1. 2006 – 2007
NCAA Division I National Champions

2. Oregon State University
Baseball Program
“What really happens at the plate.”
(hitting absolutes)
(run production)

3. Oregon State University
Baseball Program
Hi6ng is:
1. Balance (dynamic)
2. Rhythm (body in moAon)
3. Timing (ge6ng down on Ame)
4. DirecAonally BallisAc Lower Body

4. Hi6ng Absolutes
Stance

5. Vladimir Guerrero
California Angels
Key Points:
1. Balance
2. Hands in a position to hit; wrists above elbows
3. Eyes level
4. Front Shoulder inside of front hip

6. Evan Longoria
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Key Points:
1. Balance
2. Hands in a position to hit; wrists above elbows
3. Eyes level
4. Front Shoulder inside of front hip

7. Joe Mauer
Minnesota Twins
Key Points:
1. Balance
2. Hands in a position to hit; wrists above elbows
3. Eyes level
4. Front Shoulder inside of front hip

8. Carter Bell
Oregon State University
Key Points:
1. Balance
2. Hands in a position to hit; wrists above elbows
3. Eyes level
4. Front Shoulder inside of front hip

9. Hi6ng Absolutes
Load

10. Hanley Ramirez
Florida Marlins
Key Points:
1. Balance
2. Front Shoulder inside front hip
3. Front elbow at or close to 90 degrees
4. Knob of bat to catcher’s glove
5. Eyes level

11. Josh Hamilton
Texas Rangers
Key Points:
1. Balance
2. Front Shoulder inside front hip
3. Front elbow at or close to 90 degrees
4. Knob of bat to catcher’s glove
5. Eyes level

12. Alex Rodriguez
New York Yankees
Key Points:
•Balance
•Front shoulder inside of front hip
•Front elbow at or close to 90 degrees
•Knob of bat at catcher’s glove
•Eyes Level

13. Hi6ng Absolutes
Land

14. Joe Mauer
Minnesota Twins
Key Points:
1. Head out over belly button between balls of feet
2. 50-50 weight balance prior to landing
3. Barrel of bat angled toward catcher

15. Albert Pujols
St. Louis Cardinals
Key Points:
1. Head out over belly button between balls of feet
2. 50-50 weight balance at land
3. Back knee trigger starting the swing
4. Front foot angled
5. Barrel of bat angled toward catcher

16. Hanley Ramirez
Florida Marlins
Key Points:
1. Head out over belly button between balls of feet
2. 50-50 weight balance at land
3. Back knee trigger starting the swing
4. Front foot angled
5. Barrel of bat angled toward catcher

17. Jared Norris
Oregon State University
1.
Key Points:
2. Head out over belly button between balls of feet
3.
4.
50-50 weight balance at land
Back knee trigger starting the swing
5. Front foot angled
Barrel of bat angled toward catcher

18. Hi6ng Absolutes
Prior to Contact

19. Jacoby Ellsbury
Boston Red Sox
Key Points:
1. Knee, hip, shoulder vertical power line
2. Unlocking in sequence; bat lag
3. Front side firming at contact
4. Palm up, Palm down

20. Derek Jeter
NY Yankees
Key Points:
1. Knee, hip, shoulder vertical power line
2. Unlocking in sequence; bat lag
3. Front side firming at contact
4. Palm up, Palm down

21. Ryan Howard
Philadelphia Phillies
Key Points:
1. Knee, hip, shoulder vertical power line
2. Unlocking in sequence; bat lag
3. Front side firming at contact
4. Palm up, Palm down

22. Hi6ng Absolutes
Contact

23. Albert Pujols
St. Louis Cardinals
Key Points:
1. Hitting into a firm front side
2. Back foot is literally off the ground because of backside thrust
3. Knee, hip, shoulder, vertical power line (balance)
4. Balance
5. Contact made deep in the zone

24. Joe Mauer
Minnesota Twins
Key Points:
1. Hitting into a firm front side
2. Back foot is high because of backside thrust
3. Knee, hip, shoulder, vertical power line (balance)
4. Balance
5. Contact made deep in the zone

