Burt Sanchez

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

When I played with the Oakland A's, they had us do a weird drill.

They set up large screens about 15-20 feet in front of the batting cage.

The goal?

Hit the ball over the screens.

If you hit it too low, the ball would hit the screen and come right back at you.

The coaches were trying to help us elevate the baseball.

The first few swings i took?

Right into the screen.

The next few swings?

Same thing.

I remember thinking:

"This is kind of silly."

I wasn't really a believer.

By the third round, though, I started getting balls over the screen.

Then something interesting happened.

I took that feeling into the game.

And I ended up driving a few doubles.

Now before every parent runs out and starts doing this drill...

There's something important you need to understand.

I was a professional hitter.

By that point, I had probably taken over a million swings.

I already knew how to find the barrel.
I already knew how to hit line drives.
I already knew how to make consistent contact.

The drill wasn't teaching me how to hit.

It was helping me make a small adjustment.

That's why my philosophy has always been:

Don't chase elevation.

Earn the right to work on it.

Most young hitters don't need to learn how to elevate the baseball.

They need to learn how to square it up.

They need to learn how to hit line drives.

They need to learn how to find the barrel consistently.

Because once a hitter can consistently hit line drives...

Elevating the baseball becomes much easier.

Here's What I'd Do Tonight if I wanted to elevate the baseball:

Round 1: Line Drives Through The Middle

10 swings off a tee.

The goal is simple:

Hit line drives back through the middle.

Not fly balls.
Not ground balls.
Line drives.

Round 2: Opposite Field Gap

10 swings off a tee.

Drive the ball into the opposite field gap.

This teaches the hitter to stay through the baseball longer.

Round 3: Pull Side Gap

Move the tee 6 inches farther out front.

10 swings into the pull-side gap.

The goal isn't elevating the baseball.

The goal is still driving the baseball.

Round 4: Earn The Right

Count how many line drives you hit out of 30 swings.

If you hit 20 or more line drives...

You've earned the right to start experimenting with elevating the baseball.

If not...

Keep working on line drives.

Because one thing I've learned:

Line drives are the foundation of power.

Most hitters want to skip straight to elevating the baseball.

But before you learn how to elevate the baseball...

You need to learn how to square it up.

Elevating the baseball is a terrible place to start.

It's a great place to finish.

Thank you for reading,
Jermaine Curtis

P.S. - If you enjoyed this, and thought it was helpful, please share it.

[Burt Sanchez @Strawman86]

Flora 2
Neoga 1

LP: E Fearday

Next: vs Effingham

[Xen Penny @XenPenny]

Chipper Jones talking through how keeping your nose down on the ball leads to true ball flight. Not having the head down leads to poor ball flight. Keeping the head down helps with having efficient contact quality. Video from Propelhitting on Instagram.

[PicknPivot @PicknPivot]

Anthony Volpe dominating the small details on each rep

Clear focus on the catch and transfer here. Gets to the common exchange point on each rep

Great rhythm/timing into each hop and momentum to target. Direction > Distance

[Burt Sanchez @Strawman86]

Marshall 5
Neoga 2

Next: Tonight at T-Town 4:30

[Coach LaRoi Johnson LLC @Chise89]

Say it louder for the people in the back❕️❗️

[Burt Sanchez @Strawman86]

@AlHartwig1 Right call on a double foul. POI

[Rocket City Trash Pandas @trashpandas]

🎉 END OF YEAR GIVEAWAY 🎉

- If this gets 1,011 retweets by 11:59 PM on New Year's Eve, 2 people who RT will win a hat. 🧢

- If this gets 2,022 retweets by that time, we'll also give away this 'Hero Night' jersey AND our social media manager will dye their hair blond. 👀

[Kurt Warner @kurt13warner]

I chuckle on the inside when some1 comments about where I’m at in life, bc they have no idea what I did 2 get here! & I’m not interested in telling them, just gives me sense of pride (hopefully not arrogance)! Don’t be ashamed of what u have, knowing battle u fought 2 get there!

[Burt Sanchez @Strawman86]

@James12Seth @jwquick What about Kevin Duckworth?

[80s Sports N Stuff @80sSportsNStuff]

Every Little League catcher in the 1980s imitated Tony Peña’s catching stance at least once...

[Indiana State Baseball @IndStBaseball]

"There is a lot more to being a baseball player here than having a great day at the plate or mound."

🗣 Mitch Hannahs

#MarchOn

[Burt Sanchez @Strawman86]

@BSmile Bill Haller has some stories. Does a lot of good things with his baseball connections to raise money

[Baseball by BSmile @BSmile]

Baltimore #Orioles manager Earl Weaver launches into a legendary tirade with umpire Bill Haller! (1980) #MLB #Baseball #History

[80s Sports N Stuff @80sSportsNStuff]

Baseball brawls were better before social distancing...

[80s Sports N Stuff @80sSportsNStuff]

Today in 1983, George Brett was called out following his 9th inning HR because of too much pine tar on his bat...he didn’t take the news very well.

[80s Sports N Stuff @80sSportsNStuff]

30 years ago today, Bo Jackson hit 3 HRs and Deion Sanders hit an inside-the-park HR in a 10-7 Royals win at Yankee Stadium...

[Sports Days Past @SportsDaysPast]

Quite possibly the worlds greatest wiffle ball field? Probably. More than likely. Definitely

[Los Angeles Angels @Angels]

GOT OUR GUY!

#Angels select LHP Reid Detmers from @LouisvilleBSB!

[Mike Trout @MikeTrout]

I was lucky enough to know someone as special as Tyler. You were there last night, 45... we’ll always have you in our hearts. I love and miss you.