Efficient and Effective Batting

Practice

Nino Giarratano
University of San Francisco
Efficient
Organization – Executing Your Plan
Practice BP (60 minutes)

“Quality is never an accident: it is always the result

of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent
direction and skillful execution: it represents
the wise choice of many alternatives.”
-William A. Foster
Keys to a Successful Batting Practice
Session

I. Organization and Communication

II. Balance Between Freedom and Structure
III. CULTURE
IV. Teach them to fish (How vs. What)
 PRACTICE PLAN

“Without discipline the Army would be just a bunch of guys

wearing the same color clothing.” - Frank Burns
2:00PM DYNAMIC WARM UP

2:15PM LEAD UP DRILLS: TEE WORK *3 GROUPS OF 8: 5 MINUTES PER STATION

SIDE TOSS
SHORT BAT
2:30PM ATTACK STATIONS

LIVE BASERUNNING DEFENSE CAGES VISUALIZATION

GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 GROUP 4 GROUP 5
QUINTERO LIPKIN MORIOKA MAHOOD MURAKAMI
CHAVEZ YARROW DITTMANN ABEL ESCOBAR
AGATE LUJAN MATERN KIM BRAUNECKER
JOHNSON MOTT BERNATZ DENHAM CLEAR
HIGGS BALOG POPPERT ETHEL

LIVE ROUNDS: I. OPPO DRIVE LIVE STATIONS I. LET IT FLY

II. WHOLE PLATE II. DEPTH OF CONTACT
III. WHOLE PLATE III. BALL FLIGHT / APPROACH ANGLE / LOCATION
IV. 3 – 1 COUNT IV. DUGOUT PREPARATION / ROUTINE
V. ON DECK PREPARATION: NO BAT

BASERUNNING: 1B = 1 OUT (EXTENTION / DECISION)

2B = 0 OUTS (GET AHEAD ON THE GROUND)
3B = 1 OUT (DOWN ANGLE)

CAGES: ROLE SPECIFIC EXECUTION (5 REPS PER ROUND)

VISUALIZATION: “Shoebox” *IN THE PRESSBOX

Prepare the Body and the Mind
2:00PM DYNAMIC WARM UP

Breathe / Flush / Set Goals

2:15PM LEAD UP DRILLS: TEE WORK

SIDE TOSS
SHORT BAT

*3 GROUPS: 5 MINUTES PER STATION

Work Smart
 Structure
2:30PM OFFENSIVE STATIONS

LIVE BASERUNNING DEFENSE CAGES VISUALIZATION

GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 GROUP 4 GROUP 5
QUINTERO LIPKIN MORIOKA MAHOOD MURAKAMI
CHAVEZ YARROW DITTMANN ABEL ESCOBAR
AGATE LUJAN MATERN KIM BRAUNECKER
JOHNSON MOTT BERNATZ DENHAM CLEAR
HIGGS BALOG POPPERT ETHEL

LIVE ROUNDS: I. OPPO DRIVE LIVE STATIONS I. LET IT FLY

II. WHOLE PLATE II. DEPTH OF CONTACT
III. WHOLE PLATE III. BALL FLT / APPROACH ANGLE / LOCATION
IV. 3 – 1 COUNT IV. DUGOUT PREPARATION / ROUTINE
V. ON DECK PREPARATION: NO BAT
Effective: Maximizing Time &
Development
5 Stations Around the Bubble

Depth of Contact
Location / Angle / Direction
In the Hole
On Deck Preparation
Swing
Freedom
BASERUNNING: 1B = 1 OUT (EXTENTION / DECISION)
2B = 0 OUTS (GET AHEAD ON THE GROUND)
3B = 1 OUT (DOWN ANGLE)

CAGES: ROLE SPECIFIC EXECUTION

VISUALIZATION: “Shoebox” *IN THE PRESSBOX

 GAME DAY
“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller
skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never
know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or
sideways.”

- H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Pace: Maximizing Time &
Repetition
384 pitches hit + 64 pitches taken (1 pitch every round) = 83.5% accuracy

2,400 seconds in 40 minutes

-60 seconds (20 seconds in between groups to rotate)

2,340 seconds ÷ 4 groups = 585 seconds / group

585 seconds ÷ (4 hitters X 4 rounds / hitter = 16) = 36 seconds / round

*3 seconds to exit the cage + 3 seconds to enter, leaves you 30 seconds / round.

30 seconds / round ÷ 6 pitches (5 hit + 1 taken) = 5 SECONDS / PITCH

 GAME DAY PREPARATION

CL POS CL POS
1A E Morioka C / LF 1B B Lipkin OFF
R Dittmann 1B R Yarrow 1B
E Lujan 2B / 3B E Kim LF
B Clear SS B Bernatz CF / RF

CL POS CL POS
2A B Abel 2B 2B E Escobar LF / 3B
B Braunecker 3B R Johnson RF
R Higgs C / 1B B Ethel CF
R Balog 1B B Poppert SS

DIAMOND: ROUND 1 OPPO DRIVE SWINGS 5 CAGES: ROLE SPECIFIC

ROUND 2 GAP TO GAP SWINGS 5 EXECUTION
ROUND 3 GAP TO GAP SWINGS 5
ROUND 4 3 – 1 APPROACH SWINGS 5

BASERUNNING: 1B 1 OUT EXTEND & READ (AGGRESSIVE 1ST – 3RD DECISION)

