Opinions on Hitting in a game for a 10U player

[02Crush]

Okay everyone...I have another coaching/parent situation and want your opinions to see how to work this out.
- As many of you know I have a team of new 10U players in TB. We are seeing umpires who are expecting poor pitching b/c this is a developmental age therefore the strike zone is a little loose on a pretty regular basis.
- The strike zone is defined as armpit to knee the width of the plate (from what I remember in ASA and USSSA).
The strike zones we are seeing are not tall enough to match the rule/definition. It is more like slightly above the belly button down to mid shins.
- My players know a pitch below the knees should be a ball so they hold off on it. But after 6 tournaments where it is called often they are frustrated. I am proud of them for beginning to develop the vision to see the ball and expect a low pitch. However it is hard to make this a positive thing with the players when it is being called a strike and they perceive it as a negative. Over time they have decided they want to make a play and attempt to hit it. Watching them try to hit these and seeing the bad form develop is killing me. I am trying to get them to swing properly during 10U not swing a pitching wedge.
So....
Should I move them up in the box to try and catch the ball earlier at a possible higher point as it typically drops off a little at this age?
Should I teach them to let it go even if it strikes them out as we know it was not a strike and maybe hope that at an older age the umpires will be tightening the zone back up based on better pitching? (I wanna do this b/c it will re-enforce bad hitting technique and just chalk it up to the age but feel avoiding the issue won't work either.)
Should I teach them to back up in hopes that umpire will view the pitch in perspective of the players size more and at that point the pitch will be lower over the plate in the flight of the pitch?

I am not saying my line of thinking is correct but rather thinking out loud. I would like to do something to instill some confidence in them to at least try and make a play this Spring but am at a loss on how to proceed.

 

[crankermo]

Crush,

What I'e always told my DD and other girls on our travel team is this;

I trust your strike zone judgement but the umpire is the one who dictates what that zone is and you must adjust your definition to meet his.

At the age you are in it can be painful because most kids can't throw strikes consistently. Moving in the box is a simple fix. The main thing is don't let them become afraid of striking out, tell them to be aggressive.

 

[Momo'sDad]

This is just my perspective as a fellow 10u coach. Although not set in stone throughout the lineup, the top priority for my players is to be more aggressive than disciplined at the plate. I'm not telling them it's better to strike out than to draw a walk at 3-2, but I want them swinging at hittable pitches.

In my opinion, a liberal strike zone helps the batters at least as much as it helps the pitchers. We're going back to rec for the spring season where almost all the 10u teams will be comprised of some mix of returning 10u players, incoming players from 8u, and players that are new to softball. As much as 2/3 of any given team will be playing 10u for the 1st time. It's imperative that we work to get those girls to swing and to swing well. Practice swings are great, but game swings are gold.

Your good ball players who have the good eye aren't going to lose that as they get older and the strike zones get tighter. If anything, they'll have even more confidence about their ability to get good wood on a pitch in a not-so-great spot (for them) when they are older. When you're not facing burners, I'd move those batters up in the box and have them swing away. If you are facing 45-50mph pitches, maybe the better hitters move back and swing and you move the weaker hitters up in the box and have them bunting.

We both know there's no perfect answer that'll apply to all your batters, but I think the more aggressive you teach them to be now, the more success they'll all have throughout this season and beyond.

 

[softballphreak]

If the umpire(s) is/are that consistent with the calls and the pitchers are that consistent with the pitches at that age I would be surprised.

But, trusting that you believe your observations are correct I would do this: video the batters during the game, both teams. Set the camera so that the strike zone is very visible. See if your opinion about the pitch locations is the same after watching the video.

The reason I suggest this is because something very similar happened at one of our games last year. We were giving the ump hell about pitches in the dirt. After watching the video it was very obvious the pitcher had an awesome drop ball and the pitches were right at the knees most of the time before almost hitting the dirt by the time the catcher had it. I made it a point to let the umpire know what I had found and to apologize the next time I saw him.

Sometimes our mind doesn't see as well as our eyes.

