Question: How do you beat a good pitcher

[Momo'sDad]

I personally don't like the strategy to bunt ever time because 10U is a time for players to develop their swing mechanics, not just get a bunt down to win a game.

While I agree that coaches should be helping to develop good swings, bunting is part of the game, and this is just one game.

It's a huge jump to go from 20mph coach lob to 50mph heat and the coach is teaching his players that being successful often requires being adaptable to changing situations.

 

[YOCOACH]

The same is true in 10u travel. At 10u, the strong pitchers have a huge advantage over the hitters, regardless of whether we're talking rec or TB.


And what if she slaps it instead?

Small ball is effective when it's executed properly, which means the offense is keeping the pressure on the defense. The element of surprise can help, but is not required for a team to have success with it. Leadoff slaps and gets to 1B. She steals 2B on your pitcher's 1-1 changeup. Next batter moves her over with a sac bunt. She then scores on a pop fly to short RF.

Let's be honest. We're talking 10u rec where most of these girls just came from coach pitch. How many do you think know how to slap let alone can do it effectively? When I coached that age group in rec, I had my hands full just teaching them to field, throw,bunt and swing properly. I didn't have time to teach them how to slap until they made it to second year 10u. Now TB where the players have learned to slap since 8u is a different story and thus I would use a different strategy. However, even in TB I would play F4 and F5 up and let F3 and F6 back them up for a lefty slapper and if the batter slaps righty so be it. F5 and F6 can field it or any of th OF since I'd have them playing in anyways.

 

[fballchgup]

I think you have it correct. Most 10U rec teams only have 3 or 4 solid hitters, 5 or 6 with only a couple of seasons experience, and 2 or 3 that have never played the game before. One of the reasons I advocate having 8U kid pitch so they get the opportunity to face live pitching for two years before they move up to 10U.

In the batting cages, turn up the machine speed to 50mph so the players get used to seeing the speed and do a lot of front toss from 25 feet from behind a screen. Practice both swing away and bunts.




I personally don't like the strategy to bunt ever time because 10U is a time for players to develop their swing mechanics, not just get a bunt down to win a game.

I agree. If you want to hit faster pitching, practice against faster pitching. Simply having kids bunt every time up for the purpose of winning a 10u game seems shortsighted. Yes, they will probably be overmatched, but maybe it will motivate them to improve so the next time they face her they may surprise you. A "true" 50mph at 10u can be dominant, but you have to learn at some point if they plan on continuing to higher levels. They don't throw slower as they get older.

 

[burlap1980]

Well 15 K's later we ended up with the L it was a tough game at the plate. The girls started out the game scared Idk why but they were, just watching pitches go by. But as the game progressed they swung more freely which was encouraging.

Thanks for the input.

Several have said practice against faster pitching this is rec ball and the girls that do throw hard are on other teams and I don't see it likely that they will show up to my practice to pitch so my kids can start to time them.

We are just going to get back to practice and work hard and continue to improve.

 

[nanotech14]

Sorry about the lost, but I'm still trying to believe a 10yo is throwing 50mph.

 

[burlap1980]

Sorry about the lost, but I'm still trying to believe a 10yo is throwing 50mph.

I will try and get her dad to video her for you. Like I said 48-50 she throws hard.

 

[Pitchermom28]

There are 10U that throw that hard. My DD is 11 and is throwing mid to upper 50s consistently. She pitches for a 14U A team.

 

[humpty]

I've found that age isn't the primary factor in pitching speed. Size is. If the 10yo is as big as most 12yo then she should throw 50. Same for the 11yo on the 14u team. Is she similar size to other 13-14yo kids.

 

[Pitchermom28]

She is avg size for her age. She thows as fast and hard as our other pitcher which just turned 15 and is bigger than her

 

[CoogansBluff]

Well 15 K's later we ended up with the L it was a tough game at the plate. The girls started out the game scared Idk why but they were, just watching pitches go by.

They started out scared because that's what 9/10-year-olds do when injurious objects are hurled in their direction at 50 mph from 35 feet. What else in 10U youth sports is as intimidating as that? I bet we could not find a 10-year-old who has never seen softball to be willing to face 50-mph pitching without knowing and seeing that others their age have done it.

As for the game, how often did you try to bunt? What happened when you did? Knowing what you know from this experience, what strategy would you employ next time? More or less bunting?