Batting Practice to Game?

Great Post

So much of hitting is confidence. Show some confidence in the hitter and he will show some confidence in himself. I actually have moved guys up in the order and said "Your swinging it well you have just been unlucky. Im moving you up because I feel your going to break out today". The hit and run is awesome for guys that are struggling. They dont have to think they know they have to swing. Many times they just go up there and hit it. I have never seen a kid not struggle at some point and time. Most of the time it is a direct result of lack of confidence brought on by some failure. Anything you can do to boost their confidence is a plus.

 

bp is where players gain there "confidence".....lets see how far i can hit the ball.....and in turn it will help everything........bp is a fun thing...stop trying to make it something else.......or maybe you have just never had the feeling of hitting a ball 400ft before

 

Hmmm...a few times. But the guy was asking for advice and he got some great one's

 

Just trying to help someone out

They asked a question so we tried to give some advice. I posted on 09-27-07 in this same thread that sometimes its good to take some cream puffs down the heart and just get the feel of your stroke. Then there is BP where you are working on specific things. Hitting backside on pitches away , using the whole field , hitting off speed pitches etc etc. I have enjoyed this thread I hope some of the advice helps someone.

 

Yes and No....

.......about letting the 3b coach think for him as if he can't do that on his own. No offense, but thats what the coach is for in the first place. 3B should try to put the batter in the "best" position during an at bat, that he might rock one or two and gain the confidence that is lacking. 3-0 count, hell yea, swing out of your shoes pal. But taking a pitch in the middle of an at bat, is taking the bat out of his hands. You only get 3 strikes, use them to your advantage as a hitter. By a 3B coach dictating what to swing at is contrary to the whole idea of a batter relaxing and focusing at the plate. Yes there are times that the take is on, etc. but as for this thread, being proactive not reactive is what is needed, and how to be proactive! As a batter, you should not "LET THEM PITCH TO YOU", "MAKE THEM PITCH TO YOU". Confidence is a must at the plate!

 

You said it first.....

......with your post here C27. I read it just after I posted mine above. I agree with you in full. Especially the approach, the proactive approach, of getting the most out of your kids. Very smart! I LIKE THAT.

 

I don't think I understood parts of you post. I'll try and clarify some of mine. It is my job to put my players in the best possible position for the teams success. Most times, to me, this goes hand in hand with putting my player in a positoin for personal success. But ultimately, I need my guys to have team at bats, which helps us score runs.

I disagee with letting a guy who has been struggling hack away 3-0. Again, maybe there are a few times this would be "ok", but that would depend on the individual player, and flow of the game. But for me, those times are few. you are correct that you only get 3 strikes. But you also get 4 balls. And at 3-0, my guys is in great shape either way. I'd have him take.

Here is more specifically what I was thinking about when taking a pitch during and at bat. If the guy on the bump had been giving a healthy does of 2-0 breaking balls, my struggling guy is at the dish and its 2-0. He's probably been over analyzing everything anyway, I'm gonna give him the take and keep him from hacking at pitch, that he's gonna struggle with, due to the fat that his thoughts and emotions are everywhere. My job is to recognize that he isn't mentally where he needs to be to know.....

1. this pitchers tendency. cause he's focused in the dugout on his mechacnics, not the game

2. to sit on that breaking ball and to mash it if, and only if, its up in the zone

Once the game starts, I'm not sure where any of my thougths or actions would be considered reactive as apposed to proactive.

 

nope, not this coach....

....will agree with your 2-0/breaking ball gig. Just by reading your posts, I see that you are a very smart bball man. Yes, I had a signal to a batter that would indicate fastball or offspeed. I did because I knew. How did I know what pitch should be coming? The same reason you know. With respect to your 2-0 count, DAMN, let him swing! If the pitch is a breaking ball off the plate, its the batters job to recognize that. IMO, look fastball or "something else"!. Think about that tech. BTW, I enjoy reading your posts. They have value to me. Marlin,