The Mental Side of Hitting
Staying on the next pitch, not the last one.
How it actually works. A few habits carry most of it. Yes, yes, no: be ready to swing at every pitch, say yes as it comes out of the hand and yes as it travels, and only say no when the pitch tells you to. Next pitch: whatever just happened, a bad swing, a bad call, a strike you took, is over, and the only pitch that matters is the one coming. Keep swing thoughts short and positive, one cue at most, and never take yourself out of an at bat because you got down 0-2 or did not like the last call.
Why it is done, and when it is wrong. Two hitters with the same swing can have completely different seasons, and the difference is almost always between the ears. The hitter who spirals after a called strike is effectively giving the pitcher a free out. The one who resets and gets ready for the next pitch keeps the at bat alive, and staying alive is how you get the mistake pitch. Yes, yes, no works because it keeps you on time. A hitter who starts every pitch undecided is late on every pitch.
What people get wrong about it. Positive does not mean fake. Telling yourself you are going to hit a homer is not a plan. A good swing thought is something you can do, like staying through the middle or getting your foot down early. And results lie in a short stretch: you can square up three balls right at people and be doing everything right.
At Little League and travel ball. Kids take themselves out of at bats constantly, usually after one bad call. The best thing a coach or parent can do is praise the good at bat, the hard out and the good take, not just the hit, so the kid learns to judge himself on the process.
Batter's Eye: look up anything in baseball