Afraid of getting hit by ball! Please Help!

I don't know what level of play you are at. If you're at Little League Majors or below, you really haven't too much to worry about. From 12 yrs and up level play, the kids start pitching 60 mph or faster, and yeah, you've got to be careful.

First, relax. You can't move well if you're tense. This requires mental discipline, which comes through (surprise) practice. Practice a lot, and your focus will be on hitting, rather than on getting hit.

Second, work your fundamentals. I don't care if you're 8 yrs old or 28 yrs old, set up some mental check points, and work through them prior to every single pitch. Start with your feet (#1), a fairly wide stance, without locking up your knees. Knees bent. Get your bat back (#2). Then, #3, work the bat. Keep your fingers deliberately loose on the bat. "Pop" the bat back and forth from your ready position (just off the shoulder), to the impact point (at about your knee), i.e. a half swing, working your wrists. Then, #4, pull the "butt" of the bat (bottom knob) right towards the ball. That'll help you line up the bat on the ball from the moment you start to pull it. It'll also cause the bat to "whip" as you snap your wrists. #5, your impact point should be at about the left knee (right hander), maybe a little further forward, but definitely no further back. #6, "explode" your hips, twisting toward the pitcher as you impact the ball. The key to hitting is pulling the bat with your left arm (right hand hitter), and using your wrists to accelerate the bat. You want a short, quick stroke to the point of impact, and a long pull through the impact point.

Why did I just give you a batting lesson? Because if you're occupied with the business of hitting, you won't have time to be scared. Not scared of striking out. Not scared of getting hit. Not scared of anything.

As far as specific lessons, I'd skip the tennis balls, and I see no reason for someone to throw at you. Maybe you can "armor up" a bit. Put skate board pads on your knee and leading elbow. Maybe even put a pad on your ankle if you've been hit there. It won't slow you down much, and after a while, you'll have enough confidence, and the extra gear will be enough of a nusiance, that you just won't put it on.

Being scared of a very hard object coming towards you at 60-80 mph is a very healthy attitude. Channel that fear to make you that much more alert. I assume you know how to bail out and away from the pitch (elbow in, back to the ball, dropping away from the plate). But if you want to play baseball and you want to hit, you should go to the plate with the attitude that you OWN THAT BOX. Again, prepare yourself prior to every pitch. Wide stance, bent knees, shoulder in towards the plate, and WATCH THE BALL from the moment the pitcher kicks.

Get serious about hitting. Get into hitting mentally. Be mature when you head for that plate, mentally prepared to help your team mates out. Take that box and don't let any pitcher push you out of it. I regularly teach my pitchers to come up and inside on the 1st or second pitch. They're not trying to hit anyone. They're doing their part to tell the batter that "that's my plate". They're pushing the batter away so they can take them out with pitches at the outside corner. One down and away, one up and in, for two strikes, and the rest is easy. As soon as they've got the batter dropping away from the plate, they throw breaking stuff, change-up's, even fast-balls down the middle chest high. If the batter comes back to the plate swinging with confidence after the inside strike, then they know they have a battle on their hands. They have to mix pitches, and hit the corners, or they're going to have an ugly day.

Good luck.