Any thoughts on the mindset of a hitter? Include any ideas on counts and situations!
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
What kind of ideas are you looking for?
Sit on a 1st pitch FB in your happy zone?
Get a good pitch to hit?
Be aggressive in advantage counts?
I always like having a hitter be very aggressive after a coach takes a visit to the mound.
Sit on a 1st pitch FB in your happy zone?
Get a good pitch to hit?
Be aggressive in advantage counts?
I always like having a hitter be very aggressive after a coach takes a visit to the mound.
The mindset I want with my players is to hit the first good pitch you see unless we have told you do otherwise, such as take the first pitch in a certain situation
Always want them to be aggressive
TRhit
Always want them to be aggressive
TRhit
I wanted to leave this open ended to see what people thought. I wanted to see if people would say that it began on the on deck circle. I wanted to see if people might mention keeping books on opposing teams and their tendencies. I wanted to see if it might be mentioned that some teams show defensive lapses that are signs of defencies in thier practices ie. runner on 1st and then bunt and run to 3rd with the batter knowing what the coach is thinking before he went to the plate because the batter remembers the history of playing a team. I guess that is the stuff I'm thinking of. DOES ALL OF THIS MAKE SENSE? I hate to put one classification on it because to me, we could post a hundered different ideas on this. Just wanted to see what you guys/girls were thinking.
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
Coach
I think a lot has to do with the age group and the level of competition that one is playing.
What I do with a "select travel" team won't be the same as a normal HS team or a LL team.
TRhit
I think a lot has to do with the age group and the level of competition that one is playing.
What I do with a "select travel" team won't be the same as a normal HS team or a LL team.
TRhit
I teach all hitters, regardless of age, the same thing. Your preparation for your AB begins in the dugout. No screwing around, pick up tendancies, pick up release point, determine rythm, etc.
You are only at a game for 2 hours or so SO concentarte the entire 2 hours.
You are only at a game for 2 hours or so SO concentarte the entire 2 hours.
RED
That is all fine and good om theory but LL players cannot do what kids on a 17/18 year old select travel team can do and cannot be expected to
TRhit
That is all fine and good om theory but LL players cannot do what kids on a 17/18 year old select travel team can do and cannot be expected to
TRhit
High School age for sake of discussion. Know the situation. Study the pitcher before your at bat etc. Have a game plan when you get in the box. As a general rule of thumb we teach the following. Sit on first pitch fastball over the plate.
0-0 Sitting on fastball over plate.
0-1 Sitting on fastball over plate.
0-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
1-0 Sitting on fastball over plate.
2-0 Sitting on fastball over plate.
3-0 Sitting on fastball over plate unless situation dictates take sign.
1-1 Sitting on fastball over plate.
1-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
2-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
3-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
Basically sit on your pitch untill you have two strikes then expand your zone and put the ball in play.
The fact is at some point and time you are going to get a good pitch to hit if you dont swing at bad pitches. When you get your pitch make it happen. Pitchers make a living by getting you to get yourself out by swinging at bad pitches. Agressively disciplined thats what I like to call it. In order for a hitter using this rule of thumb to get down in the count the pitcher must be able to paint on a consistent basis. Most High School pitchers I think most of you would agree are not able to do this. If batters are consistently hitting the ball hard whenever they throw strikes over the plate and not painting they will attempt to be much finer. This leads to pitchers getting behind in the count on a consistent basis. We all know what happens when this occurs. I am not saying that the ball has to be right down Broadway. Im talking about ball over plate. Dont go up there and swing at the first pitch that is on the outside black. Lets see if he can consistently do that before we start swinging at it.
0-0 Sitting on fastball over plate.
0-1 Sitting on fastball over plate.
0-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
1-0 Sitting on fastball over plate.
2-0 Sitting on fastball over plate.
3-0 Sitting on fastball over plate unless situation dictates take sign.
1-1 Sitting on fastball over plate.
1-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
2-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
3-2 Expand your zone put the ball in play.
Basically sit on your pitch untill you have two strikes then expand your zone and put the ball in play.
