How to teach zone hitting

[RichK]

I want to more actively teach this type of an approach, rather than just talk about it and hope hitters have some idea how to actually do it....so looking for coaching ideas/tips, etc...

- What is your philosophy of zone hitting? When necessary? HOW to execute it? vs. hard thrower? vs. change of speed pitcher? depending on count? etc? More than anything: how do you talk about it and explain it to your hitters so they *get* it?

- Talking about it is great, but how do you train/drill it? Any thoughts on using a pitching machine, using front-toss, even the tee to understand zones and start to understand how to execute a plan?

- What do you look for to improve in-game execution? Ie, what are some obvious fails/flaws in zone hitting, how do they show up in games, etc?

Any help appreciated. Assume high level pitcher/hitter, 16U/18U players....

TKS.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Start basic and then evolve as they each get it. As a starting point, impress upon your hitters that they already 'zone' hit even if they don't realize it because they aren't (or at least shouldn't be) swinging at the same pitch 3-0 as they are 0-2. Conceptually, the hitter, before each pitch, should establish in their mind a "GO" zone (i.e., the zone they'll be swinging if the pitch is in). They need to understand that the zone changes in size depending primarily on the count (as well as the game situation). Once they get the basic concept down mentally, then you can work on it doing front toss, BP, live pitching etc.

For many developing hitters, it helps to teach, test and facilitate their understanding by visualizing and using graphic like the one KnightSB created in this thread http://www.discussfastpitch.com/sof...isual-approach-strike-zone-go-zone-count.html ,which also covers this topic. Quiz them and have them draw their GO zones for different counts and situations. As they get advanced, "zoning" can incorporate specific speeds and/or pitches, but that only comes once they've got the basic concept down and can implement it under game conditions. Just be careful that they don't become too selective with the zones as it can end up leading to a lot of 2 strike counts.

 

[Buttermaker]

Only thing I can add - is that first you have to un train your hitters. Almost every hitter we zone train believes their zone pitch is correct when it usually is not. IE - tried out a player a couple of years ago that had a year of college under her belt - my asst coach was throwing front toss (essentially live pitching but a little closer and behind a screen. Noticed that some balls were being rolled over on while others were being lined to back of the net. I and asst coach kept trading looks as we were in sync on location. Asked this player what her zone pitch was - she said inside. Well inside is what she kept rolling over and outer half were the balls she laced to the back of cage.

This is really the only way I know how to do it. Throw practice to locations and teach them what pitches they hit well and what pitches they struggle with. Teach them to identify the locations. Teach them (or beat it in to them) that in games to seek out the correct zone location early in count (I don't believe in taking strikes for except when certain plays are on) and tighten up that zone as they get ahead. Tee work does not help this - they need to train their eyes to see location as early as possible.

 

[RichK]

Thanks GM...good stuff in the other thread as well including Ted Williams zone hitting graphic

 

[rdbass]

Sorry so big:

 

[Greenmonsters]

Sorry so big:

While a chart like this is imminently possible with today's pitch tracking technology, I have always suspected that TW's chart was developed more on gut feel than fact.

Also interesting to note that TW hit over .300 in the top 3 rows, which are outside of today's strike zone. If he played today, I wonder if he would be more or less inclined to adapt his approach to defensive shifts than he did back then.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Good stuff here for sure

 

[FP26]

While a chart like this is imminently possible with today's pitch tracking technology, I have always suspected that TW's chart was developed more on gut feel than fact.

Also interesting to note that TW hit over .300 in the top 3 rows, which are outside of today's strike zone. If he played today, I wonder if he would be more or less inclined to adapt his approach to defensive shifts than he did back then.

Something tells me that Ted would find a way to adjust to however he is pitched.

 

[KnowThePlay]

I want to more actively teach this type of an approach, rather than just talk about it and hope hitters have some idea how to actually do it....so looking for coaching ideas/tips, etc...

- What is your philosophy of zone hitting? When necessary? HOW to execute it? vs. hard thrower? vs. change of speed pitcher? depending on count? etc? More than anything: how do you talk about it and explain it to your hitters so they *get* it?

- Talking about it is great, but how do you train/drill it? Any thoughts on using a pitching machine, using front-toss, even the tee to understand zones and start to understand how to execute a plan?

- What do you look for to improve in-game execution? Ie, what are some obvious fails/flaws in zone hitting, how do they show up in games, etc?

Any help appreciated. Assume high level pitcher/hitter, 16U/18U players....

TKS.

I like to use a 1-9 zone approach. For a right handed batter, 1 is low inside, 2 is low middle, 3 is low outside, 4 is middle inside, 5 is right down the middle, 6 is middle outside, 7 is high inside, 8 is high middle and 9 is high outside. I like to use T work the most to develop muscle memory - so for the inside pitch start with 1, then raise the to 4, then raise to 7. I have found that some batters have a slight move of the T forward or back depending on the height (e.g. 1 may be slightly closer than 4 and 7 may be out towards the pitcher slightly), but many have the T in the same spot for all heights. Key is at each zone and number the bat needs to hit the sweet spot. I will many times mark where the T was so I have a location to side toss, then coach pitch to work that zone. Reps allow the muscle memory to develop so that they instinctively hit the inside earlier and outside deeper in the plate at game time.