Training Programs
Winning Pitcher's Baseball Academy
Hitting Philosophy – Alan Cockrell
Former MLB Player and Hitting Coach for Rockies, Mariners and Yankees
Baseball, specifically hitting, is being dramatically altered by today’s data driven, analytical beliefs. How do we achieve desirable results and not drastically change the proven swing path that dates back to Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente? What if I showed you similarities in the swings of Albert Pujols and Ichiro? (You would be amazed).
I believe that the best hitters of this great game, (past, present, and future), should strive to create a swing path that results in consistent, hard line drives. Ground balls and fly balls will occur, however, we don’t want to build a swing arc that turns those hard ground balls into topped “rollovers”, or fly balls into “lazy pop-ups”.
While I don’t feel hitting coaches should try to “clone or cookie-cut” their hitters. I do believe we should strive to build on the strengths of every hitter. However, every good hitter, (past, present, and future), performs a series of sequential moves (working from the ground-up), that enables the barrel to enter the back of the strike zone, accelerating through contact.
Every hitter is entitled to their own style or preference when it comes to stance, set-up, and load. However, when the stride foots lands, all hitters are very much alike in their movements to and through contact. My emphasis will focus on the “non-negotiable” of consistent, hard contact—bat path. Learning to control the bat barrel is an enormous step forward in becoming the best hitter they can be.
Power Drive Performance and Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy, 227 Arlington St, Unit C Framingham, MA Phone 774-292-9193.
