CALLING the PITCHES - the sequence

[Steve Huff]

Not sure about the graphic but...

SC - (in 0-1)
RS - (up and in 0-2)
SC - (in on hands 1-2)
CH - (away, put it in the book)

Mrek

 

[BoardMember]

View attachment 1855 Merk

He doesn't need any advice........He sat the kid down with that sequence..........

I'm assuming this is a lefty slapper since 99.99999% of slappers are lefty for good reason........And I'm assuming his pitcher is also a lefty based on the screw and rise being in on the hitter..........

Screw in looking........Because the slapper was taught NOT to give away the outside corner on the first pitch since it's where the majority of inexperience coaches put the ball.......So it tightens the slappers hands by telling the hitter "I ain't afraid to come in"..........Then IN again but rising.......Sends her a message that IN ain't always hittable........Screw WAY in says "you can't hit my inside stuff unless you back up a little"........Cause I'm comming up and in again........I LIKE TO COME IN...........

Change down and out moving away from a lefty to a lefty who's seen 3 "in and inners", and is movin toward first to make room for the barrel on the inside corner..........She either fans at at because it's away.......Or she fans at it from a 15mph velocity drop........or Both.....Either way..........

TAKE A SEAT HONEY...........

Nice work Mrek........A sequence right outta "the book"............

 

[Steve Huff]

He doesn't need any advice........He sat the kid down with that sequence..........

I'm assuming this is a lefty slapper since 99.99999% of slappers are lefty for good reason........And I'm assuming his pitcher is also a lefty based on the screw and rise being in on the hitter..........

Screw in looking........Because the slapper was taught NOT to give away the outside corner on the first pitch since it's where the majority of inexperience coaches put the ball.......So it tightens the slappers hands by telling the hitter "I ain't afraid to come in"..........Then IN again but rising.......Sends her a message that IN ain't always hittable........Screw WAY in says "you can't hit my inside stuff unless you back up a little"........Cause I'm comming up and in again........I LIKE TO COME IN...........

Change down and out moving away from a lefty to a lefty who's seen 3 "in and inners", and is movin toward first to make room for the barrel on the inside corner..........She either fans at at because it's away.......Or she fans at it from a 15mph velocity drop........or Both.....Either way..........

TAKE A SEAT HONEY...........

Nice work Mrek........A sequence right outta "the book"............

We have a separate graphic for slappers, but I am glad you agree this is a good sequence. I don't like to comment much, and I would prefer other posters do a review and comments, so .................. appreciated!

 

[Steve Huff]

I think it is time to interject some specifics that I hoped people would tell me. Boardmember eluded to it above, but in general most people are missing it, thinking somehow a pattern of pitching is in any way involved with setting up a batter. In truth, you can set up the entire 9 batter line-up differently with sequence options, or the pitcher can emphasize her strengths the way Angela Tincher did against Team USA. The question, and quite honestly, an axiom of the game is that with 2 strikes on the batter, your next pitch should not be a "strike". That pitch is used to set up the next pitch. So how do you use that 3rd pitch?

1) Enhance a tendency in the batter. If the batter just swung and fouled off a low outside change-up, then get them leaning even more with a change-up off the plate. If you are busting them inside as Mrek did above with speed, then double down and get their bat sped up even more by busting them up and in with more speed. If they swung at a rise-ball right at the top of the zone, then expand the zone at the eyes and see if they bite. The "tendency" is generally just "more of the same", more inside, more up, more down, more speed, more slow, etc.
2) The 4th pitch would then be the opposite process; Location - Up to Down, In to Out; Movement - breaking In vs breaking Out, breaking Up vs breaking Down. Speed: Slow to Fast, Fast to Slow. If you look at Mrek's graph above he accomplished all three. He created a strong tendency of "location", "speed", and "movement".

So in other words he accomplished just about as extreme a scenario as possible. AND, there are many more similar sequences, so this is not how both the first and the second batters need to be pitched.

The AXIOM is that you don't throw a strike with the count, 0-2. There are variables, exceptions, and the considerations of the pitcher and batter's strengths.

 

[tmolina]

I have seen a real good riseball pitcher go to the rise on an 0-2 count very successfully for one tourney. Then the next tourney playing same teams they would take 0-2 pitch every time. After three or four batters we just started throwing an 0-2 fastball hard inside on the black and got alot of girls looking...Then after they started fouling off the 0-2 offering we went back to riseball when in the 0-2 countand would get K's swinging. So moral is mix it up based on what pitch is working and what the opposing batters are looking for and or swinging at that day or game....

