Trouble with the Curve.

[FrozenRope]

Yeah....great movie. But my post isn't about the movie. I debated whether this post belongs in the Coaching Forum or the Hitting Forum. I coach a 14U travel team. We've done very well. 7 Games s far this fall.....6 wins, and averaging over 8 runs per game. Problem is, in our ONE loss, we scored ZERO runs. The ultimate jist of my post revolves around how a coach teaches a player to hit a GOOD movement pitch. In that game that we scored ZERO runs, the opposing pitcher LIVED on the curve on the outside half of the plate.....and it had a good bit of movement to it. Her counter-pitch was an inside fastball that she typically threw in, off the plate.

My question is this... how the heck, as a coach, do you train your players to hit the pitcher that truly does have good movement and location on her pitches.

 

[shaker1]

One way, however you can do it, machine or pitcher, they need to practice hitting those pitches. Get used to seeing that curve, learning how to hit it. Did she throw the curve for a strike, or breaking it off the plate? Or does she she throw hard enough to keep them backed off the plate, so she owns the corner?

 

[Perfect Circle]

The problem....

11 3rd strike Curves

JMHO & theory on the answer:

Jugs

 

[chrispots]

When we were in high school and we were going to be playing a game with a good curve ball pitcher, we would move the screen closer to the batter and more to the right or left (depending on whether the pitcher was right or left) to simulate the angle of the pitch coming in.

So for example, good righty curve ball pitcher - move the screen in to 45 feet and a few feet towards the 3rd base line. Catcher would setup outside so there would be an incoming angle to the pitch. The goal was to drive it oppo...edit to add: this was for baseball - so maybe move the screen to 30 feet?

As for the pitcher coming in after setting up the batter "out" that's just good pitch calling and execution...I'm sure someone will say better mechanics will handle this but since we don't have the luxury of Hugo, Chamberlain or Romero on our rosters....

CP

 

[shaker1]

Checking out PC'S video, make sure your girls aren't stepping in the bucket

 

[Nsanesoftball]

after watching the video i notice two things. One, looks like some of the girls are swinging at bad pitches. Two, it looks as if the girls are trying to pull the outside pitch and not going with the pitch to the opposite field. My DD (lefty) works almost always looking to drive a pitch to opposite field, then if the pitcher brings one in on the hands she is quick enough to react and pull the ball.

 

[JAD]

A lot of umpires will give 3-4" off the outside corner of the plate, which makes a good curve ball pitcher very difficult to hit. I would recommend that your batter get in the front of the box with the mindset that she has to take the pitch where it is thrown and put her toes on the inside chalk of the batters box, drive a curve ball into the right center gap and do not try to pull it. Moving to the front of the box can help the batter hit the ball by taking some of the break out of the pitch. If the pitcher has a good fastball the catcher will recognize this and bust the batter with an inside fastball, so tell them to be on their toes!

 

[Perfect Circle]

after watching the video i notice two things. One, looks like some of the girls are swinging at bad pitches. Two, it looks as if the girls are trying to pull the outside pitch and not going with the pitch to the opposite field. My DD (lefty) works almost always looking to drive a pitch to opposite field, then if the pitcher brings one in on the hands she is quick enough to react and pull the ball.

I (daddy) wouldn't call them swinging @ bad pitches. When you set down the 1st 4 batters, then they just wave the bat, to vote for you.