04:19
Faizan
Stepping in the bucket is a flaw in a baseball player's batting swing. It occurs when a batter opens his hips prematurely and steps toward the outer edge of the batter's box with his front foot. A batter should step straight ahead when swinging the bat. This habit can result from a lack of fundamental skills or from a batter's fear of getting hit by a pitched ball. You can use various drills to correct it.
Opposite Field Drill
This drill requires batters to hit pitches to the opposite field. It helps eliminate stepping into the bucket because it is impossible to drive balls into the opposite field consistently while stepping in the bucket. The coach should have each player take 10 to 12 swings at pitches, aiming to hit each ball to the opposite field. This means right-handed batters will hit it to right field and left-handed batters will hit it to left field. Requiring batters to make contact with the ball deeper in the hitting zone will help stop them from stepping in the bucket and swinging at balls at the front of the hitting zone.
Bunting Drill
A routine bunting drill can help players avoid stepping in the bucket and improve their ability to bunt. The coach should have each player lay down 10 to 12 bunts on consecutive pitches in practice. The batters can bunt down either baseline or back toward the mound, depending on where the pitch is thrown. This helps correct stepping in the bucket because it is virtually impossible for a batter to step in the bucket when she has her feet in correct bunting position.
Tennis Ball Drill
Using a tennis ball or another soft ball, the coach should start by softly tossing pitches over the plate as the hitter stands in the batter's box. The hitter should not swing. The coach should start pitching inside, moving the pitches closer and closer to the batter. When the hitter thinks a pitch is going to hit him, he should be instructed to turn his body away from the pitch, duck down and place the end of the bat on the ground behind them. This corrects stepping in the bucket among batters who are afraid of the ball hitting them. The coach can enhance the drill by throwing some pitches over the plate and some pitches way inside, close to the hitter.
Chart Drill
During batting practice, a coach should chart how each player performs, according to how well he hits pitches that are high or low, inside or outside, or directly over the plate. Any player who is stepping in the bucket consistently will almost certainly have trouble hitting pitches over the outside of the plate, and her chart should reflect this. The coach should show the player the chart that demonstrates she is not hitting outside pitches well. This tactic is more effective than simply telling a player not to step in the bucket.
Opposite Field Drill
This drill requires batters to hit pitches to the opposite field. It helps eliminate stepping into the bucket because it is impossible to drive balls into the opposite field consistently while stepping in the bucket. The coach should have each player take 10 to 12 swings at pitches, aiming to hit each ball to the opposite field. This means right-handed batters will hit it to right field and left-handed batters will hit it to left field. Requiring batters to make contact with the ball deeper in the hitting zone will help stop them from stepping in the bucket and swinging at balls at the front of the hitting zone.
Bunting Drill
A routine bunting drill can help players avoid stepping in the bucket and improve their ability to bunt. The coach should have each player lay down 10 to 12 bunts on consecutive pitches in practice. The batters can bunt down either baseline or back toward the mound, depending on where the pitch is thrown. This helps correct stepping in the bucket because it is virtually impossible for a batter to step in the bucket when she has her feet in correct bunting position.
Tennis Ball Drill
Using a tennis ball or another soft ball, the coach should start by softly tossing pitches over the plate as the hitter stands in the batter's box. The hitter should not swing. The coach should start pitching inside, moving the pitches closer and closer to the batter. When the hitter thinks a pitch is going to hit him, he should be instructed to turn his body away from the pitch, duck down and place the end of the bat on the ground behind them. This corrects stepping in the bucket among batters who are afraid of the ball hitting them. The coach can enhance the drill by throwing some pitches over the plate and some pitches way inside, close to the hitter.
Chart Drill
During batting practice, a coach should chart how each player performs, according to how well he hits pitches that are high or low, inside or outside, or directly over the plate. Any player who is stepping in the bucket consistently will almost certainly have trouble hitting pitches over the outside of the plate, and her chart should reflect this. The coach should show the player the chart that demonstrates she is not hitting outside pitches well. This tactic is more effective than simply telling a player not to step in the bucket.
