Plate hitting position opinions?

[Towny9]

If the ump calls it a strike, it's a strike. Every single time. I'm pretty sure this was Rad's point.

My kid likes to be further forward in the box to minimize pitch break, even if it's a small amount. We've all seen change-up and drops that catch the bottom of the strike zone, and end up in the dirt. Being in the back of the box makes it very difficult to hit those pitches. Similar issue at the top of the zone with riseball

If a change or drop bounces in the dirt and is called a strike, then hitters are in for a tough day…and so is the umpire.

 

[Towny9]

Here is a picture or Alo standing in the back of the box. Her contact point is still in front of home plate. Which to most folks (except a few on here) is where the strike zone begins. She can cover the front of the plate just fine from where she is.

 

[chinamigarden]

Of course I have. It’s a regular occurrence unfortunately. Just cause a ball is called a strike doesn’t make it a strike anymore than calling my dog a cat makes her a cat. I was talking about the textbook definition of strikes (not accounting for human error.)

This whole thing got derailed from my original point anyway - which is that moving up in the box because you can’t wait on off speed is a bandaid fix. The real issue is the hitter needs to learn to wait. I am all for moving in the box to adjust to a pitchers tendencies. For example - if you are looking to hit right side behind a runner backing off the plate some to create a ball away for yourself is a smart move.

No one said they move up in the box to hit off speed better, except you. You created a scenario, assigned it to other people’s points and then told them how wrong they are.

 

[Towny9]

No one said they move up in the box to hit off speed better, except you. You created a scenario, assigned it to other people’s points and then told them how wrong they are.

I offered an opinion based on what I have seen. I didn’t say anyone was wrong and didn’t reply to anyone to say they were wrong when I offered it. You replied first to my opinion with your own opinion.

 

[Eric F]

Here is a picture or Alo standing in the back of the box. Her contact point is still in front of home plate. Which to most folks (except a few on here) is where the strike zone begins. She can cover the front of the plate just fine from where she is.

As I said before, my DD will adjust rearward, if she feels challenged with velocity. I shared what my DD prefers, and why. Her reasons make sense to me, and are based on what she learned from a coach who was in the game for over 30 years. If something else works for your DD/players, cool.

 

[Towny9]

As I said before, my DD will adjust rearward, if she feels challenged with velocity. I shared what my DD prefers, and why. Her reasons make sense to me, and are based on what she learned from a coach who was in the game for over 30 years. If something else works for your DD/players, cool.

Just offering an opinion - same as you.

 

[radness]

I say a pitch has to cross the plate to be a strike
*and you say it doesn’t. I don’t know what to say to that.

No
I said pitches that are off the plate do get called strikes!
( hope you're aware of that)

You may think pitch has to cross the plate for it to be called a strike but that just isn't the case. And to the rule adhearing crowd wherever the rules say the pitch has to be...
its still up to umpires opinions and the UFOs they call

 

[Towny9]

No
I said pitches that are off the plate do get called strikes!
( hope you're aware of that)

You may think pitch has to cross the plate for it to be called a strike but that just isn't the case. And to the rule adhearing crowd wherever the rules say the pitch has to be...
its still up to umpires opinions and the UFOs they call

Yes I am well aware that balls get called strikes. It happens quite often, especially at the lower levels. What I said was that I don’t move up in the box for the reason to get the pitch before it breaks because the pitches that nip the corner and then break out of the zone don’t usually get called a strike, even though they should be based on the rule book definition of the strike zone. Even if they do there aren’t a ton of pitchers that can do it consistently to force the issue. Reason being that umpires are swayed by the bad look of the catcher catching it out of the zone.

I referenced the Atlantic league using Robo-umpires for balls and strikes because the robo-umpires called the zone based on the actual rule book strike zone. Which ironically everyone had an issue with. Watch the attached video. A lot of these called strikes are technically a strike, but based on how the catcher catches them out of the zone, if it were a human umpire, they are probably called balls. That’s all I meant.

 

[radness]

- moving up in the box because you can’t wait on off speed is a bandaid fix.

Agree batters use different approaches to adjust timing.

The real issue is the hitter needs to learn to wait.

Thats one way to adjust.

I am all for moving in the box to adjust to a pitchers tendencies.

And there's alternative

Myself.
Did not adjust forward/back.
There were times when a pitcher threw a changeup and I would drop down a sneaky bunt. Guess that could be making an adjustment.
Fatty easy to read Strikes were rare to come by while hitting
Catching calling pitches certainly wasnt serving meatballs either...

 

[BillyB]

Being up also cuts down the breaking pitches movement...breaking pitches eating space in the back is an issue as well. Getting closer to the breaking point. Not saying there is a right or wrong, but if you the hitter in general can tag fastballs all day long, up is going to help stay on top of bigger breaking pitches.

Just thought I'd ask, interesting to see all takes. Granted it also depends on hitters, but there are general thought processes coaches use regardless of the hitter.