No swing rule on 3-0 count

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Apr 28, 2019
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several times in rec, I told DD on 3-0 counts that she was swinging no matter what, over her head, bouncing, whatever. sometimes pitching was so bad, I just wanted her to see another pitch in case it was decent (and if 3-0 pitch was decent, I wanted her to rip it). probably needed to have her do that in last nights game, 4 PA, 0 AB (3 BB, one HBP).
That’s a frustrating game. In my book no K’s I’ll take it.
 
Apr 28, 2019
1,423
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I know it's probably been discussed but I can't find it in the forums. What is your view on a coach telling the entire team we will never swing with a 3-0 count? I've always told my daughter not to be up there looking for a walk and that the next pitch with a 3-0 count will probably be the best pitch she sees all night. While going over new signs at practice our coach made this announcement that "we will never swing with a 3-0 count" no sign needed - just don't swing. I haven't discussed it with my daughter and she hasn't said anything. I don't want to go against the coach's directions. Of course, in our first scrimmage my daughter has a 3-0 count on her and sends the next pitch to left center for a double. Coach doesn't say anything but if she does it again I'm sure she's going to hear about it. Any thoughts one way or the other?
I think it’s just a case of the coach over simplifying a situation. Makes it easier on him. I would hope he would make adjustments when needed.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
@djcarter1966 instructions are absolutely correct.

Beyond that, I wish some coaches would THINK every once in a while.

Against a good pitcher, how does a kid get the count to 3-0? By being a disciplined hitter at the plate. So, she is seeing the ball and she understands the umpire's strike zone.

Seems to me that is exactly the kind of hitter you want swinging the bat.

I rarely gave the 3-0 take sign. In 20+ years of coaching, I can't think of every losing a game because the batter swung on 3-0. I do remember a bunch of doubles on 3-0.

@Cannonball, what do you think?
I am not one to ask my better hitters to take a fastball on a 3-0 count. Hit the crappola out of it. My dd averaged 32 walks per year in college. When that count went to 3-0, her conference learned real quick to walk her. Ray, you and I think the same!

Take care,

Darrell
 
Jul 29, 2016
231
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I don't care what the situation is or what the result is. If you teach your kids to ignore a coach you are doing them a great disservice.

This is the right answer. I don't think OP is advocating mutiny here. They're just asking what we think about an "always take" philosophy. You run into problems when the players think they understand the "big picture" better than the coach and more-so when they actually do. Bad coaching sooner or later is going to chip away at the players' respect for the coach which is always a bad thing.
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
I should have prefaced my reply that I was thinking in terms of older girls, where the pitchers and hitters know what they are doing. At that level, the hitter is not going to get the same pitch at 3-1 that she got at 3-0. I wasn't thinking back to my DD's 10U days....

The 3-0 line out is a bad result for the team, ONLY because hindsight is 20/20. How would that be any different than a 3-1 line out? Or even worse, a weak grounder putting the ball "in play" after you went to full count in the same at bat? My point is, you want your good hitters going after the best pitch in the at-bat, regardless of the count.

I do whole heartedly agree there are situations where you do want a hitter to take a pitch. I think a blanket "always take on 3-0" is dumb. If the intent is to take on 3-0 hoping to get a walk, then might as well take on 3-1 and 3-2 as well. Now, as far as swinging at ball 4 hoping to get a hit on 3-1........I'd be giving that girl the take every time she is 3-0 after that.
You take on 3-0, or any count, to make the pitcher throw multiple strikes in a row. Not to never swing again at any point in the count.
 
May 15, 2019
56
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This is the right answer. I don't think OP is advocating mutiny here. They're just asking what we think about an "always take" philosophy. You run into problems when the players think they understand the "big picture" better than the coach and more-so when they actually do. Bad coaching sooner or later is going to chip away at the players' respect for the coach which is always a bad thing.

Yea I’m not telling her to ignore or disrespect the coach - his team his rules. It just struck me odd to say ALWAYS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
I can understand a younger-age coach giving that instruction. It takes awhile for kids to really start understanding the game, and it takes experience to know when it's the right thing to do.

Some here seem to think walks are somehow bad for the hitter. They may not impress the college coaches as much as a HR, but I don't usually see college players diving after 3-0 pitches. Swinging at a less than optimal pitch on 3-0, or not hitting it well, won't impress anyone, either. There's a reason for that...walks usually help the team win ball games.

I tell batters if the pitcher wants to walk or hit you, let her. Somebody else is always coming next wanting to make them pay for that mistake. For the team, a walk is as good as a single with no runners in scoring position. For a faster runner, a walk is usually equal to a double. With bases loaded, it's an RBI.

That said, seeing a good hitter take a meatball pitch on any count, especially when trailing with runners on late in the game, is enough to make me start talking to myself. This would include 3-0 counts. I certainly remember more games won on a timely hit with 3-0 than games lost, but I've also seen terrible pitch selection on 3-0 that led to an out. In a close game, that can easily be the difference. I've also seen games won on ball four.

It had better be the right situation and a good pitch.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Depending on the pitcher, that 3-0 pitch might be the prettiest pitch the batter sees all day. If they can hit it, why not let them? Especially if the kid's a good hitter. Not a great hitter, take makes more sense. I don't like much of anything as a blanket rule. 2 strikes, throw a change up. In X situation, we always bunt. Sometimes, yes. Always? no.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
The higher you move up in skill level the less likely you are to see a meatball on 3-0. You rarely see a hitter swing at 3-0 pitch in MLB (of course I am not privy to whether they are given the take sign or not, but the point is even if they are not most of the time pitch isn't a good one to drive). At the lower levels this isn't true and if you have a kid who has a good chance of driving a 3-0 meatball, and has good plate discipline, then let them swing away.
 
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