Beating the shift?

[sluggers]

Any ideas on how to beat this shift?

The shift is used only against right hand batters.

The alignment is SS deep and slightly to the left of 2B, and 2B midway between 1B and 2B. LF in CF, CF in Right/center and RF almost on the line. 1B and 3B are at normal positions. Pitcher is throwing low and away

The other team's coach is betting that the girls can't hit the ball to the left side. The kids had a heck of a time hitting to the left side.

 

[Rolling Hard]

You have to hit it over RF head a couple times. I hate that RF almost on the line. Doesn't help when ump is giving the pitcher 2 balls off the plate.

 

[CoachYodaD]

As soon as you get a runner on first, bunt to third base side and send your runner all the way to third from first. Don't stop or look, just send them to third.

 

[_MIA_]

You have to hit it over RF head a couple times.

This is basically what MLB has done. Ground ball rate when not facing a shift hasn’t really changed but has gone down when the shift is on. That said shifts in MLB are typically pull side shifts. BA on balls put in a play has stayed about the same since the extensive shifts have started.

 

[Strike2]

Crowd the plate just before the pitcher goes into the windup. Gives the pitcher something to think about, and may drive the pitch farther off the plate. Look for the walk or a mistake.

 

[wheresmycar]

Bat left handed.

Shift off... move back to righty.

Shift on... move back to lefty...

 

[cnardone]

The pitcher to be able to execute this. Giving the pitcher only 1/3 of the plate to work with is not easy. Even at the MLB level. If the pitcher can keep the ball at the knees on the black, and change speeds, hats off to her.

 

[CoachYodaD]

I would try these methods.
1. Bunt to the third base side when I get a runner on first. Send R1 to third.
2. Spend time teaching your hitters how to foul off outside pitches. Teach them how to go deeper in counts and attack the pitcher's misses.
3. Have all your batters at the very front of the box. The second time through the line-up, alternate batter position in the box. The pitcher has to work off the plate, the hitters don't.

Some things that help.
- Move up to the front of the box, try to make contact before the break. This will force the pitcher to move the ball farther out. With disciplined hitters, you should draw more walks.
- A drill tool that I use is a small cone with a two foot dowel rod. I put a pool noodle on it. Using that as a visual for the hitter, I throw inside the noodle or outside the noodle to get them to see which are hittable and not. It also works well for correcting a batter that casts.
- When throwing BP, I take the plate away or cover it with a mat. I make the hitters focus on what they can hit, (The plate is for the umpire, not for the hitter). If a pitch I think they could have hit and they don't, I call a strike on. If they get three, they have to go back to the Tee and take more cuts. If they are fouling off the balls that are close, they stay till I get three strikes or a target number of hits. Foul balls don't count toward their hit count or their strike count for BP. I want them to be comfortable fouling balls off.

 

[Hawk_]

Push bunt to the SS hole, goal to beat the 3rd baseman to the left with enough speed to get past the pitcher.

 

[sluggers]

I would try these methods.
1. Bunt to the third base side when I get a runner on first. Send R1 to third.
2. Spend time teaching your hitters how to foul off outside pitches. Teach them how to go deeper in counts and attack the pitcher's misses.
3. Have all your batters at the very front of the box. The second time through the line-up, alternate batter position in the box. The pitcher has to work off the plate, the hitters don't.

Some things that help.
- Move up to the front of the box, try to make contact before the break. This will force the pitcher to move the ball farther out. With disciplined hitters, you should draw more walks.
- A drill tool that I use is a small cone with a two foot dowel rod. I put a pool noodle on it. Using that as a visual for the hitter, I throw inside the noodle or outside the noodle to get them to see which are hittable and not. It also works well for correcting a batter that casts.
- When throwing BP, I take the plate away or cover it with a mat. I make the hitters focus on what they can hit, (The plate is for the umpire, not for the hitter). If a pitch I think they could have hit and they don't, I call a strike on. If they get three, they have to go back to the Tee and take more cuts. If they are fouling off the balls that are close, they stay till I get three strikes or a target number of hits. Foul balls don't count toward their hit count or their strike count for BP. I want them to be comfortable fouling balls off.

Gold. Thank you.