The fact is at some point and time you are going to get a good pitch to hit if you dont swing at bad pitches. When you get your pitch make it happen. Pitchers make a living by getting you to get yourself out by swinging at bad pitches. Agressively disciplined thats what I like to call it. In order for a hitter using this rule of thumb to get down in the count the pitcher must be able to paint on a consistent basis. Most High School pitchers I think most of you would agree are not able to do this. If batters are consistently hitting the ball hard whenever they throw strikes over the plate and not painting they will attempt to be much finer. This leads to pitchers getting behind in the count on a consistent basis. We all know what happens when this occurs. I am not saying that the ball has to be right down Broadway. Im talking about ball over plate. Dont go up there and swing at the first pitch that is on the outside black. Lets see if he can consistently do that before we start swinging at it.
Coach May, can't your hitters hit an pffspeed pitch?..Offspeed pitches that hang are excellent home-run pitches..
Tom,
You obviously haven't seen my kids play.
You obviously haven't seen my kids play.
RED
I dont care how good they are -- 10 year old cannot do mentally and physically what 17/18 year olds can do
TRhit
I dont care how good they are -- 10 year old cannot do mentally and physically what 17/18 year olds can do
TRhit
BlueDog
If you have your hitters sitting on an off speed pitch your hitters have a major problem
We are talking mindset here---you have to think fastball at the HS level or below--most pitchers at that level don't have another good pitch to go with the fastball
TRhit
If you have your hitters sitting on an off speed pitch your hitters have a major problem
We are talking mindset here---you have to think fastball at the HS level or below--most pitchers at that level don't have another good pitch to go with the fastball
TRhit
Yea, I personally would love to meet any 10 yr old team that is physically and mentally equal to a select high school team.
And sitting on a fastball does not mean don't hit the off speed; it just means that you are thinking fastball so you can hit it, or react to an off-speed pitch that isn't moving and is there for the punishing.
NJ Pitch
And sitting on a fastball does not mean don't hit the off speed; it just means that you are thinking fastball so you can hit it, or react to an off-speed pitch that isn't moving and is there for the punishing.
NJ Pitch
Tom,
I disagree. Most people don't think young kids can handle advanced concepts. I know there are things that I teach to 10 y.o. kids that H.S. kids have trouble handling in the same amount of time.
I will grant you the physical difference but I do not agree with the mental aspect.
I disagree. Most people don't think young kids can handle advanced concepts. I know there are things that I teach to 10 y.o. kids that H.S. kids have trouble handling in the same amount of time.
I will grant you the physical difference but I do not agree with the mental aspect.
You are entitled !!!!
TRhit
TRhit
You look fastball because you can ajust to the offspeed looking for fastball. If your mindset is to look offspeed then its over if you get gas. Yes my guys can hit offspeed fairly well. But we wont win many games with the mindset when we get in the box look hanging curve so we can hit homeruns.
As far as younger guys picking up on these advanced mindsets let me add this. I won a state AAU title with 11u a few years back. We were so more advanced than the other teams because I coached them to death in 1st third offense and defense. Bunt defense and bunt offense. Outfield cuts and double cuts. Leave the offspeed alone untill you have two strikes and hit the fastball. Most teams at the younger levels spend all their time fielding ground balls and taking bp. We spent our time broken down in three phases. Individual fundemental instruction such as fielding techniques, proper throwing ,catching techniques, pitching mechanics , base running and hitting including bunting. Phase 2 Team oriented: The above mentioned category 1st and thirds, bunt d and o, outfield cuts and double cuts and situations. Phase 3 the mental aspect of the game. Pitching for location and why. Changing speeds on fastball and why. Setting up hitters by pitching in reverse and forward and why. Hitting mindset having a game plan at the plate before you even step in the box. Now these kids were the cream of the crop talent wise in the area. They were more advanced talent wise than most kids their age. But I was amazed how much better we were than our competition that was just as talented. I know for a fact that kids will rise to the level that is expected of them. I always told them yes you are 11 years old but you wont beat the best 11 year olds by playing like 11 year olds. Im going to coach you like your 15. And you are going to play like your 15. And when you do those 11 year olds are not going to have a chance against you. And they didnt.
