Today, this seems to be less and less. Catchers are more like wind up dolls. Just go and watch a game now, even older kids. You'll see catchers looking into the dugout after every pitch, looking for the following sign and pitch to call. Many times they are clueless why some of them are called. It's just like a wireless video game for the coaches sitting on the buckets near the on-deck circle. And to make things worse, after every pitch, what do you usually hear? You hear a couple of coaches yapp'in away in the catcher, the pitcher and the infielders given multiple directions and demands. It's a puppet show at times.not a baseball game.
Keep your hands inside the path of the baseball. Keeping your hands inside the baseball is one of the better baseball tips on hitting. Getting your hands too far away from your system will encourage you to get"jammed" in on your fists and the handle of the bat.
Children are bigger, stronger and faster these days. Look at the Little League World Series this year. They moved the fence back a good distance because the home runs keep increasing and there are just too many. (yes, those high tech giants played a role too!) My point is, the foundations are short and there are a great deal of fast runners. This is not a good mix for throwing runners out.
Allow the"sweet spot" do all of the work for you. Your swing doesn't need to be as strong as theirs. You don't have to have their knowledge of hitting.
After the pitcher breaks his hands apart, shift your eyes from the pitcher's cap into the pitcher's window. (His window is simply where he releases the ball.) Go back and"load up" by cocking the wrists and the hips a split second before the pitcher releases the ball.
My son was in a horrible slump. The reason he had been in a slump was because he wasn't swinging at good pitches. And he was taking lots of called three strikes. He would tell me after the game that the pitches were not strikes. I sat behind home plate, so I clearly understood the pitches were strikes. As opposed to argue with him, I decided to video his at bats. After seeing just a few at bats where he had taken strike three, he decided he did not know the strike zone. We looked into some tips to help him recognize the strike zone, and the problem has been solved. This may also work for pitching, base running and fielding.