Mike Moore’s Professional Hitting Mechanics
Brief Bio: Professional baseball coach Mike Moore hails from Somerset, PA and played collegiate baseball at Coastal Carolina and West Virginia University before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1991. After his playing career, Mike coached with many professional teams, including the Florida Marlins’ Jupiter Hammerheads (High A). He also managed several teams in the Independent Frontier League including the Johnstown Johnnies, whom he guided to the 2000 Frontier League championship. As a hitting coach he worked with several major league coaches including John Mallee (Astros, Blue Jays). As a manager he worked with pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal (Marlins). Along the way, Mike coached players such as Miguel Cabrera, Josh Willingham, and Dontrelle Willis. One of Mike’s primary goals was to give back to the game which gave him so much over the years. That’s why he shares these drills and techniques with LHSPORTS.com for players of all ages.
STANCE
Approach & Balance: Knees inside feet. Slight bend inward at waist. Fingertip grip on bat. Front elbow flexion at 90’ and back elbow flexion at 45’. Slight bat angle over top of helmet. Eyes should be level (head) to pitcher. No rocking of body and minimal head movement. Hands stay in proportion with eyes. This keeps hands inside the ball during the swing. Swing is created by sequence of foot, knee, hip, hands.
SWING
Torque and bat speed during swing is determined by distance between back knee and hands during swing. Max bat speed is achieved by keeping hands close to body during swing. (Keeping a straight line to pitcher / linear).
CONTACT
Contact, rollover, and follow through. Extension is needed after contact. Front side helping back side slide through allowing back foot to become non-weight bearing at contact.
FINISH
Sit into swing and run, making sure hips and shoulders are level throughout. Downward swing during swing plane will ensure maximum back spin when hit just below center of ball.
MIKE MOORE’s ADVANCED HITTING DRILLS:
(Videos coming soon!!!!)
- FORCED HAND DRILL:
Helps create depth in your launch. Separation of your hands from your shoulder – not your body – will create a proper, slow, pre-pitch movement. Aim is to get some movement backward to come forward. The hands are linear in the swing sequence. A body that starts in motion tends to stay in motion. This also helps with timing of swing. (SOFT TOSS)
- TOP HAND OVER DRILL:
Lets you know when the top hand should take over in the swing. Top hand controls bat head when swinging at a high pitch. This hand helps you stay on top of the pitch. Pull & push scenario during swing plane, and extension of top hand through zone. (TEE DRILL)
- PROTECT HIP DRILL:
Emphasis of an extreme inside pitch. Helps keep your hands inside the baseball at point of contact. The closer the hands to the body during the swing will create bat speed & will keep your hands inside the baseball at point of contact. (SOFT TOSS)
- PULL BACK THROW THROUGH DRILL:
This drill works the swing plane backwards from point of contact back to depth in your launch then back to point of contact. Creates muscle memory in the swing plane. Movement backward tends to stay the same coming forward also. Make sure top hand pulls bat head upward on back swing as to ensure downward swing coming forward. (TEE DRILL).
- BOTTOM FINISHED TOP START DRILL:
Bottom half (feet) starts at finished position in the swing & the top half starts at the beginning of the swing. Shows how a swing should feel at the end of the swing plane. Sometimes the lower half of swing is slower & hands finish first in the swing. Obviously hands start at the beginning of the drill. This drill creates a foot, knee, hip, hands sequence during the swing. This drill creates torque in swing when hands are separated early from the back knee. (SOFT TOSS)
- SOFT TO FINE FOCUS DRILL:
Simulates a wider view of concentration and then narrows to a specific view during the hitting sequence. Eye hand concentration is emphasized during the swing. Shifting concentration from two baseballs (soft focus) to one baseball (fine focus) for swing plane and contact is the goal. – Two baseballs are thrown underhand at the same time –calling out top or bottom for soft concentration to fine focus. (SOFT TOSS)
- STRIDE TO BALANCE DRILL:
Teaches an exaggerated stride to a balance point in your swing sequence. Your front leg is bent & raised to hip area. You fall from your hands reaching with your lead foot for a landing area. You should be balanced & not have to reload your hands to hit the ball on the tee. (SOFT TOSS)
- BACK FOOT BEHIND DRILL:
Teaches acceleration through the baseball. Helps back foot to become non-weight bearing at point of contact with the use of a tee for this exercise. Start by placing back foot in front of opposing foot, then striding with front foot to stride to balance continuing swing plane and momentum in one controlled force. Feel weight transfer to centerfield (or belly to pitcher). Teaches to get to extension in swing and good balance transfer. (TEE DRILL)