I like to front toss for the batters. Really, it isnt too difficult, just have to practice like the team does. If not, one of the other coaches should be able to. I do have my pitchers and batters live. Pitchers try to retire the batters and batters try to get on. Screens are up if it is for reps, if it is for scrimmage we treat it like a game. JMO but I think it is the only way to create a game situation.
Any problem with pitchers throwing BP?
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Does anyone care about the pitcher throwing too many pitches?
- Jul 26, 2010
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Ray your daughter was a pitcher, wasn't she? How long were your typical practice sessions? 30 min, an hour? I'm fairly sure that it's much more efficient to simply have pitching practice (Daughter throwing to dad) then it is to throw BP, IE in 30 minutes of pitching practice, she may throw 100-300 pitches. In 30 minute of BP, it's probably much less, and it's more likely for a coach to rotate pitchers in BP.
That said, I never liked the idea of pitchers throwing without the goal of getting strike-outs. . . nor do I understand the purpose of hitting a live pitcher if all the balls are down the middle, do they play games like that?
-W
That said, I never liked the idea of pitchers throwing without the goal of getting strike-outs. . . nor do I understand the purpose of hitting a live pitcher if all the balls are down the middle, do they play games like that?
-W
First, let me say i work with younger, less experienced pitchers.
I don't like my pitchers throwing BP. As a few other posters have said, BP is for batters to work on their swings, not for pitchers to work on their "stuff".
If I had pitchers who could pitch location with their repetoire consistently, and I could structure a hitting session to let the batters work on their hitting weaknesses, great. But the pitchers would have to be well-developed and secure in their fundamentals. I suspect this is not the case for most high school teams.
Jim
I don't like my pitchers throwing BP. As a few other posters have said, BP is for batters to work on their swings, not for pitchers to work on their "stuff".
If I had pitchers who could pitch location with their repetoire consistently, and I could structure a hitting session to let the batters work on their hitting weaknesses, great. But the pitchers would have to be well-developed and secure in their fundamentals. I suspect this is not the case for most high school teams.
Jim
There are a few Issues letting your pitchers pitch batting practice, I think it is good to do it occasionally but it should not be the norm.
I like machine pitch but I learned how to pitch. It took some effort and practice on my part. If I could not do it, I would have recruited someone else.
We still do machine pitch the majority of the time.
I like machine pitch but I learned how to pitch. It took some effort and practice on my part. If I could not do it, I would have recruited someone else.
We still do machine pitch the majority of the time.
I asked this question at a clinic at the University of Missouri a while back. Jay Miller (former Mizzou head coach and current head coach at Mississippi State) stated this:
"Coaches must never use competitve pitchers to throw batting practice - ever!"
I chose to take the advice of a very successful D1 and international coach...
"Coaches must never use competitve pitchers to throw batting practice - ever!"
I chose to take the advice of a very successful D1 and international coach...
LAdad, you don't have to reverse the drill. Pitchers are doing that at the same time while hitters are hitting. If not it doesn't do etherone any good. Batters need to be learning to time and adjust to pitcher and location. If you can do that with coach pitching from behind a screen 20 feet from the plate, or from a pitching machine, or your pitchers dad thinks it might hurt her to throw to live batters instead of at home with him, then of coarse, don't do it.
It also helps to have your pitching coach behnd the mound calling pitches as well as balls and strikes (while offering instruction if needed), the hitting coach watching the hitters and doing the same, and the head coach watching both, as well as directing fielders to keep them involved. JMO but if there is a better way to teach in game type situations, Id love to hear it.
It also helps to have your pitching coach behnd the mound calling pitches as well as balls and strikes (while offering instruction if needed), the hitting coach watching the hitters and doing the same, and the head coach watching both, as well as directing fielders to keep them involved. JMO but if there is a better way to teach in game type situations, Id love to hear it.
What I was responding to was Jojo's description where the pitchers were asked to throw the same pitch over and over so the batters could learn to hit it. So the batters were taught, if you see the pitcher do this, then bat like that. But the pitchers just got reps; they were not supposed to adjust their pitches based on what they saw about the batter. In other words, the batters benefited from having the pitchers there, but the pitchers didn't get anything out of having the batters there that they couldn't get from normal pitching practice. (Plus, if you keep it up, eventually everyone starts hitting the crap out of their pitches, not exactly a confidence booster.)
- Aug 21, 2008
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Personally, I throw BP as much as I can. Especially if I'm struggling or going through a pitching slump. What better way to work on mechanics and ball rotation?
Bill
Bill
I believe it if good for both pitcher and hitters to get live pitching. Now with that being said I tell my pitchers your are not throwning BP you are trying to strike out every batter. I let my catchers call pitches and ball and strikes. I let hitters hit until they strike out or hit 5 balls in far territory.
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