Approach

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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
I really get perturbed when folks don’t know what they say. It’s like you make the stuff up as you go. At this point you want to win a discussion. I get it and I don’t. This thread is to help others find a good approach that will produce consistent results.

you first mentioned in this thread Maddies approach was ‘damage’. All the time! ‘Put the ball in play as HARD as you can w 2 strikes!’ What does that mean?? Rhetorical question Eric! That’s what she did in the vid you posted. Didn’t matter her count or situation or pitch location! At the 18 gold travel and college level that is frowned upon and doesn’t work out very often if at all. Winning teams don’t play that way. Does Alo ever take wild hacks in a crucial situation? How about Mookie?

works out ok when the pitching isn’t top notch.
Incorrect. I don’t care about winning anything. As I have said from the beginning, this is what has continued to be successful for Maddie. Maybe someone can learn from it, maybe not. Maybe someone shares your view that it’s a bad approach. So be it. I’ve been consistent about my position from the start. You have misinterpreted/misrepresented quite a bit of my intent, but I no longer care enough about this to hash through it all.

Have a nice day, Dub.
 
Last edited:
Aug 27, 2019
640
93
Lakewood CA.
To surmise.
OP asked a question seeking opinions.
Multiple opinions are given.
Someone disagrees with one of the opinions.
Chaos erupts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Ok some posters DDs are power hitters that can do damage with a single swing of the bat and others are contact hitters that can spray the ball around. Of course, there is going to be different approaches/ mindsets. Its OK!
What should both approaches have in common?
Breathing, relaxing, visualizing, seeing the ball, confidence (almost a cocky swagger).
 
Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
Ok some posters DDs are power hitters that can do damage with a single swing of the bat and others are contact hitters that can spray the ball around. Of course, there is going to be different approaches/ mindsets. Its OK!
What should both approaches have in common?
Breathing, relaxing, visualizing, seeing the ball, confidence (almost a cocky swagger).
This ^^^

The best approach is the one that works for you. My daughter went through a period where she came up to bat several times with the game on the line. Each time she had a markedly better at bat than normal and drove the ball hard consistently. The pressure actually made her better. I asked her why she thought she hit better with the game on the line and she said “I know I can’t just hit a weak ground ball in those spots I need to drive it to the outfield. The team needs me”.

After some more talk, she realized she is better off approaching every at bat that way.

moral of the story - it’s gotta work for you and not someone else since your the one hitting.
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Power hitter? Contact hitter? Nope. That’s I haven’t seen really really good pitching yet talking there. The best don’t do that. They can’t. The opposition is really good also. I stole the approach I use from a 4 time first team all pac-12 player. Coached w her for 2 summers. She was a jerk. Didn’t know how to treat the players. But she knew the game. Did I throw the baby out w the bath water? Nah. I didn’t let my ego get in the way. It’s not about me. It’s about helping the kids I coach.

Experiential knowledge is where everyone is coming from. I get it. I’m doing the same.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Power hitter? Contact hitter? Nope. That’s I haven’t seen really really good pitching yet talking there. The best don’t do that. They can’t. The opposition is really good also. I stole the approach I use from a 4 time first team all pac-12 player. Coached w her for 2 summers. She was a jerk. Didn’t know how to treat the players. But she knew the game. Did I throw the baby out w the bath water? Nah. I didn’t let my ego get in the way. It’s not about me. It’s about helping the kids I coach.

Experiential knowledge is where everyone is coming from. I get it. I’m doing the same.
I said earlier that the approach of a D1 hitter facing world's best will/may need to be different than a 14U hitter. And a 14U player may have to refine their approach as pitching gets tougher. But for the record and so I dont have to review 10 pages of rhetoric, could you please in 200 words or less, define "the approach you stole from 4 time first team all pac-12player."
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I said earlier that the approach of a D1 hitter facing world's best will/may need to be different than a 14U hitter. And a 14U player may have to refine their approach as pitching gets tougher. But for the record and so I dont have to review 10 pages of rhetoric, could you please in 200 words or less, define "the approach you stole from 4 time first team all pac-12player."
Yes P. Smart-aggressive is the cue I give a player. Aggressive w less than 2. But we’re still smart about it. Or as Ted so eloquently put it ‘get a good pitch to hit’ w less than 2. Then think middle of the field w 2. Or Shorten the stroke so to speak so you can see it longer. With that being said..

Each pitcher can only do so many things. They’re not magicians. Once you know where each pitch starts and ends. It’s not that hard to track a softball. The only thing that distorts that is big velocity. Which only 5-10 girls at the collegiate level have. At that point I think you cut the plate in half unless you have a good hunch of what you’re gonna get. Remember her commentary after this hit?

View attachment 24556

So he stole his approach from an All Pac 12 player who stole it from Ted Williams.. :)
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I am not going to read all the posts but 2 other things from my point of view ...

Do not coach them when they are at bat, personally learned that the hard way.

Striking out is OK.
 

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