard to put the ball on the ground every single time. If I could do that, or teach my hitters to do that, why wouldn’t I just teach them to hit line drives every time at the plate. It is impossible, that is why. So I assume you have a hitter who makes contact a majority of the time at the plate or you wouldn’t put a hit and run on. If your hitter is unreliable you would just straight steel, just like if you wanted the hitter to give themselves up you would simply sacrifice bunt. That being said I want my hitter to take his normal swing with the hope that he drives the ball to the gap and scores the runner from first or hits a hard single which moves the runner 1st to 3rd. Again this is a calculated risk I am taking and I am OK with other outcomes. For example, if the hitter hits a routine pop fly and your runner is running the bases properly (meaning he looked in like he should) he will have no problem retreating back to the base. If he hits a line drive at someone and it results in a double play, so be it that may happen and that is why it is a calculated risk. Also, if he does hit a ground ball, which is possible the runner should be able to be the play to second and thus moving the runner at the very least, but that is not my intention. I think the hit and run is a more aggressive play than some give it credit for. I do not think a hit and run means the hitter changes anything about what he is trying to do at the plate.
