Hitting off of live pitching at practices??

[_MIA_]

For a couple of reasons.

3. Your batters can each got to a hitting coach (or Mom/Dad/Sister/Brother) outside of practice for an hour a week and you just saved 10 hours. It's just not efficient to do it any other way.

I agree with this but the assumption is that kids work outside of lessons because even an hour of lessons a week is not enough hitting (although two 1/2 hour lessons would be better than one 1 hour lesson and close to enough imo, in particular at the younger ages where more frequent but shorter sessions are better in my experience). In theory this should happen (e.g. kids working on their own) but at least on my DD's 11U team I would guess 3/4 don't hit outside of the half an hour of lessons they take unless they hit at practice. I don't like it but it is what it is. My DD actually always seems to be the one who gets 1 less bucket at practice since the coaches know we do a lot of outside hitting..bothers the DW but it doesn't really bother me.

At the older TB ages the skill development onus should pretty much be squarely on the player's backs and team practices are usually less in number so I would have no problem telling them if you want to play you have to hit and if you want to hit you have to practice on your own..College ball is obviously different since they practice every day for multiple hours.

In terms of having the pitchers throw to the batters, I think it can be useful to do it a few times before the season starts. After that the kids typically play enough games that a)the timing aspect shouldn't be an issue and b) you don't want to tax your pitchers unnecessarily. Throwing to batters and trying to get them out (which is what they should be doing) is a different level of stress on the body then just throwing bullpens a few times a week.

 

[Vertigo]

We have 3-4 hour practices when we practice on a weekend day. Spending our last hour on live game simulation works well and the players look forward to it. We start with a 1-1 count On each batter. We are 18U. Probably tough to do that long of a practice below 14U as the younger girls will lose focus. We also carry 16 players so makes it easy to do inter squad scrimmages.

 

[radness]

I have coached 12u where we never even picked up the bats at practice.

Not at all? The entire season?

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Not at all? The entire season?

It's hard to have these conversations at times as everyone is coming from a different skill level. At 12u Rec or even All-stars there is little use to practicing hitting at the team practice. It just isn't going to matter in the outcome of the games.

A more enlightened coach may point to the big picture of player development and at that point it's worth holding a few kids after (or before) practice to get them on the right path.

Don't let your ego get in the way as a coach. You aren't going to fix anything in a 5 minute hitting session at at team practice.

 

[Quigs10]

Agree with those that at younger levels with limited field time (2 hours or less) only 1 day a week..."live pitching" is not practical/efficient. Girls just can't throw enough strikes consistently enough.

Typical Rec 12u or younger for our league= 1 day on the field practice for 1.5-2 hours max is allowed and the 1 cage day for 1 hour. Cage day we might get 2 juggs machines and 2 other stations but sometimes teams have to share and you have 24 girls sharing 4 stations (2 per team). (Brutal...)

Field practice days are focused on defense and fundamentals. All Stars and Select teams we can get into more "details" because every girl can catch and throw.

Every now and then Ill use my field day as an extra hitting day with various stations and situations with a hitter hitting "live".... but usually off me or a past player who can throw a lot of strikes.

 

[radness]

It's hard to have these conversations at times as everyone is coming from a different skill level. At 12u Rec or even All-stars there is little use to practicing hitting at the team practice. It just isn't going to matter in the outcome of the games.

A more enlightened coach may point to the big picture of player development and at that point it's worth holding a few kids after (or before) practice to get them on the right path.

Don't let your ego get in the way as a coach. You aren't going to fix anything in a 5 minute hitting session at at team practice.

Agree facilitate practice to level of players.

Was interesting to read of a coach who didnt work with hitting at practice.
Dont think thats always an ego thing.
Rather part of player development.
Especially when not all parents can help teach hitting at home or have time or money to invest in an instructor.
_________________________

Another benefit to live pitching at practice.
It exhibits strengths and weaknesses to work on!

As a side note
When selecting pitchers at tryouts
good to put a batter in the box
( if anything just to stand there)
Live batter can influence pitchers abilities.

