Hitting off of live pitching at practices??

[BigSkyHi]

This looks like a great way to get through practice

- Ken Eriksen: 5 hitting stations for softball

 

[CoachJD]

To a lot of coaches "Live Pitching" means a pitcher is a human pitching machine. They throw 20 pitches to a batter. Neither player gets anything good from that.

What I would do is have 3 pitchers warmed up and ready to go. The hitters got an "At Bat' and nothing more. There would be a full defense and the pitcher would pitch till they got 3 outs. Then another pitcher would be brought in and the exercise would be repeated. Each at bat was treated like a game at abt with balls and strikes being called. This allowed players to be cycled in and out. The pitchers got at bats. The catchers got at bats.

Live hitting is a chance to put what they've learned in the cages into practice in as close to game conditions as possible.

I didn't read the rest of the thread yet, so If somebody added to this with my thought,, my apologies.

I like this idea a lot, and here's a way to make it better for the defense if your pitching is really not good: Every pitch that's not put in play by the batter, have a coach hit a ball for the defense to field. Just have the coach standing somewhere near the batter (not dangerously close, of course!). If it's a ball? Coach hits. A strike? Coach hits (maybe don't do this on strike 3).

Alter it however you want if that slows down the pitching/batting aspect too much. Maybe do it on every strike. Or every ball, but not the strikes.

 

[radness]

I didn't read the rest of the thread yet, so If somebody added to this with my thought,, my apologies.

I like this idea a lot, and here's a way to make it better for the defense if your pitching is really not good: Every pitch that's not put in play by the batter, have a coach hit a ball for the defense to field. Just have the coach standing somewhere near the batter (not dangerously close, of course!). If it's a ball? Coach hits. A strike? Coach hits (maybe don't do this on strike 3).

Alter it however you want if that slows down the pitching/batting aspect too much. Maybe do it on every strike. Or every ball, but not the strikes.

Like the practice strategy with added defensive work !!
Even add runners and catchers throws in the mix

 

[uncdrew]

I didn't read the rest of the thread yet, so If somebody added to this with my thought,, my apologies.

I like this idea a lot, and here's a way to make it better for the defense if your pitching is really not good: Every pitch that's not put in play by the batter, have a coach hit a ball for the defense to field. Just have the coach standing somewhere near the batter (not dangerously close, of course!). If it's a ball? Coach hits. A strike? Coach hits (maybe don't do this on strike 3).

Alter it however you want if that slows down the pitching/batting aspect too much. Maybe do it on every strike. Or every ball, but not the strikes.

We do that, but with a coach or older girl pitching. We don't want our pitchers pitching BP. It is good to keep the fielders from growing bored, as the coach can hit it to whomever he/she chooses, ensuring the girls get fairly equal reps in the field.

 

[MadBandit22]

Just like the title says, how many coaches here have their hitters face live pitching in practices, and how often? Please also let me know what age group you coach. I am helping coaching a 12u travel team

At 12U your probably better off with Tee work, and the coaches throwing BP. Nothing wrong with game simulations once in a while.
But again usually more beneficial/efficient with coaches pitching and girls fielding & hitting.
Not a bad idea to bring in an older more experienced, more accurate pitcher to throw BP on occasion.

 

[CoachJD]

We do that, but with a coach or older girl pitching. We don't want our pitchers pitching BP. It is good to keep the fielders from growing bored, as the coach can hit it to whomever he/she chooses, ensuring the girls get fairly equal reps in the field.

I get that. There's a difference between "pitching BP" and the pitchers pitching to hitters in practice, I think.

I don't want them pitching BP, but (especially in a year like this year where there haven't been games), I don't mind my pitcher getting some reps against live hitters in practice. If she's doing that, she's trying to get the hitters out.

I think where your pitchers/team are in their development probably matters a lot.

 

[uncdrew]

I get that. There's a difference between "pitching BP" and the pitchers pitching to hitters in practice, I think.

I don't want them pitching BP, but (especially in a year like this year where there haven't been games), I don't mind my pitcher getting some reps against live hitters in practice. If she's doing that, she's trying to get the hitters out.

I think where your pitchers/team are in their development probably matters a lot.

I agree, but as someone else put it way better than I did, it's not always practical or efficient.

We mostly use friendlies to get pitchers and batters live reps outside of tournaments.

 

[BT3100]

When you start playing again you'll see the difference between girls who have seen live pitching and those who have not.

 

[texasheat]

When you start playing again you'll see the difference between girls who have seen live pitching and those who have not.

Which is why you play a few scrimmages and/or friendly's to knock the rust off.

 

[BT3100]

Which is why you play a few scrimmages and/or friendly's to knock the rust off.

In normal states that works. In the communist north east states that impossible right now Lol.