Why do girls stand at the front of the box?

[Wellphyt]

They stand at the front of the box in order to hit the ball before it breaks. Yes, some softball coaches teach this. It's one of those things that gets parroted around from coach to coach and eventually takes on a life of it's own.

I see no advantage to standing any closer than with the front foot even with the front of the plate. The umpires at the umpire-coaches meetings I've been to say that the strike zone is over the plate...literally. IOW the strike zone is not suppose to move forward and back with the hitter. I was very surprised to here that. I don't see how an umpire can follow that rule, because they would constantly be estimating where the pitch would be in relation to the batter if the batter stood anywhere other than even with the plate. Maybe someone who has umpired can chime in.

IMO time is the most valuable thing a hitter has. The more the better. Standing in the front of the box gives you less time to read the pitch and make a decision to swing. Seems to me that is a big advantage for the pitcher who can change speeds.

 

[jbooth]

They stand at the front of the box in order to hit the ball before it breaks. Yes, some softball coaches teach this. It's one of those things that gets parroted around from coach to coach and eventually takes on a life of it's own.

I see no advantage to standing any closer than with the front foot even with the front of the plate. The umpires at the umpire-coaches meetings I've been to say that the strike zone is over the plate...literally. IOW the strike zone is not suppose to move forward and back with the hitter. I was very surprised to here that. I don't see how an umpire can follow that rule, because they would constantly be estimating where the pitch would be in relation to the batter if the batter stood anywhere other than even with the plate. Maybe someone who has umpired can chime in.

IMO time is the most valuable thing a hitter has. The more the better. Standing in the front of the box gives you less time to read the pitch and make a decision to swing. Seems to me that is a big advantage for the pitcher who can change speeds.

I umpired for 28 years. The batter is used to determine the top and bottom of the zone. The pitch is called where it crosses the plate. It's not hard to do. You find the heights then you simply watch it pass over the plate. If it is in the zone over the plate it is a strike. The zone is a tube of the five sides of the plate hanging directly over the plate. If the ball touches any part of the tube it is a strike. The batter's position has nothing to do with the call.

Breaking balls pass over the plate. Therefore, if you can make your bat pass through that tube from where you are standing, then you should be able to hit any pitch.

I agree with you that your front foot should be about at the front of the plate after you stride, if you stride, or start at the front if you no-stride. The feet shown below are IMO, the spot to be in, if you are a strider.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

That diagram is exactly what I teach.

 

[jbooth]

My,dd lines up the front foot with the corner of the plate that starts the apex and never moves from there no matter what the pitcher throws.Fast,slow,what ever,thats what she finds the same,no matter where she is playing,thats her routine.

That is good advice, IMO. Moving around is not good, if the catcher or defensive coach is smart. Every time you move, the catcher can change the pitch strategy accordingly.

Also, moving around messes up your perspective of where the strike zone is. The zone is over the plate, if you move up, then back your brain has a different perspective for each.

 

[jbooth]

No expert but front of the box hitting does not allow the ball to break as much/as far as giving the pitcher that extra 5 feet of break. In other words, the ball might be fast but it is straight and fast. Most HS girls can hit a fast ball.

The ball must pass over some part of the plate, to be a strike. If you can make your bat pass over the plate you can hit any pitch. If you move up, you may get a small advantage on a curve that going middle to outside. But, you're going to get beat most of the time, on late breaking curves that go from off the plate inside, to the inside corner.

 

[Cannonball]

I don't see how moving up takes away breaking pitches. Maybe the down and away curve, but I believe you can still hit everything else from the back of the box.

I watched the AZ State championships last night, and all of the Xavier hitters were up in the box and crowding the plate. The Horizon pitcher killed them with fastballs down and in, and curveballs that started off the plate inside and broke in. The break was late, so they couldn't get on it. If they had been back and off the plate, they could hit that pitch and still get to it if she threw it to break over the outside corner.

I once asked a friend who played MLB about it, and he said he didn't care how fast or slow the pitcher was, he wanted as long as possible to see any pitch. I have never seen a MLB hitter move up in the box. Heck they try to erase the back line, and get farther back than the back line and they still hit curves.

First, my daughter practices BP at 35 feet and so, she can handle just about any and all heat. I'd estimate that in at least half of my daughter's games this year, the ump was giving two balls out off the plate. If you are standing in the back of the box, you stand no chance if that pitch is a breaking pitch. Also, on the drop, typically, that ball is highly hittable when up in the box and is tough if you are back in the box.

I guess we all disagree on these ideas and that if fine. I know what has worked for my child and all of the kids that she played with.

 

[Cannonball]

jbooth, I didn't read your comment about how you would pitch a batter in the box like my dd. PLEASE throw her inside! As a freshman this year, several teams tried. A few of those didn't work out so well.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Jim … on occasion a batter will move up in the box when they are not challenged with the speed of the pitcher and they wish to take away from a pitcher’s movement (screw balls and curve balls). There is also the belief that moving up in the box increases the odds of hitting the ball in fair territory … much as in bunting.

 

[jbooth]

jbooth, I didn't read your comment about how you would pitch a batter in the box like my dd. PLEASE throw her inside! As a freshman this year, several teams tried. A few of those didn't work out so well.

Well, the defense needs to know the hitter. When I played, I crowded the plate and they threw inside, and I still killed 'em.
Most hitters can't handle inside heat.

Also, I was suggesting curves at her that break in. How does she do on those?

I still think having your front foot at the front edge of the plate after stride or weight shift, gives you the ability to hit anything. I see no need to move farther up than that.

If I'm facing Jennie Finch, I'm getting my back foot on top of the back line.

 

[jbooth]

The first question that a hitter needs to ask themselves when hitting is can the pitcher beat them with a fastball. If not, then they can adjust accordingly in the box. By moving up, they take away the pitcher's breaking pitches. They also take away, at least in part, the effects of the changeup.

I put the strike zone in this photo. Why would I need to move up to hit any pitch?
My bat can pass through any part of the zone from where I'm standing. If the ball drops before the front of the zone, it's a ball. If it is dropping and going to touch the bottom front, I have had longer time to see the path and can still hit it. If I'm up front, I may get it before it gets to its lowest point, but I have to commit on border line ones because the strike zone is behind me, as in the second photo.