Just take the first strike!
- Thread starter stephanie
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
In 16U rec this year we played against a team from a neighboring city a couple times.
The leadoff hitter on that team watched the 1st pitch from every AB with bat on her shoulder.
My daughter loved it, threw a meatball down the middle every 1st pitch. Its like handicapping.
The pitcher starts automatically up 0-1 in the count. This girl K'd every time but once and that
was a groundout to 1B
The leadoff hitter on that team watched the 1st pitch from every AB with bat on her shoulder.
My daughter loved it, threw a meatball down the middle every 1st pitch. Its like handicapping.
The pitcher starts automatically up 0-1 in the count. This girl K'd every time but once and that
was a groundout to 1B
Do you mean, take the first pitch?
I always loved to see a team doing that when my DD was in the circle. She would just throw a first pitch strike to everyone.
If you mean the batter has to take until the pitcher throws a strike, I only do that if the pitcher has walked a coupe of people in a row..
Anyway, you have to tell the girls that "I don't coach that way and everyone is going to be a little different."
I always loved to see a team doing that when my DD was in the circle. She would just throw a first pitch strike to everyone.
If you mean the batter has to take until the pitcher throws a strike, I only do that if the pitcher has walked a coupe of people in a row..
Anyway, you have to tell the girls that "I don't coach that way and everyone is going to be a little different."
just have them read this article about Hawaii upsetting Alabama to go to the World Series on a bottom of the 7th 2 out homerun off of a first pitch. Use this from the local Hololulu paper:
I have tried to teach mine to study the pitcher. See if she tends to throw the first pitch in the same place to get ahead. Prepare for that pitch. Swing hard.
I have tried to teach mine to study the pitcher. See if she tends to throw the first pitch in the same place to get ahead. Prepare for that pitch. Swing hard.
No, I mean the first strike.. I have two players that have been taught from early on to not even swing until the first strike has been thrown.
And I'm trying to see WHY they were told that to begin with..and they both are so habitual that they wait until they have a strike on them before they start really looking..
It's crazy!
And I'm trying to see WHY they were told that to begin with..and they both are so habitual that they wait until they have a strike on them before they start really looking..
It's crazy!
I think it boils down to the hitter. I have a girl that loves to swing at the first pitch... no matter where it is. In this case, I have told her to take until strike one.
There are a couple of thoughts about it IMO; sometimes the more pitches you see the better chances the pitcher will make a mistake. OTOH, if the pitcher has been throwing BB's and getting first pitch strikes.... go up there and hit the crap out of it.
Over and over I have told them to go up there, pick a zone to look for the ball in, if it's in there, kill it. If it's not, no harm done. Many times I have seen girls swinging at the first pitch and hitting little nubbers back to the pitcher... this goes back to finding the right pitch to hit.
There are a couple of thoughts about it IMO; sometimes the more pitches you see the better chances the pitcher will make a mistake. OTOH, if the pitcher has been throwing BB's and getting first pitch strikes.... go up there and hit the crap out of it.
Over and over I have told them to go up there, pick a zone to look for the ball in, if it's in there, kill it. If it's not, no harm done. Many times I have seen girls swinging at the first pitch and hitting little nubbers back to the pitcher... this goes back to finding the right pitch to hit.
Last edited:
We play 14u rec this year, I've been a proponent of taking the first pitch with certain hitters against certain pitchers in certain situations. My own DD rarely strikes out and has shown she can hit comfortably with 2 strikes...against most pitchers. If a pitcher is hitting her spots and has a nice out pitch, I've tried to make her understand that hitting the first pitch in her preferred zone might be a better idea....I think there are lots of variables to it.
Last edited:
There is a fantastic article on this topic. The gist of the article is statistically when a batter takes on strike one their avg, obp and slg are lower. If the dad is offended just tell him you are trying to improve his DDs stats so she can get a college scholarship...
when batter... avg obp slg
takes ball on 0-0 .270 .382 .452
swings on 0-0 .270 .300 .439
takes strike on 0-0 .233 .275 .353
The Baseball Analysts: Let 'er Rip
when batter... avg obp slg
takes ball on 0-0 .270 .382 .452
swings on 0-0 .270 .300 .439
takes strike on 0-0 .233 .275 .353
The Baseball Analysts: Let 'er Rip
Unless you're trying to take advantage of a struggling pitcher or move a speedy baserunner with a straight steal, taking a first strike is a bad strategy.
- Oct 25, 2009
- 3,335
- 48
You need a sign for "must swing". After they discover they CAN hit a first pitch you won't need to use that sign. And they have an excuse to tell Daddy.
