Aggressive at the Plate or make the pitcher work?

[obbay]

It depends on the age/experience level you are working with.
I find a lot of the coaches I know who insist on batters swinging for the first pitch "because it will probably be the best pitch" do not, for one moment, consider the team they are actually working with, rather than the team they would like to be working with.

I have seen some real bad hitting as a result of going for the first pitch. Obviously it can be done, but that P.O.A. doesn't always work. I always advocate seeing as many pitches as possible at least for the first at-bat. As has been discussed here many times in the past, many girls do not even know what kind of pitch is best for them to hit. telling those players to be aggressive and go for the first pitch is not smart coaching, IMHO.

Because one of my DDs had an excellent eye and was proficient at going deep in the count, I saw first hand how the swing-for-the-first pitch mentality could actually waste a good hitter. I also saw some hitters who initially had success with this, turn sour over time because they had developed bad habits rushing to put the first pitch in play.

My pet peeve is when my team finishes their at bat with 3 outs in less than 12 pitches.
My other DD is a pitcher and I love it when I see the other team going for the first pitch.

 

[T Red]

Our high school coach has a rule not to swing at the first pitch. I disagree with that rule.

My dd is a P and knows the pitcher wants to get ahead in the count. She is looking to hit the first if it is in her zone.

I like coach Enquist's philosophy (Sue Enquist - "Mental Game" (part 5 of 5) - YouTube) no matter what the count.

 

[fusionmom]

We were (kind of) just discussing this during a game yesterday. Girl was up to bat with a 2-0 count on her. Next pitch was low and inside for a strike. DH and I said that was a good pitch to take for a strike ~ not in this batter's zone, the pitcher had been inconsistent all game, and (for this particular batter especially) hitting that pitch would have most likely resulted in an infield ground out. Just because it is a strike does not mean that it is necessarily "the" pitch to swing at. Know the pitcher, understand what/how she has been throwing. If she just walked the last two batters on five pitches each, you're probably going to want to take a look.

There shouldn't be a black and white to always swing at or always let the first pitch go.

 

[MsDinosaur]

One point I would like make is that there is a very fine line between fouling a ball off, hitting a line drive, and striking out. No one is that good a batter that they can intentionally foul off pitches until they see a pitch they like and then get a base hit. It's a fallacy I see posted here quite a bit.

To the OP, in general batters should be looking for a particular pitch and location and if they get it on the first pitch by all means go after the ball. I much prefer an aggressive batter at the plate. Good batters will fail two out of three times, that is ok. Be an offensive batter not defensive unless the pitcher is struggling to hit her spots.

I could have sworn that DD had told me she had deliberately fouled off pitches before, but I could certainly be mistaken. I'll check back with her--I don't want to be giving out bad advice.

I completely agree with the philosophy you've expressed to the OP.

 

[ConorMacleod]

If only the decision were that easy. Like many have said, it really depends on what the pitcher is doing. Lots of strikes? Can't find the zone? Is your team leading? Are you behind? Early in the game? Bottom of last inning? I've had games where I told our girls nobody is to swing until after strike 1. I just had a game yesterday where I told our girls to go up there hacking, because the pitcher was just burying strike after strike. I do like the selectively aggressive approach. Tell yourself the next pitch is your pitch. If it is, take a rip. If it isn't, then lay off. But, I always want the girls to go in the box with a "yes yes yes" approach and take a swing at a good pitch, rather than a "no no no" approach and take a bad swing, or no swing, at a good pitch. And, above all, swing hard just in case you hit the ball.