Taking live batting practice before the game

[CoachKevin]

The most successful games I've seen or TB team have is when a coach can throw a BP during warm ups.

Are you talking regulation softballs? We hit before every game, but with limited space it's whiffle balls.

 

[NVfishing]

Whiffles for the older girls, squishy balls for the younger. We usually try to find an open field if available or a batting cage.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Are some of you saying that there are teams not swinging bats at all before games? I have seen that with some inexperienced rec or travel coaches, but they're the exception, not the norm. Most teams I know get the bats warmed up and more and more coaches are learning to eliminate side toss from pre-game.

 

[Phathead]

I use the wiffle balls. I throw not lob underhand from 15-20 ft. yes they do sting. I think it helps both the hitters and the hitters getting even with coachs.

 

[TouchMint]

As others have said it has depended on time. I have played quite a few fp tourneys and if we are the first game or no game before us we would have time for live bp but thats really the only way. I do think it helps quite a bit so no argument on that.

 

[Bobby B]

Bobby, I am new to this site too. I read your profile. Our backyards used to meet. You take care of the hitting and I'll help with the pitching...Saw your dad while I was home in early March. Now you know me, right?

Yes I do, how r u doing Doug?

 

[Bobby B]

Bobby, good idea, but for most that would be impossible at the varsity level. Maybe the home team could, but how and where would the visiting team do live ( pitching ) batting practice? Then who would do the pitching? Most HS only have 1 possible 2 decent varsity pitchers, you wouldn't want to wear them out pitching batting practice right before a game.

Maybe I sould ask how your varsity does it, I might learn a new trick.

I was fortunate enough to be able throw good underhand BP. U don’t have enough time to take BP at away games so I had r girls come in before their classes started to get r hitting in. Hitting is the hardest part of the game so we hit 6 days a week.

 

[MadBandit22]

Playing Major Men's Fastpitch & coaching varsity girl's softball the 1st thing I noticed is how many teams fail to take live batting practice before their games or even in their practices. I would like to hear all the comments on this. Thanks.

Bobby B

I agree. It should be a given both baseball/softball HS teams supply a home/away batting cage.
The coach(s) could throw BP behind a screen.

 

[Cannonball]

We throw before every game. We have 3 coaches, including me, who can get it up there with some stuff on it. We have two cages and our players get a lot of swings in before a game. Typically, we offer one of the cages when the opposition shows up. Seldom do they use them. Most teams have a home and away routine and you just can't count on getting the use of a cage on the road. I would say that this past year, we were allowed to use someone else's cage five times in 30+ games.