I'm the ac to my dd's 10u rec team (pitching machine), and my husband is the HC. Our first game is this weekend so I figured I'd get some ideas on how you guys choose the batting lineup. We aren't hurting as far as batters go (only a couple are having issues, but with a little more practice they should be fine). Our main problem is speed. DD hits the ball 99% of the time and is the fastest on the team (a little streak of lightening), but a couple of our really good hitters are our slowest runners. At this age do you just line them up however and let the chips fall where they may?
Batting Order
- Thread starter CRJC
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For 10u rec, we made the line-up at the beginning of the year. After game 1, whoever was on deck when the last out was made was first to bat the next game, and so on. This ensured by the end of the year every girl got about the same number of opportunities to hit and improve.
There will be enough errors in the field that it doesn't really matter who runs fast, hits well, etc. By the end of the season, if they're all a little more confident and they improved from when you got them, then your season was a success.
Have fun and enjoy them. I wish I could coach mine as a 10U all over again.
PS... Welcome to DFP.
There will be enough errors in the field that it doesn't really matter who runs fast, hits well, etc. By the end of the season, if they're all a little more confident and they improved from when you got them, then your season was a success.
Have fun and enjoy them. I wish I could coach mine as a 10U all over again.
PS... Welcome to DFP.
Thanks! This is dd's 3rd year playing, and our first year coaching. Rec needed coaches so I volunteered my dh to coach and I volunteered to be his voice to the parents (he's painfully shy, lol). I'll be the first to admit that I know absolutely nothing about softball- which often leaves my husband shaking his head and having to teach me so I can teach the girls! I like the aspect of changing up the batting order each game because that isn't something that's been done in the past. DD was always smack dab in the middle the entire season (with the exception of allstars). When I played I was always the very very very last batter (when I got to bat....they eventually changed the rules sos everyone got to bat).
- Aug 1, 2014
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This is one of my favorite topics. I think it's an area where we need to get some of the baseball out of this game. Traditional baseball playing rules tell us that the first batter has the highest obp and the second is there most versatile. The third makes more contact with power and the fourth is the bomber. Softball is a much faster game with small ball playing a much heavier role.
A few months ago I changed my philosophy and it has paid off for us. You know those three girls at the bottom of the line up that seem to get out all the time and kill an inning or two? Why not use those outs more effectively?
We bat in threes. One girl who is the typical 1 or 2 spot just to get on base. Then the 3/4 hitter. End that rotation of thee with one of those sure outs. Teach her to bunt. Then repeat three times. The strongest rotation at the top. This worked especially well to manufacture runs in close games. We started scoring 4-5 more runs per game. The girls who were killing us started getting RBIs and advancing runners. Their confidence soared. The best thing is you stretch your top 4 batters down to the top 6 effectively. Your number 6 batter is now 8. You're close to the top of the line up and everyone contributes.
Edit:: I should read before I write... this could be a little much for recreation. I am speaking from a travel point of view. Thanks.
A few months ago I changed my philosophy and it has paid off for us. You know those three girls at the bottom of the line up that seem to get out all the time and kill an inning or two? Why not use those outs more effectively?
We bat in threes. One girl who is the typical 1 or 2 spot just to get on base. Then the 3/4 hitter. End that rotation of thee with one of those sure outs. Teach her to bunt. Then repeat three times. The strongest rotation at the top. This worked especially well to manufacture runs in close games. We started scoring 4-5 more runs per game. The girls who were killing us started getting RBIs and advancing runners. Their confidence soared. The best thing is you stretch your top 4 batters down to the top 6 effectively. Your number 6 batter is now 8. You're close to the top of the line up and everyone contributes.
Edit:: I should read before I write... this could be a little much for recreation. I am speaking from a travel point of view. Thanks.
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even for rec, spread your "likely outs" around the order, and change top to bottom frequently. I never had the same girl lead off two games in a row, never had the same bat last two in a row. spreading out your likely outs makes inning more productive, avoids that dreaded half inning where you (hopefully hiding it) and the players (probably not hiding it as well) are pretty certain there will be 0-1 baserunners (of course opposing pitcher will pick these half innings to throw more strikes than balls). with the typical lack of pitching at that level, likely had run limit (if you have them) before three outs anyway. spread every one out in the lineup, change frequently.
I really like this idea. Even though this is rec ball, I don't think this would be too much. I'm definitely going to show this to DH. I want our girls to have the best advantage possible, and I think this would provide them with that.
**Edit- I must admit that after last night's practice, I don't think we even have any girls who can be classified as sure outs. One of our weakest batters showed up last night hitting line drives to the fence! DH has been working with her and got her a bat that works for her (she's 9 but looks like she's college age). We have another girl that's having issues, but she wasn't at practice last night. I'm hoping she shows up tonight so we can get her hitting too!!
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In league and pool games, at that age, I started the season with a line up and last out of a game was first up the next game. Bracket games were designated line ups to give the girls the best chance to win and I tried to use the strategic out concept that lsjames mentioned. I does a lot for a girls confidence when they are not always batting at the end of the line up and most of them stepped it up when the pressure was on which in turn boosted their confidence and the teams confidence in them.
- Feb 7, 2013
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At this level, the goal is to get the best batters as many at-bats as possible. Since most rec games are timed and/or never get to 7 innings, put your best players near the top of the order. No reason why even at rec you shouldn't try to score as many runs as possible (you certainly are going to give up a lot of runs with errors and the mandatory use of several pitchers during the game). The bottom of the line-up will still get their at bats as you bat the entire order but maybe one less at bat than the ones near the top. If it's all-stars, you bat the order during pool play and on Sunday bracket play, you DP/Flex or bat best 9.
One pet peeve of mine is putting a good hitter batting last (the idea is that you get her on for the top of the order). In practice, its a bad strategy and one that my DD's JV coaches employ every game. They have three players that strikeout almost every time batting 6, 7, and 8 and a good hitter batting 9. I would put her in the 6th spot and let the chips fall where they may...
One pet peeve of mine is putting a good hitter batting last (the idea is that you get her on for the top of the order). In practice, its a bad strategy and one that my DD's JV coaches employ every game. They have three players that strikeout almost every time batting 6, 7, and 8 and a good hitter batting 9. I would put her in the 6th spot and let the chips fall where they may...
