Dropping The Rear Shoulder: A Common Hitting Error
According to Jerry Kindall, coach of the U. of Arizona baseball team, dropping the rear shoulder at the start of the swing is one of the three most common batting errors.
This mistake results in poor visual contact with the ball-especially during the final, critical 20 feet to the plate. It also produces a weak, upward swing path.
Why? Because dropping the back shoulder causes the front shoulder to move upwards and away from the pitch. It also lifts the head, producing a loss of focus on the ball. Finally, the back elbow drops with the shoulder, resulting in a weak, pushing, upward swing path.
How to Correct
If your batters are having this problem, instruct them to lift their back elbow a little higher while waiting for the pitch. And tell them to keep their front shoulder pointed towards the incoming ball as long as possible before starting their swing.
These corrections will help them to keep their shoulders level and their head motionless for better eye-focus on the ball.