Setting Up In Batter's Box

[tghorley]

DGD's hitting instructor since last fall has her setting up in front of the box as far as she can go. His reasoning is that she can hit the ball before the ball moves too much, ie rise, curve, screw, etc. He says that she is advanced enough that she can recognize the pitches in enough time and has plenty of bat speed to hit the fast ball. No matter how fast the pitcher, he does not want her to change her position. At 14u she has done a pretty good job, I think she hit .425 last fall with several home runs, multiple doubles and triples.

Any comments, pros or cons, is appreciated.

 

[lhowser]

Well if this is the case:

At 14u she has done a pretty good job, I think she hit .425 last fall with several home runs, multiple doubles and triples.

don't change.

Disadvantage in general. More time every inch you are back. High School hitting here in Ohio for example skyrocketed when the pitchers moved back from 40' to 43' two years ago so a little extra time and distance means a lot.

 

[CoachChuck]

Funny, we setup everyone in the very back of the box so we have more time to see the ball, and lay off of the bad ones.

Many strategies can work, it is all what you practice and prepare for.

Batting .425 with lots of extra bases means you should keep doing whatever she has been doing.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Every batter has to find their "comfort zone", where it can be up/back in/out. If she's found her's, then that's a good thing.

Now as a pitcher and I see batter's at the front of the box, I immediately know "why".......just as you stated. So I'll mix speeds of the pitches to keep them off balance. Changups, off speeds, FB's. Even though someone is trying to gain an advantage over my movement, they will be at a disadvantage while I mix my speeds because of less reaction due to distance.

Sorry no softball statistics but I'm sure it's relatively close..........
.001 second - in swing against 90 mph pitch = difference between hit up the middle and foul ball
.003 second - in swing against 90 mph pitch = difference between hit and no contact
.13 second - after 90 mph pitch leaves pitchers hand, batter must start his swing
.41 second - time it takes 90 mph fastball to get to the plate

 

[Perfect Circle]

Every batter has to find their "comfort zone", where it can be up/back in/out. If she's found her's, then that's a good thing.

I love this Country too!!! Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness... with our freedoms to choose, except in ......

 

[David Carter]

I would probably go with the if it is not broke don't fix it philosophy.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Untill she faces a kid with a good rise ball and she will own her. We played a team that had a coach that had every kid stand in front of the batters box. Our pitcher had an excellent rise ball. She went own to be a very good pitcher and owns one of the Ohio High school records for K's in a game. This team had 15 K's against us and they were a very good hitting team with one kid ( parents I knew) was hitting close to 400. Her parents called me after the game knowing I call pitches based on what I see. Read this chart, it was made for a reason! Fast Pitch Softball Pitching Lessons

This is a quote from an Olympic softball hitting coach" Additionally coaches that MAKE you stand in the front of the batters box are not very smart in my opinion as that changes your timing and rhythm and if the pitcher has a fast ball and can change speeds they own the hitter….that is a 7 foot adjustment and that affects timing"

Your key statement was 14U. Pitching will catch her and her coach!

 

[tghorley]

Thanks for all your answers.

After reading your answers and thinking about it, I believe SBF hit the nail on the head, 14U. I think her instructor is a cagey old codger. He has been around softball for at least 35yrs and I think he is now having her in front of the box to simulate faster and more movement pitching she will see as she gets older. When he is doing live pitching with her, he pitches from 35 ft and he throws heat and change ups in a dimly lit part of the facility. He rarely strikes her out. So maybe he is getting her to concentrate on the ball more and to react faster. She works on her bat speed two to three times a week on her own. I guess I will have to see what happens when she gets older.