Trouble with the slow ball

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May 12, 2013
88
6
Is there any drills besides the obvious of just pitching slower to them in the cage to help with them adjusting their timing to hit slower pitching? Seems like everyone has this problem but no solutions.
 
Feb 15, 2016
273
18
I have had some success with doing the bouncing tennis ball drill with girls who can't wait to let the pitch get into the zone. I like to do it in a cage and get behind the net and bounce the ball up to the plate. We work inside and outside.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Yeah but what does it really mean when you can't hit slower pitching? It means that you don't know how to resist (in the swing). Wait until you face a pitcher with a good change up. Either you can hit it (trained for it, built resistance into your swing) or you haven't.

At the "A" level in 16u I have a pitcher that throws a 45 MPH change up on the outside corner. Every time for a strike. We throw this pitch multiple times in an at bat (sometimes every pitch). We are betting on three things.

1. You haven't built in the resistance to hit a change-up;
2. You aren't disciplined enough to let the outside pitch get deep enough (hit it to opposite filed);
3. You don't have three batters in a row that can hit it effectively.

I find it fascinating that so many batters let this pitch go (for a called strike). We follow that pitch with another outside change-up (and another). Either you can hit it or you can't. We even call the same number every time (wristbands)...because it doesn't matter if you know it's coming. Either you know how (trained for it) to hit it or you don't. We sprinkle in fastballs outside of the strike zone to keep you honest.

Do some players hit it hard? Absolutely. But we are betting that you don't have three players in a row that can do it. She went 10-4 with a 2.10 ERA in the fall.

I smiled every time a coach said. "Let it get deep!", "Wait for it!", "Scoot up in the box!". To little too late.

If you have that kid that throws 10 MPH faster than everyone else (outlier) rock on. But if you don't why not throw it 10 MPH slower than what everyone else is throwing. I see lots of pitchers with great change-ups but they only throw it a few times an inning!

I will take it a step further. I would love to see a pitcher throw the eephus pitch the whole game at a PGF qualifier...
 

ArmyStrong

Going broke on softball
Sep 14, 2014
87
8
Pacific NW
At the "A" level in 16u I have a pitcher that throws a 45 MPH change up on the outside corner. Every time for a strike. We throw this pitch multiple times in an at bat (sometimes every pitch). We are betting on three things.

1. You haven't built in the resistance to hit a change-up;
2. You aren't disciplined enough to let the outside pitch get deep enough (hit it to opposite filed);
3. You don't have three batters in a row that can hit it effectively.

I find it fascinating that so many batters let this pitch go (for a called strike). We follow that pitch with another outside change-up (and another). Either you can hit it or you can't. We even call the same number every time (wristbands)...because it doesn't matter if you know it's coming. Either you know how (trained for it) to hit it or you don't. We sprinkle in fastballs outside of the strike zone to keep you honest.

I find it fascinating that many batters either slow their swing down or try to hit the ball way in front of them, resulting in poorly hit grounders or pop ups. When we see those batters, we will feed them change ups well over half the time.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Start by alternating fast and slow - tell them it is coming. FB - toss, CU - toss, FB - toss, CU - toss.....

Later progress to random, that is don't tell them and mix it up.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
Start by alternating fast and slow - tell them it is coming. FB - toss, CU - toss, FB - toss, CU - toss.....
Later progress to random, that is don't tell them and mix it up.

Unfortunately, this doesn't fix the mechanical swing flaw
It's a start.....
I believe it starts up stream doing the load/coil how to and when to resist.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
How do you build resistance into your swing ?

Learn the 'HOW' in this gif:
BondsvBonds.gif

A good hitter learns to stretch/resistance. Learn what it feels like. Learns how to get there.
 
Dec 10, 2015
845
63
Chautauqua County
it starts upstream in the headbone area. our 3rd base coach is always talking to batters about watching for a change up. it plays in 2 heads. one is the batter's and one is the pitcher's. many times pitchers will stop throwing change ups once they think they've lost the element of surprise or they'll throw them out of the strike zone. start hitting them and they're done.
 

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