Where to stand in the batters box?

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Jun 26, 2010
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Where in the batters box should the hitter stand? My daughter's coach is telling the girls to stand way back in the box, especially when facing a pitcher who throws fast. My research has shown this may not be the best advice. Thanks
 
May 25, 2010
1,070
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Where in the batters box should the hitter stand? My daughter's coach is telling the girls to stand way back in the box, especially when facing a pitcher who throws fast. My research has shown this may not be the best advice. Thanks

What age? How many years have most of the girls been playing?
 

de Groot

Pitcher
May 11, 2010
27
0
I play 16u and I usually stand further back in the box so I have more time.
I have heard that you should stand closer because their rise or drop balls will not have enough time to do what they are suppose to do.
A lot of competitive mens fastball is around here and they are the best in the world and from what I have watched 80% of them stand far back in the box so that would be my best suggestion.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
I teach this. Lay the bat across the back of the plate at the back corner, before the plate becomes a triangle.

The end of the bat touches the outside of the plate. The knob of the bat extends into the batter's box. Put your front foot so that the knob touches your toes. The back foot is a couple of feet behind this, what I normally call shoulder width apart.

That should put you "even up" and your swing should reach the outside of the plate. Even if you have a 28 inch bat, you need to reach the outside of the plate with your swing.

I do not encourage players to move up and back in the box, depending on the speed of the pitcher nor do I have them change to a lighter bat.
 
Oct 12, 2009
1,465
0
Where in the batters box should the hitter stand? My daughter's coach is telling the girls to stand way back in the box, especially when facing a pitcher who throws fast. My research has shown this may not be the best advice. Thanks

This works in baseball, but softball is a bit different.

I like hitters back but not all the way back.

P.S. Some people advocate setting up forward to catch balls before they break, which doesn't actually work.
 
Jun 27, 2010
3
0
i coach 10u travel & rec. set up my batters front foot up where plate breaks from square to point, if i need them to bunt they can pullit off without giving it away also time to responed to fast pitcher. if the umpire is calling the plate,most girls will get beat up by a good pitcher that throws the corners and drops if they set up far back in the box.guess you have to know your umpire.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
Where they are coached to stand varies with the age and skill level of both batter and pitcher. My older DD is in HS and the Varsity coach insists that every girl stand as far up in the box as possible for every at-bat. I tell her that in non-HS games to evaluate the pitcher and set up accordingly. If the pitcher is fast, stand deep in the box unless you see that she also has movement-in which case stand more forward.
I coach my U12s to stand deep in the box when facing faster pitching (the pitchers we're facing don't really have movement pitches yet).
Some people advocate setting up forward to catch balls before they break, which doesn't actually work.
Chris- I would like to hear more about this. I thought any pitches with movement (up, down, in or out) tended to break at the last minute so that standing way up in the box would minimize the amount of movement that you have to deal with. Is this not true or does the shortened reaction time due to the shortened distance not make that kind of adjustment worthwhile?
 

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