How Close To The Plate Should A Batter Be??

[Momof#34]

Last night during practice my daughters coach kept telling her to move towards the plate.... My DD is 5'1" with a 32" bat and he has her about 2 inches off the plate?!? Needless to say she didn't hit anything!! I understand telling a left handed batter to move towards the plate because a right handed pitcher is more likely to throw outside at this age group but why have a right handed batter move that close. Of course I also understand your trying to limit the pitchers inside pitch and make her move it back across the plate but I have always taught my daughter to make sure that her bat is slightly outside, if it reaches the outside then your in a good position..... Maybe I'm wrong but I know she was very uncomfortable. If anyone has any insight I would really appreciate it.

 

[absdad]

I don't know what's "correct", but my dd's slapping/hitting coach has her toeing the line, or darn close to it. Her reasoning being that you're not making any drastic changes to reach the outside pitch. On the inside pitch, you can still adjust and pull it to the right. I think it might also be somewhat intimidating to the pitcher, and they'll stay out of the inside corner. Some don't, and they'll try and work the batter away from the plate. Have them practice the inside pitch, and the proper way to get HBP.

 

[quincy]

The players I work with a lot smaller and use smaller bats so they are close to plate, so I do not have an opinion about how close little bit larger players should be to the plate.

From a rules point of view, the batter needs to be at least 6’’ from the plate.

 

[rdbass]

I've seen this posted by someone I respect and have used this with my DD.
Use the back corner of home plate and lay the bat across home plate so the bat head is on the outside corner and then take our lead foot and place it at the knob of the bat.

 

[InsidePitch]

In the younger age groups pitchers have a mental thing about not wanting to hit a batter. Not saying they don't but they don't like to inflict pain on another kid so they tend to stay outside when a kid crowds the plate. Usually by second year 12U the pitcher will come inside anyway and you can make your choice at the plate. I'm sure it's different from kid to kid but DD's HC had her standing one shoe lenght from the plate which was about 7 or 8 inches off. DD is 5'5 and uses an 32" bat.

 

[Bucketrider]

My dd's Hitting coach did the same as rbass's. Doing that, also allows the girl to "KNOW" that the bat is over the plate and most strikes are within reach!

 

[nanotech14]

In the younger age groups pitchers have a mental thing about not wanting to hit a batter. Not saying they don't but they don't like to inflict pain on another kid so they tend to stay outside when a kid crowds the plate.

You never meet my dd,she liked the sound of hitting a girl,when she was 9yro pitching to girls,I felt at first,that it wasn't right to feel that way,but since it didn't bother her to hit a girl she wasn't afraid to pitch inside.DD always has said,I can get hit by a pitch to when she is up to bat.But I think if you can reach the outside pitch then,what ever the batter is use too.

 

[SBFAMILY]

What rdbass posted is what we teach in the Carrier- Bustos camps and clinics.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

We pretty much have all of our hitters toeing the line (14u)

 

[SBFAMILY]

Fastpitch Softball Pitching Instruction Where they stand and the weakness of each stance. Thought you might find this interesting.