Building Rome Series

The Ultimate Guide to “Squish the Bug” for Baseball and Fastpitch Softball

Squish the bug is a way of introducing core rotation to younger players. First, the hitter pivots on the ball of the rear foot. Then, as they do so, they push the ball of the foot into the ground, thereby squashing the bug. This action has the effect of turning the hips.

In this hitting debate, two contending parties argue whether to “squish the bug” or conversely to un-weight the rear foot.

Click the link below for a free article on our skill-building guides website:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/squish-the-bug/

Batting Stride: How Aggressive?

Baseball and Fastpitch Softball

Should the stride for baseball and softball hitters be aggressive or early, short, and soft? We describe the pros and cons of each and how to fit the length, height, and timing of the stride to the hitter’s abilities. Click for a free article on our skill-building guides website:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/batting-stride/

How to Swing on Plane for Baseball and Fastpitch Softball

The ability to swing the bat at the same level as the trajectory of the incoming pitch improves ball exit velocity and the frequency of hard-hit balls (HHB%). Click below for a free article found on our skill-building guide website:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/swing-on-plane/

How to Establish a Monthly Assessment Process
Baseball and Fastpitch Softball

If the coach is consistent with monthly assessment, the baseball or fastpitch softball hitter becomes more motivated to practice purposefully. For example, after four weeks, when an athlete sees that they have gained three mph of exit velocity, it validates their hard work, and they know that the training works. Click below for the free goal setting article: on our skill-building guide website:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/evaluate-hitters/

Exit Velocity - Measurement and Speed by Age

Exit Velocity measures the speed of the baseball or softball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact. Attaining a high Exit Velocity is one of a hitter's primary goals.

Click below for our free article explaining how to measure EV and the ranges of exceptional ball exit velocity by age:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/exit-velocity/

Launch Angle in Your Cage

Launch angle represents the vertical angle at which the ball leaves the bat. The trajectory and velocity of the batted ball are the primary contributing factors to distance and outcome. Click for a free article found on our skill-building guides website:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/launch-angle/

Softball Swing vs Baseball Swing

Softball coaches, there is increased offensive production at your fingertips! Take a moment to re-evaluate the mental concepts you are conveying to your athletes. More verbal cues, such as “drive the ball hard,” “do damage to the ball”, “aim just over the fenceline”, helps establish fastpitch softball hitters’ intentions. College softball home runs are on the increase – don’t limit instruction just making contact and protecting.

Should batting be taught the same way for the softball swing vs baseball swing? This question is a popular topic among coaches and parents. Click the link below for our free article:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/softball-swing/

After a couple of years of trying to hit a pitch, which is traveling slowly and dropping steeply as it crosses the plate, many young hitters develop a substantial uppercut (as well as bat drag – image above). The hitter intuitively feels the necessity to swing up to match the pitch’s dropping plane if they want to make contact consistently and hit the ball further.

But, as the hitter gets older and faces faster and flatter pitching, habitual dipping results in missing under the ball, especially on waist-high and up pitches. The extreme uppercut swing path no longer matches the trajectory of the now faster pitch.

This hitting article identifies drills and concepts to quickly improve swing patterns.

Fix Dipping Under the Ball - Concepts and Drills - Building Rome Series This hitting article identifies how an unproductive dipping habit arises along with drills and concepts to quickly improve the swing pattern.

Early Bat Speed for Power and Average

Bat speed for both power and average requires the hitter to generate a large amount of force early, by the optimal inner zone contact points. Maximize hitting productivity with the concepts in this article:

Early Bat Speed for Power and Average - Building Rome Series Bat speed for both power and average requires the hitter to generate a large amount of force early, by the optimal inner zone contact points.

Hitting Drills to Fix Lunging

Use these effective batting stay-back drills to improve vision, increase power, and increase the percentage of solid contact.

Hitting Drills to Fix Lunging - Building Rome Series Our stay back hitting drills improve vision, boost power, and increase hard contact. Hitters fix lunging by training to keep head centered.

To improve vision and the rate of hard-hit balls, train hitters to maintain a steady head.

Use these hitting drills to fix a pulling head.

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/pulling-head/

The where and how baseball and softball hitters move their hands from a neutral position in front of the rear shoulder, in their stance, to a separated (muscle stretched, loaded) hitting position varies significantly among successful hitters. The where and how should be Fit to Player and support the type of hitter they are or want to be. See all the options at:

https://www.buildingromeseries.com/loading-hands/