Softball vs. Baseball swing

[ms244]

A topic came up this week from a softball coach within our organization who claims to be a hitting coach. He teaches a "baseball" swing for his softball players. He is a coach for a 16U team and is trying to get other players to use him for a batting coach. The 'issue' is many people aren't buying his "baseball" swing mentality works for softball players. The people that are against his philosophy is that the path of the baseball is from high to low vs. a softball path that is mostly level or low to high.

I hope I am explaining this correctly. My question is this. Is the baseball swing the same as a softball swing? Is this batting coach teaching the correct style that works for softball players?

 

[quincy]

I think his philosophy is wrong for baseball.

 

[softballphreak]

You'll get lots of comments here. Let me say this, if you see a girl swinging "like a baseball player" you're probably going to be looking at a very good batter.

That doesn't mean the batting coach is going to be good. But if he is a good baseball batting coach he will very likely be a good softball batting coach.

Go to the Model Swings thread and see if you find any similarities in the baseball and softball swings.

Do your players throw like a girl; or do they throw like an athlete? Same for hitting.

 

[redhotcoach]

If your hitting 5 balls all right at your waist. 1. Off a tee 2. Throw ball up and hit it. 3. Hit ball from side toss. 4. Hit a ball coming at your waist level. 5. Hit a ball coming at about a 5 degree down angle to your waist. All 5 contact is made in the same spot. Should all 5 have a different swing "style"?

They have a different style because the balls are yellow.

 

[RichK]

They have a different style because the balls are yellow.

And because the bats are much hotter than wood/bbcor bats and the fences are shorter and baseball pitches like sliders require different timing windows, which allow softball players to have slightly less than what some would call "high level MLB" mechanics.

That explains why girls can *get away* with less than high level mechanics. That said, why wouldn't you want to pursue the very best mechanics you can?

[Finally, taking your question and flipping it: anybody who says there are "softball swing" mechanics, beyond a slap, is someone to watch out for].

 

[softballphreak]

I believe it was Jennie Finch that showed some of the professional baseball players the difference in the pitches.

I think some of the girls would love that extra 17' and the small ball with less resistance. Of course, they would love the extra strength, also.

 

[Bouldersdad]

Ask yourself why the best female hitter I'n the world uses a baseball swing. I think you will find most of the top female athletes have long since left the old squish the bug back slapping kind of hitting that was taught years ago. Look at almost any kid that uses RVP instruction or something similar and I can pretty safely say she will be way better than her old style hitting team mates

Tim

 

[Amy in AZ.]

The coach sounds good to me. I teach both boys and girls and I teach them identically.

 

[Bugoozi]

My dd's hitting instructor was a minor league player and he teaches the same swing to both boys and girls. My dd's coach videos the team and compares their swing to major league players side by side.

 

[Not_Enuf_Mustard]

the path of the baseball is from high to low vs. a softball path that is mostly level or low to high.

Feel a "does a rise ball really rise" thread coming on.