Take the first pitch

[JJsqueeze]

Who created this black and white world where kids are either swinging at all first pitches or taking them all? It's easy stuff, if the kid can hit and likes the first pitch she swings, if she doesn't like it she doesn't swing. IF the kid is a swingaholic and the pitcher isn't accurate then go ahead and have her take one and make the pitcher throw her strikes. But the concept of a hitting strategy for a them based around taking the first pitch is a farce, the concept of swinging at the first pitch no matter what is even more of a joke.

 

[canyonjoe]

Sounds like the perfect answer.

 

[ConorMacleod]

Correct! At the same time, there are many different factors involved here, not least of which is the skill level of the batters as well as the skill level of the pitcher. So you cannot hang a coach out to dry because he employed one particular strategy in one game.

if you are talkijng about going for the first pitch no matter what, then I would agree with you. One size does not fit all and trying to apply one philosophy (Take or swing) to every situation is lazy. I know (3) coaches who frequently dictate that all players must go after the first pitch. none of them are successful when they do this. (one team I was AC and the record documented we made a stronger offensive showing when working the count. After they were instructed to "hit the first pitch because it will probably be the best one", we immediately bailed on the offensive game, giving up many one-pitch at bats with easy infield outs.)

How do you get a kid comfortable at the plate without teaching them to take pitches? My kid is a pitcher and apparently I'm the only one who loves to see the other teams swinging at the first pitch - this typically winds up as a strike or an out and they haven't seen anything yet.

My DD is also a pitcher. And I would LOVE any opposing coach that told all their hitters to either take her first pitch, or always swing at her first pitch. Then I could easily call for all fastballs down the middle, or call for all fastballs way off the plate (or balls in the dirt, or change ups in dirt, etc.). The point is, your hitting strategy should change for almost each and every batter. What's the score of the game, what inning is it, which part of your line-up is up, how is the pitcher throwing, are there runners on base, are you going to steal on the next pitch/first pitch, are you bunting? So many questions to ask and situations to sort through before you tell a player to "take a pitch".