 

[quincy]

At this point DD will swing at anything below the top of her head, she has gotten tired of bad calls by umps. Sometimes balls over her head still get called as strikes, she has learned to live with it and will not swing.

 

[02Crush]

If the umpire(s) is/are that consistent with the calls and the pitchers are that consistent with the pitches at that age I would be surprised.

Don't be surprised, we do see very consistent pitching. it is one of the best things we run into at this age. Is it 50 mph and placed within 2' of a spot: no. But there are many strikes: yes. I have three pitchers who in a 4GG travel ball day log over 20 k's on average. We love our pitchers and feel they will grow long term into great pitchers. At the bottom tier hitters are not as good but pitchers are solid with fastballs (slower vs. top tier), At the top tier Hitters are much better and Pitchers fastballs are faster and you can add a change up that is good. Not sure what you see in your part of the country but this is what we see down here. I feel the umpires giving loose zones are doing it on assumptions as a habit coming over from rec ball.

But, trusting that you believe your observations are correct I would do this: video the batters during the game, both teams. Set the camera so that the strike zone is very visible. See if your opinion about the pitch locations is the same after watching the video.

We have done this to verify our assumptions. I had a parent sit at the back stop and video for perspective between games. I coach out at third and watch the ball height. I never question inside or outside calls b/c unless I am sitting behind the plate I would not have the proper vantage point to make that call. But height is easily visible from down the line and my struggle is with the ball at the moment the crosses the plate. We also have two catchers we have taught to ask the ump anytime he calls a ball to let them know why. This also helps me with understanding of the perspective on the call. They most often oblige with a quick hand gesture to the pitcher showing inside or outside.

The reason I suggest this is because something very similar happened at one of our games last year. We were giving the ump hell about pitches in the dirt. After watching the video it was very obvious the pitcher had an awesome drop ball and the pitches were right at the knees most of the time before almost hitting the dirt by the time the catcher had it. I made it a point to let the umpire know what I had found and to apologize the next time I saw him. Sometimes our mind doesn't see as well as our eyes.

Fair statement but at 10U we do not pitch drop balls yet. I am asking for coaching strategy in this situation where the girls are not tall enough to gain arm extension to the lower outside corner and if we move the in on the plate to get it we then get jammed up easier on the inside lower corner. If we are at an age unable to reach those strikes physically then it makes it worse to battle over the even lower pitch below the knee.
Another perspective I just considered......
Not one pitch above the sternum was called as a strike either. Hurt both teams. If the umpires want hits to keep the game moving then call the high strikes that are easier to hit as it will indirectly influence the players to swing at them. Instead we are being encouraged to attempt on low pitches not in the zone where even if they swing theirs arms are barely long enough to make contact.

 

[softballphreak]

Sounds to me that your problems are not with the players; your problems are with the officiating. In that case I would stick to teaching the correct fundamentals and hope the other teams are facing the same dilemma.

In addition to that I would contact the head of officials and try to get their help.

 

[PA SB Dad]

Your players are actually learning an important lesson - don't get down in the count with 2 strikes and let a "marginal" pitch go by. They can do one of 2 things - when they have 2 strikes they have to broaden their idea of the strike zone or learn to hit a good pitch earlier in the count.

 

[quincy]

Someone on this board mentioned this to me and it had an immediate positive impact on a few our players. Going to say it a little differently but here it goes:

Stand strong in the box until the umpire makes the call.

Having the batter stay in there and not fidgeting all around when they were not going to swing allowed umpire to call the ball better. Sounds silly but it makes a difference.

 

[chinamigarden]

I always told my kids that they shouldn't leave strike 3 up to the ump, if you don't like being called out on strikes then you have to hit the ball before then.

But the best advice I would give is this. Umpires have their own strike zone. Its not a shot at umps, its the truth. They all see it just a bit differently. Your pitchers have to learn how to adjust to it, and so do the batters. If a pitcher sees that the ball mid shin is being called a strike and your batters refuse to swing at it, that is a pitch you will see a whole lot. Once you see the pattern the kids have to learn how to adjust mid game. As a coach I would rather see kids swing at some marginal pitches, then see them strike out looking.