Anyone with a passion for trying out new sports will want to give baseball a try. Similar to cricket in some ways, but also different in a number of others, baseball is an endlessly fun game that has long been a national pastime within the United States.
The game is incredibly easy to learn and can be a great way to spend an afternoon with family and friends. While it’s certainly easy to get started, some players might have some trouble really getting a hang of the game. With the following tips and tricks in mind, it doesn’t take long to start dominating the sport.
Know What Bat To Buy
Baseball bats come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and materials, and the type of baseball used is generally linked to the kind of baseball that’s going to be played. In the US, different leagues use their own rules for the game, and will sometimes specify that type of bat needs to be used, but this can also be found in other parts of the world. If it’s just playing with friends, there’s nothing wrong with getting a cheap aluminium bat that will last a lifetime, and makes a great home defence weapon.
When To Swing
Batting can be quite intimidating at first, especially when facing a seasoned pitcher who knows how to get a lot of speed on the ball. Of course, it’s always good to communicate so that the pitcher eases back a little bit and gives the new batter some breathing room to learn.
As a general rule, don’t bother swinging at a ball if it’s coming in at either a height above the shoulders or below the knees. It can take some experience to get a hang of what the ball’s general trajectory is, but it’s a skill that everyone eventually learns. Not every single ball needs to be hit or even swung at, so rather conserve the energy for the balls that are worth hitting.
The Pitcher’s Giveaway
This is something that affects even those that have been playing baseball for a long time: watching the pitcher’s eyes. There are a lot of players that will put all their focus on where they think the pitcher is looking, but at that distance, it really impossible to tell.
Rather focus on where it looks like the pitcher’s hand will be when it releases the ball during a pitch, and rather try and use that spot to calculate where the ball is likely to come from. This makes it that much easier to connect with a successful hit. It’s a trick that cricket batters use, too, and why it’s a good way of knowing whether a batter knows what they’re doing, an important skill in ICC Cricket World Cup betting.
Make Mistakes
This isn’t related to baseball specifically, but rather to all sports. Be okay with making mistakes – it takes time to get better at the game, and always remember that experience is the best teacher.