How do you hit with 2 strikes on you?

Tonight we scrimmaged and as you’d expect we had several strikeouts.  It was interesting to watch the kids approach the at bat when they had two strikes on them.  There were two basic reactions.  There were a few who seized up and didn’t swing at all.  It was as if the fear of striking out became a self fulfilling prophecy and, as long as the pitcher put the ball over the plate, a backwards K was inevitable.   The others were so committed to not watching the 3^rd strike go by that they either swung at balls far out of the zone or were way too early.  With these kids their desire to hit and their aggressive approach limited their chance even for contact.

So the question is how to improve.  If there is one thing that is sure a two strike count is pretty tough.  There are the physical challenges of making contact with the ball if it’s close while letting balls out of the zone go by and there are the mental challenges of the added pressure of an impending strikeout.

Notice I haven’t offered any advice for a two strike approach? I’m planning to work with the team on this and give them a few tools to work with.  They will all have to do with increasing the likelihood of making contact with the ball: Move closer to the plate to be able to cover the outside corner better, choke up on the bat to increase bat speed and control and practice making contact when faced (mentally at least) with 2 strikes (in practice).