First home runs are always special to a hitter, but when it is an opposite field blast, you just proved it was no fluke. The Marlins’ Brian Anderson was facing the Red Sox on April 2nd when he took an outside pitch deep to right-center.
In the Epstein Hitting Instructors Academy, we talk about how to hit to the opposite field with power. The batter first needs to let the pitch get a little deeper with a contact point between the front ankle and front knee. After contact, the player’s extension needs to go toward the opposite field rather than straight up the middle.
The EHIA Drills Library includes drills that work on extending for different pitch locations as if you are taking different exits on the freeway. The Drills Library will soon be available to Monthly Members so be sure to sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know when we open up registration.
All the mechanics aside, the best thing about a player hitting their first home run is to see how the team greets the player when they get back to the dugout. The Marlins put Anderson through the silent treatment. Pretty sure he loved every bit of it!