Why Staying Inside The Ball Helps a Hitter
What does it mean to stay ‘inside’ and why is it important?
There are lots of different hitting philosophies and “gurus” on social media. Among those, you may have heard the term “staying inside the ball” before, but what exactly does it mean to stay inside the baseball and why is it important?
In this instructional video from Ty Jacobs of HitStreak, Ty explains some of the differences in keeping your bat path ‘inside’ the ball vs. ‘outside’ the ball and the benefits to a hitter – whether baseball or softball and no matter the age. It’s a tried-and-true philosophy that some of the best hitters of all time from Ken Griffey, Jr. to Tony Gwynn have used as an approach in the batter’s box.
To start, staying inside the ball means that your goal is to hit the inside part of the baseball – the part of the ball closest to you – vs the outside of the ball. Not only does this prevent the hitter from overextending while turning into the ball, but also keeps a much bigger window to make contact in.
When a hitter’s bat path extends to hit the outside of the ball, it also means the timing has to be perfect. As Ty explains, this gives a much smaller window of a contact point. Staying inside the ball can extend that window from maybe 6 inches to 2 feet as the bat extends through the zone. This means that by keeping his or her swing path inside the ball, the batter is better able to recognize and adjust to breaking balls or pitches that move away from the plate. This gives a better chance of making contact, even with tough pitches or if late on the pitch.
Ty also demonstrates a tip for tee work by placing the ball on the tee with the two seams facing back (towards the catcher). Having the player focus on hitting the inside seam will give a visual queue to stay inside.
Whether a t-ball player just learning or an advanced hitter looking to maintain consistency, staying inside the ball will give you a better chance of success at the plate.
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