How to hit a rise ball?

[BigSkyHi]

Sounds to me you are a little catcher biased... lol

I see meat thrown at every level.. regardless it's hard to hit high 90's and 70's period which is why pitchers can get away with mistakes. Considering that, the hitter better go up to the plate with an attack zone

Bingo! Battle plans every at bat. Hitter outnumbered by the pitcher and catcher. We must teach the mental part of the game as hard as we teach the physical.

 

[Westwind]

Point is best hitters in the world have a harder time hitting balls with velocity up in the zone (e.g. most riseballs). Don't swing at those pitches unless you need to...

Edit: I am saving this presentation for Marcela when she starts facing riseballs so I can get the inevitable "I know Dad" with the also inevitable accompanying "sour face"

Maybe not. DD1 hit .500 in Hs vs a High vel riseball pitcher that was a very big fish in a small pond. That pitcher went on to be a freshman starter in the SEC and did well. DD1 was a very free swinger and it worked well for her. What’s weird is she was always the lead off hitter in hs. That also worked for her and her team.

Now for a “one time at band camp” story. In her one and only ab against the one and only K.B. in the sunshine state , she drew a walk after hacking at everything close to the zone. She recently told me “she gave me nothing to hit and the umpires were giving her the top of the zone”. Im pretty proud of dd#1, she didn’t play organized sb until she was a first year 14u. Having that kind of ab against that pitcher while that pitcher was a W for sure, lol

My point is this: players should find the approach that works for them and they should use that approach. DD#2 is probably a better hitter. She was a very selective hitter until she got to hs. She had to have a completely different approach in hs. Another band camp story for another day, lol

 

[_MIA_]

Maybe not. DD1 hit .500 in Hs vs a High vel riseball pitcher that was a very big fish in a small pond. That pitcher went on to be a freshman starter in the SEC and did well. DD1 was a very free swinger and it worked well for her. What’s weird is she was always the lead off hitter in hs. That also worked for her and her team.

Ok I should have said most (which I think I did for the most part..just not in the post you quoted )...there are always exceptions..

 

[Westwind]

Idk man- I waffle but most times I prefer to see hitters attacking anything close. Hitters gotta hit....

Really, once a kid hits a certain physical size, driving a pitch a ball or two off the plate becomes more and more reasonable. Take the umpire and framing/receiving out of the equation

This is one of those discussions that is really driven by the age (size?)of the player.

 

[julray]

Ok I should have said most (which I think I did for the most part..just not in the post you quoted )...there are always exceptions..

What was your toughest pitch to hit when you played. And you don't have to tell me if it gives away secrets for that old timers league you play in,

 

[_MIA_]

What was your toughest pitch to hit when you played.

Depends? Before I hurt my knee (Jr. year in HS) you couldn't throw a fastball by me inside but I probably had a more difficult time with an outside pitch. After I hurt my knee? Any pitch the pitcher threw..I was a better hitter when I was 14 then I was when I was 18. I only started to figure it out again my Soph year in college but then I quit..

 

[Westwind]

I was going to ask too Julray. I never played past LL so I’m curious to hear it!

 

[radness]

None? Zero? Zilch..come on..every pitcher makes a mistake once in a while. The best make less and when they do their mistakes are harder to hit...

Correct its was rare to get meat pitches.
Not many at the top level.

Pitching has been moved back 3 feet and less movement on yellow ball, smoother exterior.
Equalized the situation,.. Or perhaps gave hitters a greater advantage upping hitting avgs by .100 !!

____________________

On a seperate note...

Its kinda funny to see pitch location charts from baseball in a riseball discussion in softball.

As in softball the pitches released are at the shin/knee/low thigh area with a trajectory location at a higher level.
With more pitch trajectories
and spin variables.

Not the case in bb. Elevated mound throwing downward.
Less spin variables.
( well exception, those extreme sidearm's perhaps)

 

[_MIA_]

Idk man- I waffle but most times I prefer to see hitters attacking anything close. Hitters gotta hit....

Really, once a kid hits a certain physical size, driving a pitch a ball or two off the plate becomes more and more reasonable. Take the umpire and framing/receiving out of the equation

This is one of those discussions that is really driven by the age (size?)of the player.

I want Marcela to be aggressive in the zone.

 

[_MIA_]

On a seperate note...

Its kinda funny to see pitch location charts from baseball in a riseball discussion in softball.

Fine get me some hotzone charts for softball players

Regardless, do you think it is easier or harder for a softball hitter to hit a high pitch with velocity based upon the differences you gave?