As far as younger guys picking up on these advanced mindsets let me add this. I won a state AAU title with 11u a few years back. We were so more advanced than the other teams because I coached them to death in 1st third offense and defense. Bunt defense and bunt offense. Outfield cuts and double cuts. Leave the offspeed alone untill you have two strikes and hit the fastball. Most teams at the younger levels spend all their time fielding ground balls and taking bp. We spent our time broken down in three phases. Individual fundemental instruction such as fielding techniques, proper throwing ,catching techniques, pitching mechanics , base running and hitting including bunting. Phase 2 Team oriented: The above mentioned category 1st and thirds, bunt d and o, outfield cuts and double cuts and situations. Phase 3 the mental aspect of the game. Pitching for location and why. Changing speeds on fastball and why. Setting up hitters by pitching in reverse and forward and why. Hitting mindset having a game plan at the plate before you even step in the box. Now these kids were the cream of the crop talent wise in the area. They were more advanced talent wise than most kids their age. But I was amazed how much better we were than our competition that was just as talented. I know for a fact that kids will rise to the level that is expected of them. I always told them yes you are 11 years old but you wont beat the best 11 year olds by playing like 11 year olds. Im going to coach you like your 15. And you are going to play like your 15. And when you do those 11 year olds are not going to have a chance against you. And they didnt.
The mindset of hitters.
To avoid the ongoing arguement about pitch counts,which I would have to agree with TR about. Youngsters haven't had time to understand all the posibilities.
The one thing I have always told kids that played for me, You have to step into the batters box with one thing in mind.
You are better than the pitcher and you are going win this battle.
That my friends is a mindset the other to me is part of learning the game.
To avoid the ongoing arguement about pitch counts,which I would have to agree with TR about. Youngsters haven't had time to understand all the posibilities.
The one thing I have always told kids that played for me, You have to step into the batters box with one thing in mind.
You are better than the pitcher and you are going win this battle.
That my friends is a mindset the other to me is part of learning the game.
I like Coach Mays approach. We lay off high balls completely. Look down for the ball and hit FB as much as possible . One other point. You must consider ...is this a good team and is this a good/great pitcher? If so, look fastball outside 1/3 of the plate. He is never coming right down "Peachtree" with it if he is good. If he does it is probably cutting downward and looks like something it is not.
I watch dozens of HS games per year and have coached everything from 4YO T ball to HS summer ball.
The Rogers Hornsby adage "The most important thing in hitting is getting a good pitch to hit" is my bible.
If every HS aged kid would sit dead red fastball with less than 2 strikes their performance would improve drastically.This goes for younger players as well (obviously).
I get so frustrated seeing kids repeatedly swing at first pitch breaking balls in the dirt and then take the ensuing fastball down main street. A HS pitcher who can throw the deuce for a strike more than 25% of the time is doing very well.
Young hitters should realize this and sit on the fastball.
The Rogers Hornsby adage "The most important thing in hitting is getting a good pitch to hit" is my bible.
If every HS aged kid would sit dead red fastball with less than 2 strikes their performance would improve drastically.This goes for younger players as well (obviously).
I get so frustrated seeing kids repeatedly swing at first pitch breaking balls in the dirt and then take the ensuing fastball down main street. A HS pitcher who can throw the deuce for a strike more than 25% of the time is doing very well.
Young hitters should realize this and sit on the fastball.
OK, thanks for the responses, now is there a point in all of this that what a coach teaches can be used agaisnt that team? In other words, if, as some of you refered to about sitting dead red, can an opposing team get ahead with off speed stuff and never have to throw the FB over the plate?
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
Coach...if you have a young pitcher (HS or younger) who can consistently throw offspeed and breaking balls for strikes early in the count you have a rare commodity indeed. Where most young pitchers have success with this is that overly aggressive young hitters chase bad breaking pitches.
If a kid throws 3 curveballs for strikes and gets a hitter the batter should tip his cap and take a seat.
If a kid throws 3 curveballs for strikes and gets a hitter the batter should tip his cap and take a seat.
rbinaz, I know it is crazy but I expect anyone that throws varsity to be able to throw 3 pitches for strikes at any time and 1 pitch never for a strike. I don't know how familure your are with pitching backwards but it is a great concept. I would explain it here but a lot of people I coach against read this site and so...
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen
