rusty

[Skahtboi]

There have been quite a few rule changes over the past couple of years. Which ruleset are you primarily calling? If you are referring to mechanics changes, I would suggest attending a regional/state/national clinic to get brought up to date on those.

As for your blinking, do you notice any specific times when you do it, or is it on almost every pitch? Do you track the ball with your nose(though I understand that ASA is now crawfishing on that mechanic, and saying track with your eyes) from the pitcher's hand all the way to the catcher's glove? If not, give that a try. It will also help you be much more consistent in setting your strike zone. Another thing that may help you in focusing, thus reducing the blink instinct, is while tracking the ball, see if you can pick up the spin as a batter would and then follow the ball all the way to the catcher's glove. It is amazing how much that little "tweek" in concentration can eliminate some of the problems. Often, the blink reflex kicks in when were are not totally focused on the incoming pitch, but are distracted by other things such as the last minute move by the catcher, the batter squaring to bunt...etc.