New Pitcher Nervous to Hit Batter

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Jun 12, 2015
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Unless it's a change up. The first batter my DD ever hit was with a change up. Not a good pitch, that one. ha
 
Aug 23, 2016
359
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This is probably going to sound callous but she's got to hit a few batters to realize it's not the end of the world. Throwing softly to try to avoid hurting anyone is not going to help her practice good mechanics that will actually help her hit batters.

For my DD (who's 8), the most important thing her coach has told her is that it's okay to hit someone, it's part of the learning process, it's not personal, and that no pitcher has perfect control. She's gotten better about it, but it takes time.
 
Jul 5, 2016
660
63
Remind your daughter that the reasons pitchers wear masks now is so they don't get hit in the face with a hit ball. I have never seen or talked to a hitter who was worried that if she hit the ball hard she might hit the pitcher. All's fair.

When I'm working with young pitchers, the way I explain it is not to worry about it. If it happens, it happens. But if they do someone, the girl has to cry. If she hits a batter and the girl doesn't cry she's not throwing hard enough.

The batter has a responsibility to either armor up or be prepared to jump out of the way.
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
Hitting batters is part of the game. Not that it should be intentional, but if she is going to pitch, she is going to hit batters.

If the young pitcher does have the speed that is advertised and has a good, natural whip, she should struggle with inside control until her mind and body learn to adapt to the angular acceleration created by the whip. With a good whip, the arm should suddenly accelerate into the release. Often this causes the pitcher to release a little too early causing the ball to go down and to the right (for a RHP). Usually right into a RHB thigh area.

With time and repetition her accuracy will come around. But she has to throw full speed. Learning to be accurate at half speed does no good at all.
 

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
522
63
Some girls are just slow. They will get hit. The quicker girls will get out of the way. Now throw hard.

When my DD was 9/10 I don't know what her PC said to her but she never took issue with hitting a batter. My DD throws hard but also has good accuracy so she didn't hit many, but when she did they would hobble...a lot. One hobbled on one leg all the way to first base. That's when I knew DD was throwing hard.
 
Oct 19, 2009
1,277
38
beyond the fences
10U is the magical age when pitchers gain a little speed. Girls at this age are nice,
and don't want to hurt a fly. They are seldom extremely competitive at 10. My DD was the same way,
her PC at the time said "never slow down" it is the batter's responsibility to get out of the way.
Also PC said "big deal, if you hit a girl, don't worry, they will send another one from the dugout"

This was said in jest but there is an underlying truth- like the others said- don't lay off the speed.
Speed comes- they lose control- control comes back. Bruises go away
 

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