How to Break a Hitting Slump: Mental Strategies from a Coach

Ask The Coach about Hitting Slump

What should I do when I'm in a mental hitting slump?

I’m in a hitting slump right now and it’s more mental than my swing. I’m not sure what to do. Before the game time, I’m loosey-goosey and ready to play. But once I hit the field I freeze up and I don’t know why. Any suggestions?

How can a coach help with a mental hitting slump?

No, I don’t know why you are in a hitting slump.
But, I can give you some clues & direction to self-coach & helping you to get your head right!

Do hitting slumps happen often and do they go away?

Slumps happen & if you’ve never been in a slump… you just haven’t played this game long enough.

Let’s have a moment of silence for those poor young pros who are playing 6-7 games a week, more than they ever have. They can play from Friday to Monday and find yourself in a slump of 2 for 20 by the time they finished at the post-game buffet… enjoy your sleep, you lucky pro baseball player.

With that said, and without playing amateur psychiatrist, let’s agree to think logically and not make this bigger than it actually is.

So, what the hell happened?

1. It likely started in your head, you didn’t forget how to hit and over time, you could be changing your swing
2. You will get through this
3. You may find more batting coaches than you can count

How can you clear your mind and regain focus during a hitting slump?

To clear your mind and regain focus during a hitting slump, you need a method to self-talk yourself back to focusing on what you know to do, throwing away all else. This is like the Kevin Costner movie where he played an aging MLB pitcher who used a phrase to regain focus. Sometimes we all need something to kick us back to normal, and a good approach is to lean on your abilities and not on the result in the scorebook.

Sometimes we all need something to kick us back to normal and my version of this is to just lean on your abilities and not on the result in the scorebook

What are the practical steps to overcome a hitting slump?

1. Stop trying to get hits… (crazy, I know, keep reading.)
2. Decide to swing at the 1st good pitch you see, then a 2nd & and then a 3rd if needed
3. Look to hit right back at the pitcher
   (note: 1,2,& 3 below detail these 3 points)

What is the plan to overcome a hitting slump and why does it work?

The plan to overcome a hitting slump works because you cannot control getting a hit; too many factors like slick-fielding shortstops, fast center-fielders, and deceitful pitchers are involved. All you can control is hitting the ball hard somewhere, so make that your goal. If you leave the on-deck circle with the goal to put a good swing on the 1st good pitch you see, you will reduce or avoid bad counts. Take this approach into the cage, batting practice, or even swinging at Wiffle balls in the backyard. As Branch Rickey said, 'A full mind is an empty bat.'

In summary, how is your hitting slump a choice and what is the solution?

Your hitting slump is partially your choice because its prolonged state results from trying anything, listening to others without a finite focused plan, and becoming confused, which compounds the problem. The solution is to have a clear plan and direction so that you simply let your abilities take over, as you have been doing since you began playing t-ball.

You need a clear plan and direction so that you simply let your abilities take over, like you have been doing since you began playing t-ball.