★[Batting] "Clearing Your Head" Before Stepping into the Batter's Box

When stepping into the batter's box during a game, don't just walk in and "just hit" without thinking.
By organizing your thoughts on necessary matters such as "current situation," "batting required by the team," and "your own aim/target pitch" before stepping into the box, what you need to do becomes clear, which leads to results.

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Since many players' minds go blank before stepping into the batter's box during an actual game, I use meetings and other classroom opportunities to repeatedly lecture them so they can memorize the items they need to organize by clearly limiting them to "this, this, and this!"

🥎　Organizing the "Current Situation"

◉　Game Situation

　●　Inning (Early? Middle? Late?)
　●　Score difference (Winning? Losing?)
　●　Out count (No outs? One out? Two outs?)
　●　Runner status (Which base is the runner on?)
　●　The flow of the game so far
　　(Which team has the momentum? Are we pushing or being pushed?)

◉　Situation of your team and the opposing team

　●　Your own ability and condition for the day (your own feeling is fine)
　●　Opposing pitcher's ability and condition (information you obtained + information from teammates)
　●　The power balance between "your ability" and "the opponent's ability"
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(What is the probability of getting a hit?)
　●　The next batter (in some cases, assume a pinch hitter might come out)
　●　Opponent's defensive positioning (both infield and outfield)
　●　Pitcher's defensive ability (especially bunt handling)

🥎　Understand what "batting is required by the team"

　●　Expected strategy and the batting required at that time (aiming for a hit, advancing the runner, etc.)
　●　Do the fielders change their defensive positions depending on the pitch type?
　●　How does the opponent's defense move when you show a bunt stance? (Shift)

🥎　Organize "your own aim/target pitch" based on the above

　●　Are you aiming by pitch type?
　●　Are you aiming by location?
　●　Are you basically waiting for a fastball and reacting to breaking balls?
Keep these in mind before stepping into the batter's box.

Especially in important games, crucial situations, or tough spots, if you can calmly analyze the situation and focus on "fulfilling your role" in the batter's box, the possibility of leading to results increases.
Even if the result doesn't go as planned, it gives the team a sense of conviction and information that will lead to future batters.

🥎　Examples of "clearing your head" by case

　●　　You are in good condition and the opposing pitcher has no speed
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　⇒　Go for it aggressively
　●　　The team is winning/pushing　⇒　Go for it aggressively
　●　　Winning but the flow is bad/offense is monotonous　⇒
　　　　　　　(to attract momentum) think about getting on base
　●　　Losing in the middle innings　⇒　Think about getting on base somehow
　●　　Comparing your ability/condition with the opponent's pitcher, it doesn't look like you can hit　⇒
　　　　　　　　　Can you get on base somehow? Think of a method and take countermeasures.
　　　　(Hold the bat shorter to increase contact rate
　　　　　　　　　Predict the pitch sequence and narrow down the target pitch.
　　　　　　　　　　　Look for hit zones from the defensive formation.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aim for a walk, etc.)

🥎　If you have cleared your head, you can hit from the first pitch

If you can clear your head and step into the batter's box, you can full-swing without hesitation when a sweet pitch comes on the first pitch. This is because you have firmly organized "what you should hit" before stepping into the box.
Conversely, if you haven't cleared your head, you tend to let the first pitch go by in a "wait and see" manner. If a strike comes, you give the pitcher one strike without any pressure.

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