Are you hitting hard line drives? If not, then here is a checklist to identify the problem(s). Ask yourself these questions in this order.

1. Are you swinging at good pitches?
2. Are you on time?
3. Are you on plane?
4. Are you hitting the ball hard?

ARE YOU SWINGING AT GOOD PITCHES?

Pitch selection is fundamental. You need to hunt good pitches that you can consistently hit for line drives. If you swing at bad pitches, then chances are you will not hit the ball well. Batters need to work on picking up the ball early, recognizing the pitch sooner, and acting accordingly. This problem could be a processing issue, where the batters have difficulty judging the quality of the pitch for various reasons. It could also be due to starting their swings too early because of bat path issues (e.g. casting) or slow bat speed. In this case, the batters will have not have as much time to see the pitch.

ARE YOU ON TIME?

Let’s assume you swing at a good pitch, but still do not hit a line drive. If you swing late or early, you are probably going to miss the ball or foul it off. If you put the ball in play, then you are more likely to hit a ground ball or pop up because the bat is not in a position to square up the ball. Timing issues may be just poor hand-eye coordination. However, it is often a mechanical problem. Players may be waiting to late to get into their load or unable to control their stride. It could be due to casting (arm bar) or bat drag. Even when timing issues happen because batters are having trouble keeping up with fastballs or being fooled by off-speed pitches, mechanical adjustments can be made to improve success.

ARE YOU ON PLANE?

If you swing at good pitches and are on time, but do not consistently hit line drives, then the problem is bat plane. You are not getting the bat on path to launch the ball at an angle that produces a line drive. In this case, it is a mechanical problem. Something about the player’s swing is not allow the bat to get on plane. Either the attack angle is too flat or even negative, or there is too much of an upper cut. These problems may be due to bad advice like “swing level” or “swing down to create backspin.” They could be because the batter is trying to life the ball (in an attempt to hit homeruns) or get the bat to the ball quicker (by taking the bat in a more direct path to the ball). If you roll your wrist through contact, then that can also cause bat plane issues.

ARE YOU HITTING THE BALL HARD?

If you are hitting line drives consistently, but not hitting them hard, then the problem might be strength, equipment, intent, or mechanics. Needless to say, the stronger you are (without sacrificing range of motion), the harder you will be able to hit the ball. If you swing a bat that is too light or heavy, that can affect bat speed as well. Intent is also important. The player must intend to swing harder or it is not going to happen. Finally, there may be mechanical problems holding the batter back. They could include poor load, weight shift, inefficiencies in the kinetic chain, etc.