Batters crowding the plate 14u+

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Oct 22, 2009
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I guess some of my local coaches are getting cues from the college games this season and coaching their batters to toe up and hang over the plate.
My 14u + pitchers are telling me they are seeing this more and more.

Had one tell me the batter was actually touching the plate and her catcher called time and asked the umpire if he was aware of it, he said he was perfectly aware of it and if she hit the ball he would call her out. Well she hit the ball and he didn't call her out.

A friend of one of my pitchers told her her coach threaten to bench them if they didn't do it.

Sure it's frustrating that I'm having to re-work pitching strategies, but really, 14u? It would be nice if the coaches were coaching them on how to hit and not how to get hit. As a parent I wouldn't allow it.
Are you noticing this in your area?
 
Jun 24, 2010
465
0
Mississippi
DD#1 crowds the plate a bit. Not to the point you described. Her trouble pitch is low and outside, so she sets up a little closer to the plate. She's has quick enough hands to get around on an inside pitch, so it's been working well for her. I'm not aware of any of her coaches telling her to do so.
 
Jun 7, 2013
984
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Crowding the plate, if you can get away with it, is a very effective hitting strategy. My DD, who played JV this past year, had very good pitching performances except against a team that crowded the plate. The catcher kept calling outside pitches which means that if it is on the outside corner it's right down the middle for someone crowding the plate. If it is off the plate it is a ball. Without pitching on the inside part of the plate this reduces the width of the strike zone to about 8". My advice: Pitch inside!
 

IR a Pitching Dad

Sitting on a Bucket
Dec 4, 2014
49
0
screwball to the earhole! Ok not really the earhole, however, high and tight inside to push the batter off of the plate. My DD understands that the inside part of the plate is as much hers as it is the batters.
 
May 6, 2012
149
16
Texas
I have been crowding the plate with my 18u team since first year 14u There is nothing wrong with it this game is a chess match and if I can take away a pitchers pitch and give my batter the advantage in a legal way then why not. You should be enjoying this practice now your DD can learn to adjust her pitches and it will put her on step ahead in the pitching world. Now I am not one of those coaches who is teaching my girls to take a hit just getting them to put their toes on the line to take away pitches.
 
Mar 13, 2010
960
0
Columbus, Ohio
Had one tell me the batter was actually touching the plate and her catcher called time and asked the umpire if he was aware of it, he said he was perfectly aware of it and if she hit the ball he would call her out. Well she hit the ball and he didn't call her out.

Umpire is blowing this rule.

Before the pitch, the batter must have both feet entirely inside the batter's box. Since the batter's box is six inches away from the side of the plate, a batter who's foot is almost touching the plate obviously isn't inside the box.

The correct umpire response is, "Time. Batter, please get inside the box". He shouldn't allow a pitch to be thrown until the batter complies.
 
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My girls do it. We're taking away the outside pitch, which is what most PCs are teaching their pupils to throw. We work on pulling inside pitches constantly so opponents pay dearly if they try to back us off.
 
Oct 22, 2009
1,781
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Yeah, My pitchers want to give up their screwballs but I'm telling them to keep with them, the boxes are getting wiped away and the toes are up to the plate. Off the plates are getting hit, and the insides are getting leaned into.
Going to get a lot more HBP's this year.
 
the boxes are getting wiped away and the toes are up to the plate.
Yep. After our first four hitters come up, there will be no batter's box left on either side of the plate. ;-) They aren't really looking for a HBP, though. They're just making the strike zone smaller and hoping some coach sees them up close and decides to throw them inside so they can turn on one.
 

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