What Are the Seven S's in a Batting Swing?

Baseball players consistently connect with the ball when they have good hitting mechanics. Hitting the ball a long distance in a baseball park is much more than just swinging the bat at the right time. The amount of power delivered to the bat is a function of timing, physiology, and mechanical physics. Like a golf player who develops a routine to improve their swing and score, baseball players breakdown the important aspects of their swing into seven steps.

  1. Bat Selection and Stance

    • The hitter should pick a bat that is matched to his size, strength and ability. The bat should be the right length, weight and the composition. All of these physical attributes affect how fast the bat will travel as it contacts the ball. A batter also should take time to position himself at the plate. His stance should not vary, regardless of the type of play the coach calls, so he doesn't telegraph his intentions before the pitch. The stance includes positioning feet, knees, shoulders, arms and head to deliver maximum force to the bat during the swing.

    Setup and Stride

    • The player's setup and hitting stride refer to his initial movement from the set position as he transitions into a hitting posture. The setup and stride should be the same every time a batter comes to the plate. The batter has to adjust his body posture and mechanics from the set position to a posture that unlocks his arms, legs and torso as the pitcher releases the ball. Like a track and field runner transitioning from an at-rest "ready" to an elevated "set" position, the batter prepares to swing by bending his rear knee, and taking a short step toward the incoming ball.

    Pitch Selection

    • Pitch selection is one of the most important aspects of a batter's swing. A pitcher will send the ball over the plate at speeds between 75 and 95 miles an hour. The batter has only seconds to read the pitcher's movement, the field conditions and calculate the influence of his overall strike and ball count and apply this information to the type of ball that he expects to receive at home plate. A good player will balance the kind of pitch he is likely to receive and the kind of pitch he wants before pulling the trigger and swinging at the ball.

    Swing and Swivel

    • The batter's swing and swivel are dependent on the five previous steps. Like uncoiling a spring or puling the trigger on a cocked gun, the batter's body must perform a complete swivel, releasing the energy he has stored as he stepped into his stance and initiated his stride. The batter connects solidly with the ball as he pivots with his arms, shoulders and waist. The batter must make sure his wrists are square to the bat, and his head stays down, looking for the point at which the bat and ball connect. By swiveling all the way through the swing, the batter delivers the greatest amount of energy through the bat into the ball.