No swing rule on 3-0 count

[So Cal Seth]

Agreed that 10U is too young to put an absolute red light on a 3-0 count, unless you're playing for a national championship or something. Let these girls develop. I think it's fair for a coach to have a no-swing sign that he gives on 3-0 in certain situations, but I think an absolute is the wrong way to go about it.

 

[CoachKevin]

Our HC also gives the take sign 3-0 everytime... it drives me crazy, as others have said its situational dependent.

 

[Orange Socks]

That is the dumbest thing I have almost ever heard. This is along the lines with never swing at the first pitch and never swing at a change up with less than 2 strikes. Hitters Hit! When we travel I tell my DD that you didn't come all this way to walk and no college coach gets excited to see their prospect walk! That's why you will see some coaches let the batter bat again if she gets a walk and put a PR on 1B during showcases.

 

[Hawk_]

So if they sign is no swing and then the DD hits a double she is probably getting gripped at. At a 10u level a walk and a stolen base is likely, so it's not like a double is doing much more than the walk.
Now would I make the 3-0 we always take rule...no.

 

[puddyfan]

I think this is very dependent on the age, level, and game situation.

Many of my 3-0 instructions were "if you can hit it - swing". Of course, my own daughter took this quite literally and connected for a double on the next pitch. What made this the "hit of the year" was that the pitch bounced before she hit it.
Her: "I like the low ones!"
Me: "Did you realize it bounced first?"
Her: "No."
Me:

Reading the OP's 2nd post - if this is 10U, I'm putting this in the "horrible" coaching philosophy category. Hopefully, after a few games, the coach will discover on his own that he needs to rethink this rule. We had way too many backward K's this year - if you get a hitable pitch at ANY point in the count in 10U - I say count your blessings, and with very few exceptions, just let it rip.

Never saw the bounce!


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[Bubrox]

Coaches need to realize the game within the game. Most times it's take on a 3-0 count. DD2 in a game this summer had a strikeout her 1st AB, then a 3-0 take in her 2nd at bat and walked on a 3-1 count. Then her 3rd at bat with us up 1-0, another 3-0 count. I'm thinking swing away, it could't hurt. We need another run. Coach gives the take sign. Ugh! Walks on a 3-1 count again.

 

[Long Baller]

What was the situation? Were they in desperate need of a baserunner? If so, working the 3-0 count for a walk might have been the best path --in that case a line-drive out on 3-0 IS a bad result....for the team.

It's always situational. To have an always-take 3-0 policy makes no sense either. I know there have been many times with a few hitters that I would NEVER want them to get walked. I'd rather see them swing at ball 4 at 3-0 for the chance to get a hittable pitch at 3-1. I didn't want the bat taken out of their hands. Again, depends on the hitter and the situation and what the team and the hitter need in that situation.

I should have prefaced my reply that I was thinking in terms of older girls, where the pitchers and hitters know what they are doing. At that level, the hitter is not going to get the same pitch at 3-1 that she got at 3-0. I wasn't thinking back to my DD's 10U days....

The 3-0 line out is a bad result for the team, ONLY because hindsight is 20/20. How would that be any different than a 3-1 line out? Or even worse, a weak grounder putting the ball "in play" after you went to full count in the same at bat? My point is, you want your good hitters going after the best pitch in the at-bat, regardless of the count.

I do whole heartedly agree there are situations where you do want a hitter to take a pitch. I think a blanket "always take on 3-0" is dumb. If the intent is to take on 3-0 hoping to get a walk, then might as well take on 3-1 and 3-2 as well. Now, as far as swinging at ball 4 hoping to get a hit on 3-1........I'd be giving that girl the take every time she is 3-0 after that.

 

[canyonjoe]

I don't care what the situation is or what the result is. If you teach your kids to ignore a coach you are doing them a great disservice.

 

[sluggers]

While going over new signs at practice our coach made this announcement that "we will never swing with a 3-0 count" no sign needed - just don't swing. I haven't discussed it with my daughter and she hasn't said anything. I don't want to go against the coach's directions. Any thoughts one way or the other?

@djcarter1966 instructions are absolutely correct.

Beyond that, I wish some coaches would THINK every once in a while.

Against a good pitcher, how does a kid get the count to 3-0? By being a disciplined hitter at the plate. So, she is seeing the ball and she understands the umpire's strike zone.

Seems to me that is exactly the kind of hitter you want swinging the bat.

I rarely gave the 3-0 take sign. In 20+ years of coaching, I can't think of every losing a game because the batter swung on 3-0. I do remember a bunch of doubles on 3-0.

@Cannonball, what do you think?

 

[MadBandit22]

I know it's probably been discussed but I can't find it in the forums. What is your view on a coach telling the entire team we will never swing with a 3-0 count? I've always told my daughter not to be up there looking for a walk and that the next pitch with a 3-0 count will probably be the best pitch she sees all night. While going over new signs at practice our coach made this announcement that "we will never swing with a 3-0 count" no sign needed - just don't swing. I haven't discussed it with my daughter and she hasn't said anything. I don't want to go against the coach's directions. Of course, in our first scrimmage my daughter has a 3-0 count on her and sends the next pitch to left center for a double. Coach doesn't say anything but if she does it again I'm sure she's going to hear about it. Any thoughts one way or the other?

3-0 is like 0-0. It may be the best pitch you see during your at bat. Having said that I want my kids taking the 1st pitch 1st time through the order. After that hunt the ball and be aggressive.
I wouldn’t give a blanket command to not swing 3-0. It should be situational based on how much confidence you have in given hitter to stay within the strike zone and not chase ball 4. The difference between 0-0 and 3-0 is at 3-0 the pitcher has to come to the hitter or risk the walk.
So you should be getting a fastball right down Broadway that any good hitter should be able to handle. So I would say 1-5 green light, 6-9 game to game on 3-0.