Strange Things At Tryouts

[amanda_cake]

I've noticed a couple of strange things at tryouts. Turn the pitching machine wide open, get close, and expect the girls to be able to hit off of it? Of course, the girls who have played with you all spring will be able to. But others won't have adjusted to the unrealistic speed.

Also, pop flies through the pitching machine... they go so high in the air... I don't know any girl that can hit them that high in the air. Very unrealistic and not fair when you position certain players in spots that are closer than how you had other players positioned to the landing point of the ball.

Anything you have noticed recently?

 

[sluggers]

Turn the pitching machine wide open, get close, and expect the girls to be able to hit off of it?

This has been done before, but I saw "Safe at Home" in theaters, so I've been around a little. College coaches do this all the during batting practice.

pop flies through the pitching machine

Again, its been done. Some coaches feel that is fairer to use a machine.

 

[alexander58]

I guess cranking the machine up and moving the batters up would show good reflexes, but does it have any practical purpose? I've seen coaches slow it way down also. I'm not sure I see value in either.Anybody like to chime in?

 

[Comp]

First time my daughter ever tried out for the Jr. High team she was one of the first 3 batters to hit. Coach had the boys come out to help with the tryouts and they thought it would be funny to crank the pitching machine up full blast. Needless to say, first 3 batters whiffed on everything and they finally slowed machine down. Of course the first 3 never got to bat again either and all 3 were passed over for the team. The next year she tried out again and coach was amazed with her hitting and fielding. At one point he came over and asked why she hadnt tried out the year before. LOL

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Our HS will crank it up, down, and probably turn it on it's side if they could. But it looks like it only tops out around 70 MPH?? Gonna see 70 in HS, no. The point, IDK?

 

[amanda_cake]

Exactly! I have never seen anyone throw that fast in my life. The thing had to be hitting 70MPH and it was much closer than 43ft. I believe on setting it at something you will actually see, at the distance you will actually see it from. Having it too fast when you are in a rec league and facing inferior pitchers won't do you any good... as too fast in HS and travel won't do you much good because you won't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

Pop flies through the pitching machine is not the same as off of a bat. Ask any outfielder.

 

[stephanie]

I caught for the pitchers at our tryout....
I was SHOCKED at the players who thought they could pitch! Out of 8, TWO could actually pitch....Who is telling these kids they can pitch at a select level?
(I know the answer, Ray...)

 

[PAcoach]

In our organization we have about 10 teams. During tryouts, most of them use a pitching machine for BP only. However Our team never uses a pitching Machine, we have several coaches on our staff who throws live every practice and during tryouts. All teams hit live balls during BP.. At HS our coach loves a pitching machine...he used it all winter inside and when the weather broke, he started using outside as well. He got addicted to it,lol. At one practice he ask me to pitch, 3/4 of the team couldn't hit my live pitching.. Finally he started to mix it up with the machine as well as live pitching. i wish he wouldn't use it at all. I told him i'll pitch to them every practice, even the JV girls too.

 

[amanda_cake]

I caught for the pitchers at our tryout....
I was SHOCKED at the players who thought they could pitch! Out of 8, TWO could actually pitch....Who is telling these kids they can pitch at a select level?
(I know the answer, Ray...)

What age group is this? I can understand at 10 thinking you can pitch and climb Mount Everest, but at 16 you should have a bit of a reality check by then!

In our organization we have about 10 teams. During tryouts, most of them use a pitching machine for BP only. However Our team never uses a pitching Machine, we have several coaches on our staff who throws live every practice and during tryouts. All teams hit live balls during BP.. At HS our coach loves a pitching machine...he used it all winter inside and when the weather broke, he started using outside as well. He got addicted to it,lol. At one practice he ask me to pitch, 3/4 of the team couldn't hit my live pitching.. Finally he started to mix it up with the machine as well as live pitching. i wish he wouldn't use it at all. I told him i'll pitch to them every practice, even the JV girls too.

Agree, pitching machines can be useful but if you overuse them then you have a problem. I'd hit off a pitching machine once in the entire summer before that tryout, so I wasn't use to it. All of my BP was thrown from behind a screen, up close.

Another thing... a team advertised as being based out of S-city. About an hour away, I can handle the drive... well, actually they practice at two locations about 2, 2 1/2 hours away. In horrendous traffic that I can't drive in. So talk about misleading.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Stephanie, the unqualified pitching coaches that these girls have, are the ones telling them that they can pitch.

I see them come to lessons at age 12. They are hopping and leaping and huffing and slapping their glove and they can't hit their spots. So, after 3 lessons of me trying to correct them, they go away to never be seen again. Until, they show up on a team that doesn't have any other pitchers.

I do use a PM to hit fly balls to the OF, but not sky high and to the fence. I will always catch a few first to make certain they are catchable.