When a hitter is late, Coach Bass looks at two things first: the hitter's load, and whether the hitter is a see ball, hit ball hitter.
First: the load
You look at the load. A lot of hitters will let the ball get to the attack zone and then try to load, and the ball beats their bat. You have to load, and you can never load too early.
Before the load, the hands start in a comfortable position where they are relaxed. Coach Bass does not prescribe one hand location, height or stance; different hitters can begin with their hands in different places.
When does the load happen? In Coach Bass's words:
You are actually loading with the pitcher as he is winding up.
And what too late looks like:
The ball almost gets to the plate, then you see them start their swing. It is too late then.
The load itself is nothing big: a little coil back from the shoulders, then throw the knob. The hands stay in place while the shoulders coil, even though on video it can look like the hands move back. The hitter gets the hands to the same location when starting the load each time, a repeatable spot for that hitter, not one universal position.
Me personally, I want the shoulder to coil. If you watch the hands, they will move back, but in reality it is the shoulders coiling to load.
Out of the load, the swing goes straight back to the hands: a little coil back, then throw the knob, at the same time the back hand throws the barrel to the ball.
I want the hands still because you want consistency, and that is to know exactly where your hands are at all times. If your hands are constantly moving, you have no consistency.
Second: see ball, hit ball
Coach Bass's definition of a see ball, hit ball hitter: a hitter who has no kind of plan, lets the ball get over the plate, and then decides to swing.
When a hitter gets in the box, he has to be looking for a pitch in a location he can drive. Once a hitter gets two strikes, he's looking to put the ball in play.
Before two strikes, the hitter is looking for a pitch in a location he can drive. With two strikes, the approach changes to putting the ball in play. A see ball, hit ball hitter has neither plan and waits until the ball is over the plate to decide.
Pitch selection
At the youth side, most pitchers cannot throw offspeed for a strike at all, but they throw it, and when they do hitters get themselves in the hole. This is pitch selection. If you look fastball, attack fastball.
If you are looking fastball, why swing at offspeed? If you're looking offspeed, why swing at a fastball?
The hitter has a plan before the pitch. Looking fastball, attack fastball. Looking offspeed, attack offspeed. Coach Bass does not teach a hitter to try to cover both at the same time, and the level of competition matters when setting that plan.
Hitters get themselves in a hole by going after offspeed pitches the pitcher cannot throw for a strike. Looking for one pitch and swinging at the other defeats the purpose of having a plan. Pitch selection is part of the hitter's approach, not a new swing mechanic.
When you are looking for a certain pitch and you get it, you cannot miss it.
Having a plan creates an opportunity the hitter has to capitalize on. That is Coach Bass's standard for a hitter who gets the pitch he is hunting.
The approach in one line
Focus on middle and away. React on an inside pitch. The three attack points stay part of how Coach Bass evaluates and teaches; they are never three separate thoughts the hitter has to manage during an at-bat.
Why it takes video to know
Coach Bass judges late by comparing the ball's travel with the moment the hitter starts the swing. If the ball almost gets to the plate before the swing starts, it is too late. That is a read from a real at-bat, which is why the Free Hitter Scan starts with one complete game at-bat on video.