Swinging at high balls, I need help

[RJM763]

I need help...

I have two girls on my team that are new to girl pitch. In our league at 10U they have girls pitching to them. Last year (coach pitch) both girls were good hitters but the coach would always throw a decent ball to hit.

Both girls are swinging at balls that are high, about eye level. How can I correct this? Telling them to not swing at anything above their hands is not working. I think it is a visual input problem. High pitches just seem like hittable ball to them.

What say you experts?

 

[JAD]

They need more at bats against good pitching. You may also want to tell them to take pitches until they have one strike on them. Watching some pitches will help them learn what an umpire will, and will not, call a strike.

 

[mgardner]

I try to give them immediate verbal feedback if they swing at pitches out of the zone or don't swing at pitches in the zone. This helps them build a database that helps them recognize a pitch as a ball or strike.

 

[Carly]

They simply haven't had enough reps to know how to pick up what's a strike and what isn't. They need a ton of practice, with someone intentionally throwing them pitches both in and out of the strike zone.

You can even start by having them just stand in the batters box while a pitcher tosses tennis balls all over the place. Instead of swinging, have the girl say "yes" or "no" as the pitch goes by to indicate whether she thinks she would swing at it. It gets them making a conscious decision about it, then they can go back to trying to hit and combine that with natural reaction.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

The fact that they are actually swinging is a good sign.

I wouldn't get caught up in, "is it a ball or strike". The question they should be asking is, "can I hit this pitch?". Balls and strikes are subjective.

You can hit 100% of "strikes" and 30% of "balls".

 

[mgardner]

You can hit 100% of "strikes" and 30% of "balls".

I don't agree that this is always true, particularly at the younger levels. I often see hitters with hitting zones smaller than the strike zone.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

Try throwing them balls with different colors on them and have them call out the color, make sure they are watching the ball.

Then reps.

One of the few times I have told DD to ignore HC was when they told her to swing at everything at practice. They said something about the balls are free so swing at everything. DD swings at strikes, pitching machine, bad coach pitch, whatever.

 

[RJM763]

When I do front toss with them and they hack at a high ball, I ask why they are swinging at such an obvious ball? The answer to the question is usually "I don't know". I then redefine what a ball and strike would look like in the zone. I walk the ball to them as a high and low ball, and then a strike. When I front toss I usually try to throw something like 75% strikes and 25% balls so they will see a variety.

I was wondering if I was missing something. I hate to see my DD cry, she is trying so hard to help her team but I think she feels like she has disappointed me.

I agree that reps is the answer, but just was wondering if I was missing something.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I don't agree that this is always true, particularly at the younger levels. I often see hitters with hitting zones smaller than the strike zone.

You don't agree that 100% of strikes are hittable? Those pitches that are 1" off the strike zone that are called "balls" can't be hit?

Having done this awhile (especially at the younger levels) referring to pitches as balls and strikes will get you in trouble.

Can you hit it hard or not?

 

[mgardner]

To many of us players or former players, telling a ball from a strike is second nature. The datbase that we have built has been there so long that it seems it has always been there. It hasn't. It was learned.
I think you are doing fine. Keep showing them and giving feedback. It won't happen instantly. It is a process of building that database one pitch at a time.