COACHES~HIT or WALK whats better?

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Sep 29, 2014
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I'm with Sweet Lou...you want them to swing but they can't chase. Striking out trying to make contact doesn't do you any good.

Had a couple situations like this that stick out and honestly the ones that stick out are when the kid comes through, maybe a dozen times it doesn't work out but I guess those don't jump into my mind because it was just happening as expected.

I coached my sons BB team and we were the only team that even came close all year to beating the stud team, finally towards the end of the season we have last bats one run down in this situation and my stud hitter walks literally nothing close to swing at, next kid up is smallest kid on the team and barely makes contact and when he does its pretty weak...first pitch drilled over first base just fair we win.

Our regular rec season was over and we had one stud team and one good team that was basically where all the All Stars were pulled from I got the best player on my team on but the coach really wouldn't budge to get me a second girl...I begged and I mean groveled, pleaded and pestered this guy until finally he says "sure but she probably won't play much". Didn't matter to me because I knew once she started practicing she would work her way into the lineup, to his credit this guy did care about putting the best team on the field he just didn't really know how good this girl was. So I drive up for the state finals to watch the last game and they are in this situation down one and this coaches favorite player is up but they just don't pitch anything remotely in the zone, next batter up you guessed it their All Star run is on the line with the girl he didn't want up at the plate, and she drove that ball in the gap almost to the base of the fence...game over we win. After the game I couldn't help myself and gave him the "told you so" he just smiled and said "thanks you were right".
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
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Could the question be whether you want your best hitter hitting/swinging at the pitcher's pitch? In the end, the hitter has to know the difference between a pitcher's pitch where the pitcher is trying to get them to chase junk and a pitch that they can do damage with. My dd average 33 walks a year for her 4 years of college. I don't think she ever went up there looking for a walk. Instead, she knew she wouldn't get much to hit and trusted her teammates to get the job done. Somewhere I have the picture of one of her at bats where the catcher is behind the left hand batter's box and you can clearly see the umpire behind the plate.
Look at the hot zone statistics for some of the best hitters in MLB..most have zones where they hit around .200. Do you want to take a chance they swing at those pitches and get a hit 2 out of 10 times vs. having your stud be patient and let the guy behind him, who while struggling still might get a good pitch to hit and have a better chance...

A lot of this depends on the level of play too, both from a hitting and pitching perspective. You tell a 12 YO kid, stud or not, to swing at anything near the plate against a good pitcher who is going to try and get the kid to chase and 9 out of 10 times that kid is going to be waving at the air...At that age the pitcher is also more likely to groove one, even to the stud, so in my opinion for that level you don't have the batter do anything other than what they usually do..(and tbh that would be my answer for any level but in particular at the lower levels)
 
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Mar 10, 2020
734
63
I don't really understand the question here. Or rather, why it's even being asked. Literally everybody would prefer a hit in this situation. Everybody. Everywhere.

Would you rather find a thousand dollars or ten dollars?

Nobody is saying ten dollars, and even asking the question is implying a straw man argument. I don't believe this is being asked in good faith.

Edit: I know there's a second question being asked, but even that one doesn't strike me as a legitimate question since I'm not ever, in any situation, talking to my player in the middle of an at bat to say "well, if it's two inches off the plate, you should ____ because ____." There's not really an element of strategy involved here.
"Should coaches being saying this sort of stuff.." ;)
 
Mar 10, 2020
734
63
Could the question be whether you want your best hitter hitting/swinging at the pitcher's pitch? In the end, the hitter has to know the difference between a pitcher's pitch where the pitcher is trying to get them to chase junk and a pitch that they can do damage with. My dd average 33 walks a year for her 4 years of college. I don't think she ever went up there looking for a walk. Instead, she knew she wouldn't get much to hit and trusted her teammates to get the job done. Somewhere I have the picture of one of her at bats where the catcher is behind the left hand batter's box and you can clearly see the umpire behind the plate.
Assuming the pitcher will.
The batter wont.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
@RADcatcher it sounds to me like you were the Vlad Guerrero of 80's FP ;) I think that kind of warps your perspective some. Some hitters have never seen a pitch they don't like, that is their usual mode of operation. Sydney Romero is/was a bit like that. To me changing somebodies approach is typically a recipe for disaster..
 
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Mar 10, 2020
734
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Need a run. Best hitter is up.
Let the best hitter do there job.
The best hittershpuld be able tobdo there job and handle near strikes.
If pitcher intends to pitch around our best hitter. It will be unreachable. Resulting in a walk.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
@RADcatcher it sounds to me like you were the Vlad Guerrero of 80's FP ;) I think that kind of warps your perspective some. Some hitters have never seen a pitch they don't like, that is their usual mode of operation. Sydney Romero is/was a bit like that. To me changing somebodies approach is typically a recipe for disaster..
Hahaa warp lol !!
Actually have seen, experienced and coached lots of diversity in softball.
I know confidently, there is different winning strategies, phylosophies and mechanics.

Perhaps because of this i welcome people sharing opinions.
It provides things to think about,
light bulb moments and possible solutions to all of us.

Regardless of my personality style and performance, being a good teammate and Coach is recognizing the other personalities, attributes or not of the team.
It helps to be able support, encourage and grow.

Appreciate the opportunity on DFP to bring hopefully fun topics to everyone!
Certainly know i enjoy reading posts! :)
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Think about it this way. What you are effectively doing is telling a hitter to have a two strike approach..anybody care to look up what the MLB (or college FP) batting average is with two strikes compared to 0 or 1 strike? What you are more than likely doing is taking a .350 hitter and turning her into a .250 from the get go...If .250 is better than the kid behind her than go for it..(and then go find yourself a better 4/5 hole hitter 😂 )
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Hahaa warp lol !!
Actually have seen, experienced and coached lots of diversity in softball.
I know confidently, there is different winning strategies, phylosophies and mechanics.

Perhaps because of this i welcome people sharing opinions.
It provides things to think about,
light bulb moments and possible solutions to all of us.

Regardless of my personality style and performance, being a good teammate and Coach is recognizing the other personalities, attributes or not of the team.
It helps to be able support, encourage and grow.

Appreciate the opportunity on DFP to bring hopefully fun topics to everyone!
Certainly know i enjoy reading posts! :)
That was a compliment..he is in the HOF!! I don't give many of those so cherish it... 😂
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
That was a compliment..he is in the HOF!! I don't give many of those so cherish it... 😂
Thanku! Apparantly have something incommon with Ted.

Just shared a tid-bit on my perspective!

Ps i new this had math in it ......
Think about it this way. What you are effectively doing is telling a hitter to have a two strike approach..anybody care to look up what the MLB (or college FP) batting average is with two strikes compared to 0 or 1 strike? What you are more than likely doing is taking a .350 hitter and turning her into a .250 from the get go...If .250 is better than the kid behind her than go for it..(and then go find yourself a better 4/5 hole hitter 😂 )
Always appreciate your detail to details !!!!
 
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