I can’t believe I didn’t send word out, but a couple of days ago I released my very first hitting product called the AB Tracker.
Basically it’s a simple fill-in-the-blank template that let’s hitters track, well, every important detail of their at bats! Including:
- Pitch Location
- Pitch Type
- Pitch Sequence (Super Important!)
- Pitchers’ “Go-to” pitch, including where and when he likes to throw it
- Pitches Swung At and Taken
- Contact
- Type of Contact (Jammed, Off the end, “On the screws”)
- Timing (Were you fooled? Did you have to fight one off? Did you get it just right?)
- Swing Type (over aggressive, too defensive, just right)
It also includes a space to keep track of:
- Situational Hitting Scenarios (Moving Runners Over, Driving Runners In, 0,1, and 2 out situations, etc)
- Your Routine (Pre-at bat, between pitch, etc)
- Your Pitch (Are you recognizing what “Your Pitch” is? Are you putting a good swing on the ball and making good contact?)
- Your Game Plan going up to the plate (Without one of these you’re just going up to the plate “Swinging Blind”)
- The End Result
Even I’m impressed that all of that information fits so easily on a 3″x5″ index card!
The Bottom Line: This will be the most valuable hitting tool you can get your hands on… except for your bat!
I originally designed the cards solely for hitters, but I’ve found that coaches have been putting them to good use as well. They’ll either grab at least one set (50 ABs per set) for each one of their players, or use the sets for scouting opposing offenses. Some have actually used them to keep track of their own pitchers and how they are handling hitters.
I’ve had high school hitters, college hitters, and yes even over-the-hill ball players in over 30 leagues write me to tell me just how valuable these babies are. It makes me kind of wish I thought of this template a long time ago when I swung the stick!
Anyway you can head over to my 5 minute video explaining things when you Click Here
Before you head over there, check out a few FAQs that popped up this weekend.
AB Tracker FAQ
These cards were designed for all hitters from the high school level on up, where pitching is a bit more advanced (pitch strategy, the pitchers' ability to throw more than one pitch for a strike in varying counts, etc.) and where you might face a team or pitcher more than once. Right now, my high school and college hitters are taking full advantage of these cards.
Absolutely! Coaches can use these cards in a few different ways. Some coaches will use these cards when they are out scouting other teams. Other will grab multiple sets to hand out to their own hitters. (Highly Recommended!) Some coaches are even using these cards to track how well their own pitchers are doing against opposing hitters. Whatever way you choose, these cards will prove to be a very valuable teaching tool, not to mention a performance booster.
When I first designed the AB Tracker hitting cards, I toyed with the idea of making them into an app. I made sure I checked the App Store, to see if someone else beat me to the punch. I saw one, maybe two similar apps, but they just didn't cover everything you can track with these cards. Besides, there are two very important factors that have kept me from making the AB Tracker into an app.
1. There is value in physically writing down information. It's a proven tool many people have used to better remember and even learn information quicker and easier than relying on someone else to "remind" them.
2. As a coach, there is no way I would allow the use of smart phones (or any phone besides a bullpen phone) during the game. There's just way too much temptation to text, check email, or even hit the internet. (I have actually caught a coach or two doing this, so what's keeping the players from doing the same?) Apps are great, but even a hitting app would prove to be too easy of a distraction from the game.
Pitch tracking is a skill just like swinging the bat. It requires practice. If you've never kept track of the details of your at bats, I would strongly recommend you begin teaching yourself now, instead of trying to wing it after your first at bat in the regular season. Some of my hitters have tried to teach themselves on the fly, only to tell me they wish they'd practiced a few times beforehand.
There are a few different places to practice before the season rolls around.
1. Winter leagues. If you're playing this winter and getting some at bats, there's no time like now to start making at bat tracking part of your in-game routine.
2. Team practices/ Captain's practices. Anytime you can face a pitcher who is trying to get you out, you can learn from it - especially if those pitchers are your own teammates. I mean they're watching you swing a bat every day! Just for bragging rights alone, your pitchers will show you exactly how they'd get you out if they had the chance in a real game.
3. I have hitters that don't play winter ball, but they still practice using the cards, by watching video of old games and at bats. They will watch a particular at bat, pause the video, and then try to recall and chart every pitch of the at bat. They can then rewind the video to see if they charted correctly.
AB Tracker FAQ
These cards were designed for all hitters from the high school level on up, where pitching is a bit more advanced (pitch strategy, the pitchers' ability to throw more than one pitch for a strike in varying counts, etc.) and where you might face a team or pitcher more than once. Right now, my high school and college hitters are taking full advantage of these cards.
Absolutely! Coaches can use these cards in a few different ways. Some coaches will use these cards when they are out scouting other teams. Other will grab multiple sets to hand out to their own hitters. (Highly Recommended!) Some coaches are even using these cards to track how well their own pitchers are doing against opposing hitters. Whatever way you choose, these cards will prove to be a very valuable teaching tool, not to mention a performance booster.
When I first designed the AB Tracker hitting cards, I toyed with the idea of making them into an app. I made sure I checked the App Store, to see if someone else beat me to the punch. I saw one, maybe two similar apps, but they just didn't cover everything you can track with these cards. Besides, there are two very important factors that have kept me from making the AB Tracker into an app.
1. There is value in physically writing down information. It's a proven tool many people have used to better remember and even learn information quicker and easier than relying on someone else to "remind" them.
2. As a coach, there is no way I would allow the use of smart phones (or any phone besides a bullpen phone) during the game. There's just way too much temptation to text, check email, or even hit the internet. (I have actually caught a coach or two doing this, so what's keeping the players from doing the same?) Apps are great, but even a hitting app would prove to be too easy of a distraction from the game.
Pitch tracking is a skill just like swinging the bat. It requires practice. If you've never kept track of the details of your at bats, I would strongly recommend you begin teaching yourself now, instead of trying to wing it after your first at bat in the regular season. Some of my hitters have tried to teach themselves on the fly, only to tell me they wish they'd practiced a few times beforehand.
There are a few different places to practice before the season rolls around.
1. Winter leagues. If you're playing this winter and getting some at bats, there's no time like now to start making at bat tracking part of your in-game routine.
2. Team practices/ Captain's practices. Anytime you can face a pitcher who is trying to get you out, you can learn from it - especially if those pitchers are your own teammates. I mean they're watching you swing a bat every day! Just for bragging rights alone, your pitchers will show you exactly how they'd get you out if they had the chance in a real game.
3. I have hitters that don't play winter ball, but they still practice using the cards, by watching video of old games and at bats. They will watch a particular at bat, pause the video, and then try to recall and chart every pitch of the at bat. They can then rewind the video to see if they charted correctly.
