Problem 6: "My coach says I have an uppercut."

This is a very common problem for hitters of all ages. For some strange reason, it plagues left-handed hitters more than righthanders. Young players love to hit the ball into the air. The truth is that the ball goes farther when it has tight backspin. You can make the ball carry farther for you if you hit down on the ball just slightly. The Hitting-the-High-Pitch Drill was designed specifically for this problem. Make sure the tee is at the proper height. The One-Arm Drill using the bottom arm will also help you with an uppercut. Remember that you are trying to change a part of your swing that is very difficult to adjust.

Over the past 25 years at the San Diego School of Baseball, uppercuts have been one of the major problems we see.

Problem 7: "I lose my balance when I swing" / "My hips don't open."

If you lose your balance when you swing, you are probably just swinging too hard. First, try keeping your head still. It is almost impossible for you to lose your balance if your head is still.

You may be locking up your hips and therefore not able to transfer your weight smoothly. Use this variation of the Go-to-the-Ball Drill: place your tee well out in front (maybe an extra 12 inches) to make you reach slightly for the ball. This will probably extend your stride some, take the pressure off your back foot, and allow your hips to rotate. When your weight transfer and balance return, you can move the tee back to the regular position.

Another thing to watch is your stride. If you jump out instead of just stepping easy, you will stride too far. This will lock up your hips and trap your body weight on the rear foot. The normal result is a loss of balance and/or power.

If your hips still don't open, or if you still lose your balance, zero in on your weight transfer. Use the Hitting-the-High-Pitch Drill and really hit down on the ball. You'll find that the "downhill" feeling will help.

At the school we sometimes use an inclined board to help solve the problem of a poor weight transfer. Use a 3' X 6' piece of one-inch plywood to simulate a batter's box. Next, elevate the rear of the board two or three inches with bricks or other such objects (the front of the board remains on the ground). Sounds simple, but hitting on an incline makes it easier to pivot on your back foot, rotate your hips, and get a feel for hitting downhill with a weight transfer.

Problem 8: "I wish I had more power."

This is one of the first problems ballplayers ask us about. Our response is simple: "It's not a problem at all." You should not concern yourself with power. Be smart: be satisfied with being a good, efficient hitter who develops an inside-out swing and uses the entire field to hit. Power is something that comes to some people after they learn a good swing and drive the ball to all fields effectively.

Problem 9: "I always swing late or slice everything to the opposite field."

You probably have a "chicken wing," a very common problem among hitters. When you use the bottom arm correctly, it drives the knob of the bat down. If you allow the knob to go up, you're on the way to developing the "chicken wing." Do the One-Arm Drill every day until you control the problem, and then at least three times a week to keep it under control. The Hitting-the-High-Pitch Drill can also help with this long-term problem-do it at least once a week.

The "chicken wing" will show up from time to time in every hitter. Watch for the telltale symptoms: foul balls slicing to the opposite field or over the first-base dugout (for a right-handed hitter).

If you are hitting the ball hard to the opposite field, nothing is wrong with your swing. You will learn to pull the ball later. Many great hitters have begun their careers by hitting the ball almost exclusively to the opposite field.

Problem 10: "I seem to hit too many pop-ups."

Sometimes you may just be hitting under the ball because you are striding too far. This will cause you to collapse your legs somewhat and lower your bat head as it comes forward to meet the ball. The Hitting-the-High-Pitch Drill will help you to stay on top of the ball and to learn to hit down on it. If the pop-ups are slicing toward the right-field line (for a right-handed hitter), the "chicken wing" could also be a problem.

Many hitters who lock up their hips also hit a lot of pop-ups. The Two-Tees Extension Drill can help you control your stride and transfer your weight smoothly. Using two tees will help you learn to drive down through the ball and keep the pop-ups to a minimum.