Moving up in the box

[RichK]

Pitches aren’t thrown straight and then suddenly move at the last second.

You can’t move up in the box to offset movement. Physics doesn’t work like that.

I agree here. On curves/screws ie side to side movement the hitter is tracking the ball, not anticipating a sudden break. So they've just changed the contact point of the tracked pitch. They've also widened the strike zone in and out effectively, and made it tougher to catch up with high pitches. So as someone said above they've create different weakness so exploit THOSE.

Moving up is best I think against a good drop-ball pitcher because now you either catch it belt high or they have to start bouncing it before the plate in which case you lay off.

 

[radness]

You can’t move up in the box to offset movement.

We CAN stand in a place to cut off how far movement is.

Remember in fastpitch softball the pitch starts in the strike zone coming out of the pitcher's hand and moves away from the strike zone toward the plate.
So we can stand in a position (front of box) that cuts off how far the movement moves away from us.

Me, Prefer standing at the front of the box is knowing the pitcher will have to throw pitch by me to even get a strike.
So at times pitchers would throw their pitch too far out of a possible Strike Zone because they do not want to feed me pitches so they throw the pitch farther out of the strike zone and it's easier to recognize it will not be a strike.

Some batters like to have longer to look at the ball and at times forced to make bigger adjustments.
I like attacking the ball before having to make larger adjustment. And it can take away pitch locations from pitchers who are used to having an extra foot or foot-and-a-half of where their pitch movement becomes most effective.
(Making batters chase)

That said do think that batters are different in how they are able to read and react and adjust that may be the greater determination of where batters choose to stand in the Box.

Cutting off Pitch trajectory as a hitter is the same principle of
Catchers Framing Pitches
'out front' and cutting off the angle of the pitch trajectory moving away from the strike zone.
Which definitely absolutely helps and works to get strikes from a catcher's perspective...
hearing the results from the umpire's behind that catcher!

 

[Tango]

In on the hands with speed and change-ups away.

Pitches aren’t thrown straight and then suddenly move at the last second.

You can’t move up in the box to offset movement. Physics doesn’t work like that.

Agree to some degree but if you are trying to make the ball move at 4.5 feet infront of the plate the movement definitely isn't as good and higher in the zone (drop, change).

 

[Tango]

In on the hands with speed and change-ups away.

Can't get in on them. Mostly D1 kids that don't miss many or don't swing at balls.

 

[Tango]

I agree here. On curves/screws ie side to side movement the hitter is tracking the ball, not anticipating a sudden break. So they've just changed the contact point of the tracked pitch. They've also widened the strike zone in and out effectively, and made it tougher to catch up with high pitches. So as someone said above they've create different weakness so exploit THOSE.

Moving up is best I think against a good drop-ball pitcher because now you either catch it belt high or they have to start bouncing it before the plate in which case you lay off.

Agree with everything said, our kids best pitches are drop, change, and curve according to the day. If can't get it by them change is now higher and looks faster. It bothers me calling pitches.

 

[Tango]

If a hitter wants to show me a weakness I am going to exploit it so in this case I am seeing how far off the plate I can get them to chase before I change my strategy..I don’t like hitters moving around in the box..

Agree but very good and don't chase much.

 

[_MIA_]

Agree but very good and don't chase much.

So let me see.
a) Your pitchers cannot blow it past them
b) CU is not effective against them
c) You cannot throw inside
d) They do not chase

Pray?

 

[Tango]

So let me see.
a) Your pitchers cannot blow it past them
b) CU is not effective against them
c) You cannot throw inside
d) They do not chase

Pray?

Didn’t say change wasn’t effective. Said it makes the pitch higher and gets there in a shorter time frame. Didn’t say you can’t go in and out. Just can’t throw it by them. 56/57 is BP for this team. Most teams in our area we throw it by them if they move up.

 

[_MIA_]

Didn’t say change wasn’t effective. Said it makes the pitch higher and gets there in a shorter time frame. Didn’t say you can’t go in and out. Just can’t throw it by them. 56/57 is BP for this team. Most teams in our area we throw it by them if they move up.

I think I read somewhere that 70% of all pitches are middle out in college. There is a reason for that. Even good HS/TB/College hitters will have a more difficult time hitting the outside pitch (vs the inside pitch), in particular if your pitchers are not throwing that hard. So with that said, I would work the outside river with their best pitches and mixing in an inside fastball off the plate once in a while.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Didn’t say change wasn’t effective. Said it makes the pitch higher and gets there in a shorter time frame. Didn’t say you can’t go in and out. Just can’t throw it by them. 56/57 is BP for this team. Most teams in our area we throw it by them if they move up.

What to do if you are facing a superior hitting team where you don't have a chance of matching them offensively? I would throw nothing but change-ups and miss with fastballs.

You have to have a pitcher than can throw a change-up for a strike though. It gets dicey the third time through the lineup so have a pitching game plan before the game starts and stick with it.

"The best swordsman does not fear the second best, he fears the worst since there’s no telling what that idiot is going to do.”