Don't swing at a change-up with less than 2 strikes?

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Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
There is an entire list of things some coaches teach that need to go away. My daughter came up through little league baseball and virtually every coach taught never to swing until they took a strike. You only get 3, why would you tell a kid to give up 33 percent of their chances to hit the ball? Or, never sing at the first pitch. If it is belt high right down the middle why wouldn't you drive it hard?

I have no idea when it started but DD will not swing at 1st pitch, ball or strike. She is not waiting for a strike but 1st tpitch she is not swinging at.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
There is an entire list of things some coaches teach that need to go away. My daughter came up through little league baseball and virtually every coach taught never to swing until they took a strike. You only get 3, why would you tell a kid to give up 33 percent of their chances to hit the ball? Or, never sing at the first pitch. If it is belt high right down the middle why wouldn't you drive it hard?

It wasn't until travel ball that my DD got any instruction on count-dependent strategy at the plate. With zero strikes, she's looking for a pitch in her hot zone. Anything else, she takes. Of course, this means she looks at a lot of 1st strikes. With 1 strike, she expands her "hit" zone to about the size of the strike zone. With 2 strikes, she's looking to get her bat on anything near the strike zone. She tends to have a fair amount of 2-strike foul balls, and punish mistakes over the white of the plate.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
It wasn't until travel ball that my DD got any instruction on count-dependent strategy at the plate. With zero strikes, she's looking for a pitch in her hot zone. Anything else, she takes. Of course, this means she looks at a lot of 1st strikes. With 1 strike, she expands her "hit" zone to about the size of the strike zone. With 2 strikes, she's looking to get her bat on anything near the strike zone. She tends to have a fair amount of 2-strike foul balls, and punish mistakes over the white of the plate.

What I have never understood is why some players aren't taught that their "hot zone" can depend upon situations and how the hitter is typically pitched.
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
What I have never understood is why some players aren't taught that their "hot zone" can depend upon situations and how the hitter is typically pitched.

Totally agree. If you guess which pitch you will see and they give it to you be prepared to hammer it.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
What I have never understood is why some players aren't taught that their "hot zone" can depend upon situations and how the hitter is typically pitched.
Agreed. High school pitchers in our region tend to pitch outside corner early and often. DD is focused on that location first pitch most of the time.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
DD has video game numbers hitting, if I spent 30 seconds with opposing coach she would never get a hit.

Always meant to ask, how much do you scout opposing team?
 
Dec 23, 2017
30
8
New York
I have no idea when it started but DD will not swing at 1st pitch, ball or strike. She is not waiting for a strike but 1st tpitch she is not swinging at.

I want to know who she is. My pitcher will groove a strike and get ahead 0-1. Coaches/pitchers she faces will know this and it will hurt her. She will be down 0-1 every time.
 
Last edited:
Jan 31, 2011
453
43
I teach my hitters to look for "their" pitch when they step into the box. Don't waste your at bat on a marginal pitch. All pitchers like to get ahead in the count so expect a first pitch strike. However, if its not your pitch let it go. If its a CU, let it go...That's why we get 3 strikes! No big deal. A lot of pitch callers will then waste a pitch or two wanting the batter to chase something. I am still happy when my batter is selective, looking for a mistake to drive. When we get 2 strikes, we're battling (I never say "protect", that's a defensive statement - battle, work hard are aggressive statements). (please give me feedback if you think my approach is off- I am looking to make improvements in this area). My experience is that if a batter has a plan and is aggressive, it will pay off.

I constantly tell the kids to look for pitcher tendencies. We have CU pitchers in our conference & we prepare for them. One thing I learned in TB & (I pump the kids up with it) is that when we start driving the ball off the CU, the coach will quit calling it. Maybe in ultra- high level TB or Big Time D1, the coach has the guts to stay with it, but everyone else will stop calling it. Then we have her! Not to mention, the pitcher will get weak knees and not want to throw it the more it gets smoked... she'll stop throwing it for a strike at the very least.

These discussion are great.
 

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