Coaching your team in a tournament

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Jul 17, 2008
488
0
Southern California
DD was in a holiday tournament last weekend. Her team made it to the championship game and DD was pitching that game. She is what you might call a "junk baller" and frequently will throw her change up on the first pitch for a strike.
The opposing teams 3rd base coach says really loud to his batter, that's a great job. We never want to swing at at a first pitch change up!
So from then on, nearly every batter DD throws a change up on the first pitch for a strike!
After I think the 4th inning the coach obviously pulls his team together and tells them to start swinging the bat at that change up on the first pitch..DD stops throwing it on first pitch! They never adjust. We win the game.

I've noticed that this happens a lot and I'm left scratching my head as to why a 3rd base coach would give up this important piece of his teams hitting strategy.

DD says she loves it when the 3rd base coaches can't keep their mouth shut!
 
Nov 1, 2009
405
0
A change up is a great pitch to hit and your hitters need to learn how to handle the pitch. It is also a vital pitch to throw to keep the other team off balance. If you want to have success with this pitch make sure your batters are seeing them on practice and working the middle of the field when they do.
 
Apr 25, 2010
772
0
He probably yelled it out like that to try to rattle your DD. Kind of a d@#k move, but sadly, it happens all the time.
 
Jul 1, 2010
171
16
Agree with crystlemc. Happens way too often. Bet those guys go home and feel pretty good about their ability to rattle a pre-teen!!! Need a study done cuz I bet they are the same ones yelling at their own kids from the stands when they get older. :0)
 
Jul 17, 2008
488
0
Southern California
Agree with crystlemc. Happens way too often. Bet those guys go home and feel pretty good about their ability to rattle a pre-teen!!! Need a study done cuz I bet they are the same ones yelling at their own kids from the stands when they get older. :0)

Sorry, just to clarify...
Actually this was an 18U tournament and DD is 17. She was not rattled. She was thrilled that this idiot coach was giving away his hitting strategy and she capitalized on it.
 
Mar 13, 2010
1,758
48
Fool to try it on someone that old!

I had a coach that instead of signals, would have code words. That started with the same letter as what he wanted them to do. (so bunt would be 'base hit let's go', hard slap would be 'hurry silly and hit the ball') We knew something was off the first dig (he was saying the STUPIDEST things) and had figured it out by the third. It was beyond stupid.

My favourite (and one I come across a lot) is batter who will not hit until after the first strike. No matter what they are not swinging.
 
Apr 1, 2010
1,675
0
My favourite (and one I come across a lot) is batter who will not hit until after the first strike. No matter what they are not swinging.

I just don't get that. If you needed to know how she pitched before you could swing comfortably, why weren't you watching the at-bats before yours and talking to your teammates?

DD will take an enormous cut right away if she likes the way it looks; which sometimes scares the heck out of me, but sure doesn't bug me as much as a kid that stands there with the bat glued to her shoulder while a meatball sails by.
 

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