Hitting stick for baseball training

Abstract

A hitting stick comprises a plate shaped like a home plate and a stick flexibly attached to the plate and extending vertically therefrom. In operation, the hitting stick can be used during a soft toss drill. Facing toward the hitting stick, the batter assumes a normal hitting stance and begins hitting soft tosses. The swing training stick teaches correct bat path and also for the hitter to maintain the barrel of the bat in the hitting zone. It focuses on staying inside the ball. If the swing is done properly, the barrel of the bat will stay close to the body and strike the inner part of the ball thrown. By doing this the swing is correct and will not strike the hitting stick. Conversely, if the swing is improper, the bat will hit the hitting stick.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hitting stick, comprising:
 a plate; and   a stick flexibly attached to the plate and extending vertically therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The hitting stick of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible member disposed between the plate and the stick, the flexible member allowing the stick to be flexibly attached to the plate. 
     
     
         3 . The hitting stick of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible member is a coil. 
     
     
         4 . The hitting stick of  claim 3 , wherein the stick extends through a portion of the coil. 
     
     
         5 . The hitting stick of  claim 4 , wherein a gap exists between a distal end of the stick and the plate. 
     
     
         7 . The hitting stick of  claim 1 , wherein the plate is shaped like a home plate in a baseball game. 
     
     
         8 . The hitting stick of  claim 1 , wherein the stick extends vertically between about 4.5 feet and 6 feet in height. 
     
     
         9 . The hitting stick of  claim 1 , wherein the stick is attached to approximately the center of the plate. 
     
     
         10 . The hitting stick of  claim 1 , further comprising a first socket, wherein the stick is attached to the first socket. 
     
     
         11 . The hitting stick of  claim 10 , further comprising a second socket. 
     
     
         12 . The hitting stick of  claim 11 , wherein the stick is capable of interchangeable attachment to either the first socket or the second socket. 
     
     
         13 . The hitting stick of  claim 11 , wherein the sockets are disposed on left and right sides of the plate, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . A hitting stick, comprising:
 a plate shaped like a home plate in a baseball game; and   a stick flexibly attached to the plate and extending vertically therefrom.   
     
     
         15 . The hitting stick of  claim 14 , wherein the stick extends vertically between about 3 feet and 6 feet in height. 
     
     
         16 . The hitting stick of  claim 12 , wherein the stick is attached to approximately the center of the plate. 
     
     
         17 . The hitting stick of  claim 12 , wherein the stick is attached to a socket. 
     
     
         18 . The hitting stick of  claim 12 , further comprising a second socket, each socket capable of attaching the stick to the plate. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using the hitting stick of  claim 1  for baseball training, comprising:
 standing facing the hitting stick; 
 using a bat, swinging at a soft tossed ball; and 
 determining that the swing path was proper based on the bat not contacting the hitting stick. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the standing is at a distance about the length of the bat.