Also at practice catchers having a pitcher throwing with a batter is not only great training....
its essential training!

Batter swinging and catchers receiving the pitch and throwing has a learning curve! Good for defense to learn this timing with runners also!
As well offense, runners learning to time stealing and base running.

 

[texasheat]

Agree facilitate practice to level of players.

Was interesting to read of a coach who didnt work with hitting at practice.
Dont think thats always an ego thing.
Rather part of player development.
Especially when not all parents can help teach hitting at home or have time or money to invest in an instructor.
_________________________

Another benefit to live pitching at practice.
It exhibits strengths and weaknesses to work on!

As a side note
When selecting pitchers at tryouts
good to put a batter in the box
( if anything just to stand there)
Live batter can influence pitchers abilities.

Also at practice catchers having a pitcher throwing with a batter is not only great training....
its essential training!

Batter swinging and catchers receiving the pitch and throwing has a learning curve! Good for defense to learn this timing with runners also!
As well offense, runners learning to time stealing and base running.

What age group are you talking about when talking about the benefits of Live Pitching? You seem to be talking about inexperienced girls which leads me to believe that you are talking about lower age levels.

Because for older ages (14u+) I'm convinced that this is the most incorrect thought process out there. IMO It does the pitcher very little to zero good while presenting a big risk. To me the risk far outweighs the reward.

 

[radness]

What age group are you talking about when talking about the benefits of Live Pitching? You seem to be talking about inexperienced girls which leads me to believe that you are talking about lower age levels.

Because for older ages (14u+) I'm convinced that this is the most incorrect thought process out there. IMO It does the pitcher very little to zero good while presenting a big risk. To me the risk far outweighs the reward.

Its ok if you think live pitching isnt something thats beneficial.
My experience has shown me its very beneficial!
As a player and coach.

Age level is not as important
imo as talent level.
(since there is a mixture of talent in all age levels )

When pitchers develop control can be utilized efficiently.

As far as 14u and older...
Absolutely YES !
Great to develop with live pitching!!!
Would even use the word necessity.
With weekly indoor speed and agility with hitting being common.
Good time to get a workout for the pitchers in throwing to a few batters each. 10 to 15 pitches each.

As I wrote in the other hitting thread post on live pitching if we take example from the top colleges have live pitching BP as a routine.

In fastpitch ( mostly) the only time we get to see the ball being thrown with movement underhand is from pitchers!

 

[chinamigarden]

yes i mean your pitchers are



just curious, why do you think it's not good for pitchers or hitters?

I have heard this before, its confusing batting practice with hitting off of live pitchers. Some coaches will take their pitchers and ask them to throw batting practice pitches, which is not good for the pitcher's development. Or the pitchers pitch normal and dominate the batters which isn't good for the batters development.

But both pitchers and batters benefit from facing each other in simulated game situations with balls and strikes called. This does not take the place of batting practice, but its an addition to the typical hitting drills.

 

[nikkilugi]

What age group are you talking about when talking about the benefits of Live Pitching? You seem to be talking about inexperienced girls which leads me to believe that you are talking about lower age levels.

Because for older ages (14u+) I'm convinced that this is the most incorrect thought process out there. IMO It does the pitcher very little to zero good while presenting a big risk. To me the risk far outweighs the reward.

My dd plays 16u and they simulate live games at the end of every practice. It doesn’t take too much time to get the girls through and they play with a full defense. It’s basically game play where hitters and defense switch in and out to get everyone reps and swings (including pitchers). The coaches also stop and discuss plays after the fact to help the girls learn game play situations right as they occur.

I take my DD to the field on off days and front toss to her from pretty close (because I am weak) and I throw decently hard. She can crush those balls over the fence all day long. Recently she put 15 over the fence within 100 balls. Then she gets to practice and hits off a live pitcher that is working to get her out and she is grounding out to 3rd or short. That firms up my opinion that she needs those live reps. They aren’t playing games in VA so this is her game time work now.