 

[Steve Huff]

I have seen a real good riseball pitcher go to the rise on an 0-2 count very successfully for one tourney. Then the next tourney playing same teams they would take 0-2 pitch every time. After three or four batters we just started throwing an 0-2 fastball hard inside on the black and got alot of girls looking...Then after they started fouling off the 0-2 offering we went back to riseball when in the 0-2 countand would get K's swinging. So moral is mix it up based on what pitch is working and what the opposing batters are looking for and or swinging at that day or game....

Again, tmolina, this is very good. When you pitch in patterns, you create a patterned response. But by the time the pitcher figures it out, she has already been burned. This is the whole purpose of this thread. To show variations for mixing up pitches. I am submitting more examples in the next couple of days just to show samples for people to "judge"; study them, and even practice them with their pitchers and DD's. I should note that a pitcher with good control can think of this issue in FIVE pitch sequences, not FOUR. So if they get a 1-2 count, they can work the zone and set up the batter with two more pitches. But in doing so, they will go 2-2. You have to know your abilities.

 

[Mrek]

A good slapper inside and high. Keep in mind a good slapper can power slap and drag bunt. A change up is like candy to this player, see below. , to easy to bunt for a hit. I might be wrong,but I can't recall ever watching Watley, Berg, & Mendoza getting a change up.

From a very good pitching coach he posted on his site when asked this question.

. I've seen more slap hitters than ever this year, yet every pitcher keeps throwing outside pitches to these batters. This is absolutely crazy to me. What is a slapper trying to do? He/she is trying to hit the ball to opposite field and beat out the throw from shortstop or 3rd base. They rely on their speed and are only looking for contact. Have you ever heard the expressions "Go with the pitch"? It means, you hit the ball where it's pitched. If a pitcher throws outside, you take it the other way. If they throw inside, you pull it or try to hit it back up the middle. Since a slapper WANTS to hit the ball to opposite field, I don't know why I would purposely give them the ball where they want it! Moreover, throwing riseballs to a slapper usually leads to more contact than dropballs. When a slapper is running out of the box, and the ball is rising into their field of vision, it's much easier to see/hit. If it's dropping, it's falling out of the field of vision and harder to make contact. Remember, a slappers job is CONTACT. A pitcher's job is to make it as hard as possible for them to make contact. And when they do hit it, we don't want them hitting it to the opposite side of the field. I throw down/inside to slappers 99% of the time. I'd rather them pull the ball to 1st or 2nd, which is an easier play to get them out than the long throw from opposite field.

Is this 100% accurate? No. Of course not. There will surely be times we can get slappers out with an outside pitch or a riseball. But, softball is a game of percentages. Part of winning those percentages is trying to keep the upper hand. There is no debate that it's harder for a slapper to hit the ball to opposite field when it's pitched inside and low than it would be outside. And, for what it's worth... the great slappers will always bunt the change up. I avoid throwing them with less than 2 strikes. As they are running out of the box, good slappers will recognize the change and just drop the bat onto the ball for a bunt. And with the pitch speed being slow on the change, the ball isn't going to go very far which usually means it's a great bunt. Play percentages and you'll win more than you lose... unless you're in a casino. Then you rarely win no matter what.

I like pitching lefty slappers away for a couple of reasons.

Yes, the slapper is trying to hit that way, but I will (or at least should be) playing the defense that way (including the LF). So I am dictating where I want the ball hit (if its hit). The standard adage of pitch them away play them away.

Second, I like Screw or Screw/Rise (Yes screw with some lift or rise with some drift) because i am challenging the batter to keep the ball fair. The 3rd baseline is my friend here. My DD uses this stragety to get way ahead of lefty slappers consistenly. Her screw breaks across the whole bat barrel and it is difficult to keep the ball fair (especially on bunts).
In addition, if the slapper losses even the least bit of discipline and pulls out to first a hair early, it's a swing and miss.

 

[Steve Huff]

I like pitching lefty slappers away for a couple of reasons.

Yes, the slapper is trying to hit that way, but I will (or at least should be) playing the defense that way (including the LF). So I am dictating where I want the ball hit (if its hit). The standard adage of pitch them away play them away.

Second, I like Screw or Screw/Rise (Yes screw with some lift or rise with some drift) because i am challenging the batter to keep the ball fair. The 3rd baseline is my friend here. My DD uses this stragety to get way ahead of lefty slappers consistenly. Her screw breaks across the whole bat barrel and it is difficult to keep the ball fair (especially on bunts).
In addition, if the slapper losses even the least bit of discipline and pulls out to first a hair early, it's a swing and miss.

I think it would be interesting to know what age group your daughter is in. This might be useful advise to them.

 

[Mrek]

I think it would be interesting to know what age group your daughter is in. This might be useful advise to them.

You're right, that was dumb on my part.

HS Senior, 18U.

 

[PEPPERS]

Been watching the ESPN replay GA & FL the slappers IMO the pitchers were working them outside most of the time, which I found rather odd.