25. Ryan Howard
Philadelphia Phillies
Key Points:
1. Hitting into a firm front side
2. Back foot is high because of backside thrust
3. Knee, hip, shoulder, vertical power line (balance)
4. Balance
5. Contact made deep in the zone

26. Stefen Romero
Oregon State University
1.
Key Points:
2. Hitting into a firm front side
3.
4.
Back foot is high because of backside thrust
Knee, hip, shoulder, vertical power line (balance)
5. Balance
Contact made deep in the zone

27. Hi6ng Absolutes
Just aMer Contact

28. Pablo Sandoval
SF Giants
Key Points:
1. Knee, hip, shoulder vertical power line (balance)
2. High back foot
3. Firm front side; front foot angled
4. Extension through contact
5. Eyes behind barrel of bat

29. David Wright
New York Mets
Key Points:
1. Knee, hip, shoulder vertical power line (balance)
2. High back foot
3. Firm front side; front foot angled
4. Extension through contact
5. Eyes behind barrel of bat

30. Hanley Ramirez
Florida Marlins
Key Points:
1. Knee, hip, shoulder vertical power line (balance)
2. High back foot
3. Firm front side; front foot angled
4. Extension through contact
5. Eyes behind barrel of bat

31. Oregon State University
Baseball Program
Hi6ng is:
1. Balance (dynamic)
2. Rhythm (body in moAon)
3. Timing (ge6ng down on Ame)
4. DirecAonally BallisAc Lower Body

32. Oregon State University
Baseball Program
Offensive Make Up
Run ProducAon v. Hi6ng

33. Beat the Game (v. opponent)
1. Win the big inning: Almost 90% of the Ame the team that
has the biggest inning wins.
2. Approximately 50% of the Ame the team that wins will
score more runs in one inning than the opponent scores the
enAre game
3. Almost 75% of all innings where 3 or more runs are scored
in an inning include a walk, error, or hit by pitch.
4. Approximately 90% of all innings where 5 or more runs are
scored include at least a combinaAon of 2 of the 3 (walk,
error, hit by pitch).
5. When 7 or more runs are scored by our team we will win
90.7% of the Ame. The goal is to score 7+ runs in a game.
(6 RUNS/82%; 5 RUNS/35.3%; 4 RUNS/27.4%)

34. Offensive Absolutes
SituaAonal Hi6ng:
1. Moving runner to third with no outs
2. Driving in runner from third with less than two outs
3. Get the bunt down
4. Good hit & run team
5. Knowledge of the strike zone
6. Knowledge of the hi6ng zone (what is your pitch;
knowing the opponent’s pitcher’s strengths)
7. Being willing to make two‐strike adjustments
8. Run producAon is more important than personal stats

35. Pressure is the Key!
1. Short game: put the ball in the kill zones on each line: 20 – 45
feet from home plate.
2. Hit & run game: put the ball in play according to locaAon of
pitch. Ground ball first; line drive next (the ball has to get deep in
the zone to make this type of contact). Stay out of the middle of
the field!
3. Runner at 2nd base, no outs – ge6ng a pitch drive up the middle
or to the right side. Best case scenario – base hit.
4. Runner at 3rd base less than 2 outs – ge6ng a pitch to hit out
over the plate and hi6ng the pitch to the middle of the field if
the infield is back; if the infield is in, get a pitch you can liM –
sacrifice fly.
5. Base Running Game: 80% plus success rate on stolen bases;
taking advantage of down angle reads; being aggressive on the
bases and making the ball stop you; every base hit is a double
unAl it isn’t.

36. ProducAve Outs
1. Produce a run
2. Gain a base
3. 5+ pitch at bat
4. Quality at bat: situaAonal

37. How to Create a Big Inning
1. Leadoff Himer gets on base
2. Take every base the opponent gives you
(smart aggressive)
3. Bomom third of line‐up gets it started
4. Team vs. individual at bat
5. Ge6ng the opponent’s starter into a high
pitch count (be willing to take pitches)
6. Ge6ng your pitch to hit
7. Eliminate pitches

38. In‐Game
AMer At‐Bat PrioriAes
1. Did I get a good pitch to hit?
2. Am I seeing the baseball?
3. Did I arrive on Ame?
4. How were my mechanics?

39. 2006 – 2007
NCAA Division I National Champions