Batting Order

njdad · Apr 13, 2017

If you are playing Cinderella batting and free substitution at 10U: One thing I like to do is have my lead off hitter(s) on the bench in the first inning. No one likes being on the bench so at least they get the compensation of hitting first.

I also like to bat my pitcher near the bottom of the lineup, even if she is one of my better hitters. I would rather give her more time to warm up rather than have her bat in the 1st inning.

Rocketech1 · Apr 14, 2017

njdad said:
I also like to bat my pitcher near the bottom of the lineup, even if she is one of my better hitters. I would rather give her more time to warm up rather than have her bat in the 1st inning.

Or you can show up a few minutes earlier to get your pitchers warm? Wow....that's one hell of a coaching strategy.

When I coached, the team arrived 1 hour before game time to get ready. We didn't have to "punish" the pitcher by not letting her bat high in the line-up, even if she deserved it, because she was properly prepared to pitch BEFORE the game even started.

njdad · Apr 14, 2017

Rocketech1 said:
Or you can show up a few minutes earlier to get your pitchers warm? Wow....that's one hell of a coaching strategy.

When I coached, the team arrived 1 hour before game time to get ready. We didn't have to "punish" the pitcher by not letting her bat high in the line-up, even if she deserved it, because she was properly prepared to pitch BEFORE the game even started.

We're there an hour early. I don't want her to even think about batting before she takes the mound.

Rocketech1 · Apr 14, 2017

njdad said:
We're there an hour early. I don't want her to even think about batting before she takes the mound.

In what inning will you allow her to think about hitting and when does she get to prepare to hit?

njdad · Apr 16, 2017

She's usually batting in the bottom half of the order. This way if she comes up in the 1st my thinking is we have scored a few runs.

I started doing it last Fall when I had a pitcher batting 6th. We were in a big game and had bases loaded and two out, my 9-year-old pitcher took a pitch down the middle and around the letters for strike one. OK. Next pitch was a little higher, borderline, but definitely a call I want when my girl is pitching. So I was not surprised with a called strike two. But the batter gave a "WTF?" look. I told her she needed to swing the bat. Next pitch, even higher, and the umpire (maybe feeling shown up by her look) gave her a very theatric "Naked Gun" style STEEEEE-RIIIIIKE THREE! and she walked back to the bench, took her helmet off, put her face in her hands and cried.

Now go pitch. Didn't go well.

So... I now bat my pitcher in the bottom half of the lineup.

Maybe I'm overreacting and when they get a little older I'll change my ways. But I'd rather drop her a couple spots in the order than have that happen again.

Rocketech1 · Apr 17, 2017

njdad said:
She's usually batting in the bottom half of the order. This way if she comes up in the 1st my thinking is we have scored a few runs.

I started doing it last Fall when I had a pitcher batting 6th. We were in a big game and had bases loaded and two out, my 9-year-old pitcher took a pitch down the middle and around the letters for strike one. OK. Next pitch was a little higher, borderline, but definitely a call I want when my girl is pitching. So I was not surprised with a called strike two. But the batter gave a "WTF?" look. I told her she needed to swing the bat. Next pitch, even higher, and the umpire (maybe feeling shown up by her look) gave her a very theatric "Naked Gun" style STEEEEE-RIIIIIKE THREE! and she walked back to the bench, took her helmet off, put her face in her hands and cried.

Now go pitch. Didn't go well.

So... I now bat my pitcher in the bottom half of the lineup.

Maybe I'm overreacting and when they get a little older I'll change my ways. But I'd rather drop her a couple spots in the order than have that happen again.

Just my opinion but I wouldn't try to over think the game, especially with 9yo players. Have all the players warm-up as a team, including pre-game hitting stations. About 15 or 20 mins before the game, warm-up all of your pitchers who might be pitching in that game. Create your batting line-up based on the offensive strategies discussed above, not on whether someone is going to pitch the first few innings or not. If you make it a big deal and treat the pitchers differently than other players, it might create even more stress for them.

Batting Order

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