Pitching Strategy

[2 DD Coach]

My DD just started playing 10u travel ball about 6 months ago. She was a very dominant pitcher in rec, but as you all know, travel ball is a completly different animal. I am the AC on the team, and I call all the pitches during games.

First off, here's what I'm working with. DD has three pitches as follows:
1. Fastball. Crusing speed is 40-41mph(Yes on radar, not just daddy sight.) She is not a flamethrower, but she has great control with this pitch, and can move it around.

2. Change up. Can get this one in the strike zone consistently, usually comes across about 33mph. not moving this one around much.

3. Drop ball*. This gets the * because she throws it correctly, but at 39-40mph from 35 ft, it doesnt have the full movment. However the spin and movement it does have usually results in a pop fly or dribbler to the infield if the batter gets it. She is good with this pitch up the middle or outside. Inside the batter better be quick on her feet or shes taking a base. This is also her lightswitch pitch, when its on its great, if its off, well you get it. We have had games where this pitch had to be abandoned completly, but 30mins later its the best pitch she is throwing.

She is a very accurate pitcher for 10u, not a lot of wild balls in the dirt or over the catchers head. And this actually seems to be a problem. The first time she faces a team she does great. But if we see that same team again in the tournament, thats when we have an issue. They know the majority of the pitches she throws are going to be in or close to the strike zone, so its easier for them to be thinking yes on almost every pitch. The batters dont seem to get as comfortable when the pitcher is all over the place.

So is it better to be a little "wild" with your pitches? Miss farther out and work in slowly? Put my DD on the rack and stretch her so she can pick up a few inches of height and maybe some mph?

Hits are better then walks any day, at least you have a chance to do something with a hit. But is it better to live farther out of the strike zone to keep them on their toes, then try to reel them back in, even if it means you may end up walking a few? In other words go for a inside fastball for a strike, then throw two that are a little wild, then come back to a corner?

 

[coach james]

This is a great problem to have... instruct her to pitch to the black edges of the plate. Its her job to strike out batters, but that doesn't mean she has to throw all strikes!

 

[Momo'sDad]

My DD just started playing 10u travel ball about 6 months ago. She was a very dominant pitcher in rec, but as you all know, travel ball is a completly different animal. I am the AC on the team, and I call all the pitches during games.

First off, here's what I'm working with. DD has three pitches as follows:
1. Fastball. Crusing speed is 40-41mph(Yes on radar, not just daddy sight.) She is not a flamethrower, but she has great control with this pitch, and can move it around.

2. Change up. Can get this one in the strike zone consistently, usually comes across about 33mph. not moving this one around much.

3. Drop ball*. This gets the * because she throws it correctly, but at 39-40mph from 35 ft, it doesnt have the full movment. However the spin and movement it does have usually results in a pop fly or dribbler to the infield if the batter gets it. She is good with this pitch up the middle or outside. Inside the batter better be quick on her feet or shes taking a base. This is also her lightswitch pitch, when its on its great, if its off, well you get it. We have had games where this pitch had to be abandoned completly, but 30mins later its the best pitch she is throwing.

She is a very accurate pitcher for 10u, not a lot of wild balls in the dirt or over the catchers head. And this actually seems to be a problem. The first time she faces a team she does great. But if we see that same team again in the tournament, thats when we have an issue. They know the majority of the pitches she throws are going to be in or close to the strike zone, so its easier for them to be thinking yes on almost every pitch. The batters dont seem to get as comfortable when the pitcher is all over the place.

So is it better to be a little "wild" with your pitches? Miss farther out and work in slowly? Put my DD on the rack and stretch her so she can pick up a few inches of height and maybe some mph?

Hits are better then walks any day, at least you have a chance to do something with a hit. But is it better to live farther out of the strike zone to keep them on their toes, then try to reel them back in, even if it means you may end up walking a few? In other words go for a inside fastball for a strike, then throw two that are a little wild, then come back to a corner?

None of the above.

The best thing to do is to teach the catchers how to call a game by actually letting them call the pitches so that they'll learn what works best for a given game situation.

 

[Pitching Dad]

I am also an AC on DD first year 12 TB team. DD did very well last year pitching in 10u TB. I also pitched fastpaitch for the military in the 80's and early 90's. The biggest key at this age I found is the change up. If your DD can hit it consistently then use it. But it is important 'when' you call it in the pitch count. Very few girls at this age have the ability to lay off it or know how to hit it correctly and it REALLY messes with their heads. Sometimes I would even start a game with this pitch, Don't only throw it when ahead In the count but the ABSOLUTE key to this pitch is that your DD "sells it" with her motion. If your DD is fairly accurate have her throw on the black edge of the plate to the low and high inside and outside corners and mix these pitches up. It is imperative that her Change is down and away' always, always have her practice throwing this pitch down and for the outside corner. I can tell you how many K's my DD had on the ones she"missed" and bounced in front of the plate last year. Just my 2cents. Good luck to you and your DD and keep working!!

 

[2 DD Coach]

None of the above.

The best thing to do is to teach the catchers how to call a game by actually letting them call the pitches so that they'll learn what works best for a given game situation.

This team is made up of mostly 03 girls. This is the first travel experience for every member of this team, and we are only 6 months into it.
Our 8 and 9 yo catchers are still dealing with the faster paced game and the new rules they never dealt with in rec. I.E. dropped third strike, runners can steal multiple bases, runners can steal home, etc. So for right now I give them the signals and they relay it to the pitcher.
Although having the catchers call the pitches themselves is a goal to work twoards, I guess I dont see how this is a pitching strategy.

 

[JAD]

We had a pitcher on our team a couple of years ago that did not walk a batter all season. She could throw 3-4 different pitches, but all of them would hit a 12" pie pan - right down the heart of the plate. Opposing teams would TEE OFF on her, but her dad would be sitting in the stands bragging that his DD did not walk a batter and just needs to find a team that plays better defense.....LOL. While I don't think I would advocate for a pitcher be "wild", you do not want to become to predictable or throw everything to the same spot! Work the corners with the fastball and get your DD to vary the speed of her pitches. A batters timing will be thrown off if a pitch is 4-5 MPH faster of slower than what they expected.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Start with the premise that there's never any reason to throw the ball over the plate or even the black if you don't have to. If the umpire and/or hitter are NOT swinging at or calling those pitches strikes, then you need to move the target incrementally closer to the center of the plate until they are. Find the limit of the zone and try to expand or extend it away from the center of the plate.

 

[humpty]

Sounds like you have a mini greg maddux. Work fb, drop and cu low and away. work a ball or two off the plate until you get behind. If batters crowd the plate or get hip to the plan come inside. Always miss in the direction your throwing. But she better be able to field the middle. Maddux won all those gold gloves for a reason. Typical rh batter sequence. Fb low away.drop away. Fb high in. Cu low away. Try not to throw good hitters same pitch twice in a row. Mix your sequences up.