How to Adjust to the Count in Baseball

Baseball, as in most sports, is about making adjustments. It is only natural to learn from our mistakes in the hope of reaching our optimum level of performance. However, while players at every level make changes to their game following a lousy performance or at halftime, the great players can modify their game during the game while on the field, including during the course of an at-bat.

Tom House, the foremost trusted name when it comes to the art of pitching, continually stresses to his pitchers to “get ahead in the count.” As a hitter, we understand the advantage a pitcher has on us when he is ahead 0-2, and it is our job to try and avoid such a count and adjust to in-game scenarios.

Following are the different counts a hitter is faced with throughout the course of a game with a brief description to what his mindset should be as he goes from pitch to pitch in his battle with the pitcher.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baseball
• Baseball batting glove
• Baseball helmet
• Baseball bat
• Baseball cleats

1. 0-0: A lot of people think the first pitch of an at-bat is an automatic take pitch; I disagree. Nomar Garciaparra and other major league hitters believe the first pitch is a lot of the time the best pitch he may see during the course of an at-bat. Remember: A pitcher’s focus is to get ahead, throw a first pitch strike. As a hitter, I have to be ready to jump on that first pitch if it’s in my “wheelhouse.”
   
   The “wheelhouse” is the location of the pitch where you as a hitter feel most comfortable. For most hitters, that location is middle-in, however, for someone like Derek Jeter, he tends to look middle-away, meaning if he gets a fastball out over the plate or on the outer half he is going to drive it to the opposite field. Are you a high-ball hitter or low-ball hitter? These are questions you must answer as you shrink the strike zone in anticipation for your pitch, not his! What happens if you are looking middle-in and the pitcher throws the ball on the outer-half of the plate? Simply tip your cap and get ready for the next pitch.

2. 0-1: The pitcher has the advantage, which means you have to expand the strike zone. A hitter cannot simply be looking in his wheelhouse, but rather concede and take the pitch the other way and expand the hitting zone. When the pitcher is ahead in the count he is more likely to throw a curveball or some kind of off-speed pitch, and for most hitters we are looking for a fastball.

3. 1-1: The count has swung back in favor of the hitter because now the pitcher is more apt to want to throw a strike. The strike zone however should remain the same as the previous count because if you fall behind 1-2 then the odds of seeing a good pitch, a pitch you can drive, diminishes.

4. 1-2: Whenever you have two strikes, you must protect the plate and expand the zone. Good hitters learn how to be able to hit a “pitcher’s pitch,” such as a curveball on the outside corner. Often times you hear coaches say, “With two strikes choke-up on the bat and put it in play.” While this strategy does have some validity, it is also important to remember that to hit a baseball requires aggression; a defensive approach usually backfires on a hitter and plays into the hands of the pitcher.

5. 2-2: This count could go either way. For starters, the hitters must recognize that with two strikes he must expand the strike zone. Conversely, the pitcher understands that he does not want to go 3-2. The 2-2 count tends to favor the hitter; however, pitchers that have confidence view it as opportunity to break off a curveball or get the hitter to chase a pitch out of his wheelhouse.

6. 3-2: The payoff pitch! Again, the hitter needs to protect with two strikes, while the pitcher does not want to give his opponent any free passes; “he needs to hit to get on” is the popular rallying cry for pitching coaches throughout the world. With that said, the hitter must look for the pitch that he feels the pitcher is most confident throwing for a strike, usually a fastball.

7. 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 3-0: Whenever you are faced with any of these counts your eyes should light up because you know the pitcher has to throw a strike to avoid falling even deeper in the hole. This is when you revert back to what we discussed earlier on the 0-0 count. If the ball is in your wheelhouse, go for it. Your responsibility as a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit and make good contact, after that your job is done and there are many factors out of your control to whether you have hit safely or not. The 3-0 pitch is more often a pitch a hitter takes. Make the pitcher throw you a strike. Furthermore, if you are fortunate enough to get the green light on 3-0 from your coach make sure the ball is in a location where you can drive the ball for extra bases.

Tips & Warnings

• When you've mastered this, start to involve other factors in making your decision, such as your strengths and weaknesses as a hitter, the tendencies of the pitcher, and the particular game situation.

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on 6/30/2006 Make sure when you enter the batters box that you dig in, making sure your feet are planted well. Taking the weight off your heels will give your feet quicker reaction movement with your hips.

on 2/2/2006 Remember that until you have two strikes, you don't have to swing. Even if you're down 0-1 and the pitch is a strike, if you can't hit it well, don't swing. It's better to try to get a good two strike pitch than it is to swing at a pitch that you know you can't hit well. You have another chance, so why not take it?

The only times you should swing at a pitch that you can't hit well are when another runner depends on it. If it's a hit-and-run, for example, you have to swing no matter what. Also, if you're trying to hit the ball to the right side to advance a runner, swing anyway because you don't have to hit the ball well; a soft, slow grounder to the right side is all you need, so you shouldn't go risk the strikeout by going to two strikes.

Once you get to two strikes, forget about power. Swing at anything close because a strikeout doesn't help your team at all (anytime you put the ball in play, something good might happen) and try to hit the ball to the opposite field.

Early in the count, go for the stinging line drive; with two strikes, all you need is a little blooper over the second baseman's head.

With two strikes, you have to swing at anything close; like I said, a strikeout definitely doesn't help your team. Remember that a foul ball is a victory for you; the more pitches a pitcher has to throw, the faster he'll tire, and every time you force him to throw another pitch, there's a chance that he'll throw a ball to help you or, better still, make a mistake and groove one that you can hammer.

Basically with two strikes, you do what you have to do to put the ball in play, but early in the count don't cheat yourself out of a good swing.

on 11/22/2005 Even though it's almost automatic to take a 3-0 pitch, don't stand up there with the bat on your shoulder. Take your normal stance and even take a stride when the pitcher throws. If you look like you may swing, the pitcher may not groove his 3-0 pitches to you. If he tries to hit a corner instead, he may miss.

on 11/22/2005 Watch the opposing pitcher's tendencies while you are in the dugout. While in the batter's circle, try to watch the pitchers timing and watch for his patterns. When you are up, watch his release and pay attention to where the catcher is moving around to.

on 11/22/2005 The worst feeling in baseball is striking out. When you are batting with 2 strikes, you must protect the plate. Making your strike-zone smaller causes inconsistency. When batting with 2 strikes, you have to focus and make sure to protect the plate. If you think the pitch is close, or possibly a strike, you must swing. Foul balls extend at-bats and wear out pitchers. Don't be afraid to swing.