2B 0 OUTS GET AHEAD ON THE GROUND
3B 1 OUT CONTACT / DOWN ANGLE
CLASS E – EXECUTIONERS
REPS EXECUTION REPS EXECUTION REPS EXECUTION
ROUND 1: 3 HIT & RUN 1 SAC. 5 1 SAC. 3
ROUND 2: 3 MOVE RUNNERS 1 SLASH 5 1 SLASH 3
ROUND 3: 3 SCORE RUNNERS 1 DRAG 1 PUSH

ROUND 4: 5 SWINGS: FB WHOLE PLATE

ALTERNATE / MIX PITCHES
ALTERNATE LOCATIONS

CAGE: ROUND 1: 5 DRAG / PUSH

ROUND 2: 5 2 STRIKE APPROACH
ROUND 3 & 4: 5 FB WHOLE PLATE
CLASS B – BALANCED
ATTACK
REPS EXECUTION REPS EXECUTION REPS EXECUTION
ROUND 1: 3 HIT & RUN 1 SAC. 5 1 SAC. 3
ROUND 2: 3 MOVE RUNNERS 2 FIRM IN
ROUND 3: 3 SCORE RUNNERS 2 SOFT AWAY

ROUND 4: 5 SWINGS: FB WHOLE PLATE

ALTERNATE / MIX PITCHES
ALTERNATE LOCATIONS

CAGE: ROUND 1: 5 MOVE RUNNERS

ROUND 2: 5 2 STRIKE APPROACH
ROUND 3 & 4: 5 FB WHOLE PLATE
CLASS R - RUN PRODUCERS
REPS EXECUTION REPS EXECUTION
ROUND 1: 2 HIT & RUN 3 MOVE RUNNERS
ROUND 2: 3 MOVE RUNNERS 2 FIRM IN
ROUND 3: 3 SCORE RUNNERS 2 SOFT AWAY

ROUND 4: 5 SWINGS: FB WHOLE PLATE

ALTERNATE / MIX PITCHES
ALTERNATE LOCATIONS

CAGE: ROUND 1: 5 MOVE RUNNERS

ROUND 2: 5 2 STRIKE APPROACH
ROUND 3 & 4: 5 WHOLE PLATE
“Through repetition and time, habits eventually
bury themselves so deeply into the coding of
human thought and behavior that they
ultimately often override conscious choice. As
the saying goes, we begin controlling our
habits. In time, our habits control us.”

- William James
Teaching
1. Physical: Mechanics
2. Mental: 10 Mental Disciplines
10 ds
Teaching
1. Physical: Mechanics
2. Mental: 10 Mental Disciplines
3. Vision: Batting Practice Stations
Coordinate Bullpens for
Tracking
4. Approach: Batting Practice Chart
Effective
CHARTING BATTING PRACTICE

WHO YOU SELECT TO KEEP THE CHART:

1. MUST UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF

EACH HITTER’S SWING
2. IS OUT OF BP THAT DAY
Execution

“Guessing what the pitcher is going to throw is

eighty percent of being a successful hitter.
The other twenty percent is just execution.”
–Hank Aaron
Execution
Moving Runners / Scoring Runners

1. Small focus: Top Inside Part of the Ball

2. Reinforces Mechanics
3. Relaxed / Confident in Game Situations
Execution
Cutting The Plate: 2 / 3 vs. 1 / 3

“Manny would rather die than go to bat without a

Plan.” He likes to say, “I’ll give the pitcher this
much of the plate, but if he misses here, he’s
mine.”
-Don Mattingly on Manny Ramirez
Execution
Hit Pitches You Are Capable Of Hitting

1. Balance
2. Rhythm
3. Aggressive
Connecting the Physical & Mental Approach

Rhythm: Load Slow & Early

Approach: Stay in the Middle of the Field & React

Vision: See it Easy & Early

Balance: Stay Within Yourself

2:00PM DYNAMIC WARM UP

2:15PM LEAD UP DRILLS: TEE WORK *3 GROUPS OF 8: 5 MINUTES PER STATION

SIDE TOSS
SHORT BAT
2:30PM ATTACK STATIONS

LIVE BASERUNNING DEFENSE CAGES VISUALIZATION

GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 GROUP 4 GROUP 5
QUINTERO LIPKIN MORIOKA MAHOOD MURAKAMI
CHAVEZ YARROW DITTMANN ABEL ESCOBAR
AGATE LUJAN MATERN KIM BRAUNECKER
JOHNSON MOTT BERNATZ DENHAM CLEAR
HIGGS BALOG POPPERT ETHEL

LIVE ROUNDS: I. OPPO DRIVE LIVE STATIONS I. LET IT FLY

II. WHOLE PLATE II. DEPTH OF CONTACT
III. WHOLE PLATE III. BALL FLIGHT / APPROACH ANGLE / LOCATION
IV. 3 – 1 COUNT IV. DUGOUT PREPARATION / ROUTINE
V. ON DECK PREPARATION: NO BAT

BASERUNNING: 1B = 1 OUT (EXTENTION / DECISION)

2B = 0 OUTS (GET AHEAD ON THE GROUND)
3B = 1 OUT (DOWN ANGLE)

CAGES: ROLE SPECIFIC EXECUTION (5 REPS PER ROUND)

VISUALIZATION: “Shoebox” *IN THE PRESSBOX

360i Coach

“The most efficient and effective

tool we use.”
360i Coach Applications
1. PRACTICES
2. GAMES
3. MEETINGS
4. RECRUITING
5. ALUMNI / DONOR RELATIONS
“TRAIN - TRUST - FLY”