Knowing how to take advantage or be way of the count is a decided advantage for the batter. Different counts require different stances

Baseball Coaching
Taking a Pitch : Stepping In

and different hitting strategies. These slight adjustments can do wonders for increasing your on base percentage.

When the Count is in your Favor

When you’ve got a 3-0 or 3-1 count, sometimes it’s worth doing what’s called taking a pitch. When the pitcher winds up, and begins to start his pitch, simply take a step inwards or outwards. The idea here is to throw the pitcher off, forcing them to adjust to your position and throwing a ball either inside or outside, depending on which way you took your step.

If the pitcher stays on target, you’ve still got a good count, and you can take your chances on the next pitch.

When the Count is Against you

Baseball Defensive Drills
The Three Ups

When your looking at a two strike count, you have to remember the three ups.

  • Choke up on the bat
  • Move up on the plate
  • Shorten up on the swing

The most important thing when your looking at a two strike count is to give yourself the best chance at making any contact with the ball. Even a foul ball is fine, so focus on just getting the bat on the ball and don’t worry about power – minimize the length of your swing.

That’s all for taking advantage of the count, but if you need more tips, check out these baseball hitting drills!