Hits like a Stud from machine, like a Dud against live pitching

[starsnuffer]

Is her swing the same behind the machine as it is to a live pitcher? If so, does she usually not hit the first or second pitch from the machine worse then the remainder? If this is the case, then she just isn't seeing the ball. It's really easy to "dial in" to where the balls will be off a machine, hit the crud out of them, yet never actually learn how to "see ball- hit ball".

I'd cut out the machine all together, focus mechanics on the tee, then do a LOT of live pitching.

-W

 

[playball13]

Here is something small but has helped my DD. She was always early, swinging before the ball hitting off the end of the bat or pulling it foul. When someone noticed she looked tense and was standing like a statue while the pitcher was starting her motion. So we added a little motion to her stance with the thought loose muscles are fast muscles. We started out with her just moving the end of the bat in a small circle. It seemed to relax her and she was able to wait longer for pitches. Now she has a little bounce in her front heel and the bat head is really rocking (a little more than I like) but she is hitting the heck out of the ball.
Watch the MLB playoffs this week notice how 95% of the hitters have some sort of motion with their hands while the pitch is being delivered. Most do a rocking motion where the bat head goes from pointing to the sky to pointing directly behind the batter. The motion stops as the bat goes correctly into the load.

 

[quincy]

Do not underestimate the ability of an umpire to mess your DD’s hitting up. We worked hard not having her swing at pitches above her shoulder or at her ankles. She has been put in a hole and/ or struck out multiple times because of bad calls. I truthfully tell her, and she has a strong enough of personality, to accept a strikeout from a bad pitch, if they want to call it a strike great but do not swing at it.

Does not look good in the stats but we are not going to let that bother us.

 

[StacieM]

I really, really, really do not like pitching machines. Pitching machines take all the decision making out of hitting. This is a HUGE component. I much prefer drills where the batter is reading the ball out of someone's hand, whether it's side toss, front toss, pitched wiffles, live pitching, etc.

The only time I like using a pitching machine is maybe for some bunt work, but even that is just a *maybe*

At first when I removed the pitching machine from workouts I was worried about the girls not getting as many reps. But after this past season, I believe that the small portion of reps they "missed out" on was made up for by the more game-like QUALITY reps they got instead.

 

[livingontheroad]

A machine is only a part of hitting practice, should be no more than 1/3 or so, and should be from a two wheel machine that puts movement on the ball. There is no use for straight pitching machines at all.

 

[ifubuildit]

Wiffles and personal pitcher

I like both of these for teaching kids to adjusts. I can make a wiffle ball dance provided you get the right kind of ball. You want the ones that are solid on one side and have holes on the other. The ones with the holes all through the ball are pretty much useless for simulating movement pitches.

The personal pitcher is a small unit that throws plastic golf balls. It can throw curves and sliders as well as fastballs. It also forces the hitter to focus because the ball is so small. If they are pulling off or have vision issues then this will show it up instantly.

I do the Barry Bonds drill as some on here call it forcing them to get closer and closer to test reaction time. Both of these methods have worked well for my students in improving their swing quickness and learning to adjust to the ball.

Good luck

Dana

 

[mrslug01]

I am interested in knowing if you pitch over the L screen or to the side. I have seen both. But how do you mimic the underhand approach?

I would also say we use "staff days" with live pitching (using counts) and inhouse scrimmages. For both I move the pitchers back to 43 feet, even though at their age it is both.

As a player, I always mixed in the machine (but I was not in charge). At the largest college near me, they run the machine in pre-game warm up.

When the national team played, I saw one of their pitchers pitch BP for awhile, and then the screen came out for slappers I think, but I was not paying much attention at that point to how the screen was set up.

Mimic the underhand approach by learning to throw underhand at them. It's a skill any parent teacing the game to his DD should have.

 

[teddyballgame]

just my 2 cents here but did anyone mention fear as the no. 1 cause for a player not hitting well off a live pitcher after crushing the ball off of a machine? having coached boys and girls every year for the last 13 yrs., i have found FEAR of being hit by the ball as the number one cause of inability at the plate with "live pitcher" when they crush it off of a machine. it might not result in the batter continously striking out but more likely causes just enough doubt and delay in the batters process of deciding to swing or not to swing that they are a little late here a little early there, stepping out on this pitch, standing there frozen on the next, or just plain determining before the pitch is even thrown "i am swinging at this pitch no matter what," and they usually do all these with bad results. only confident hitters are exceptional hitters, if doubt creeps into the players mind they will never be any better than average at the plate. i never played the game to be average and i don't coach my players to be average. now as far as an anwer to the problem, the only thing i have found that is close to the answer here is a mixture of all 3 types of BP, hit off coach behind screen, hit off pitcher, hit off machine. if the coach is able to pitch effectively combined with also using a machine will greatly remove the fear and result in increased confidence. then a live pitcher must be mixed in until the batter learns to control the fear and remove self doubt. i have found it to be a long slow process which unfortunately sometimes will never correct itself. now if batter can't hit off machine, coach, or pitcher, then you have much much bigger issues.

 

[Ken Krause]

I like mixing in a machine from time to time. It helps hitters get a different look than live toss or the tee, and gives them some practice tracking a ball over distance. I use the Jugs balls with the seams rather than the dimpled balls, so you get a little more random movement. You don't see a lot of side-to-side break, but you definitely get pitches at different heights and angling inside and outside.

Too much of anything can make the hitter too comfortable. Hitting is about seeing the ball and making adjustments. Anything you can do to change it up will help.

 

[Daddy O]

Not a big fan of pitching machines that pretty much throw straight balls. Last year our high school team got a machine, and I don't know the name, but it has 3 wheels. Can throw about any pitch a live pitcher can throw, better than most can throw. It has a wicked drop and drop curve. Can be programmed for a series of pitches and even has an optional remote that allows for instantanious pitch selection. Only bad thing I see is there is no windmill for girls to time, but does have a beep and the red, yello, green lights before each pitch. Kinda pricey too.