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I am a 13u player and I play for a high level, competitive team and every once in a while I'll fill in for another team that is more laid back and not as competitive. The teams they play are not very good either. The pitchers throw so SLOW. The teams I usually play against consistently throw 65-70 mph and then I go to this team and I saw a kid who consistently threw 35-40 mph! I tried everything. Up in the box, stay back, try to go oppo. But nothing seemed to work. I either pulled it foul or hit a hard grounder right to the 3rd baseman. What can I do to fix this?
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You couldn't ask for a better opportunity!  If you continue playing with good travel teams, you will likely continue to hit harder throwers well.  The big challenge as you move up is to become proficient at hitting a real pitcher who mixes well.  This will always include a good off-speed pitch.  You can use this "slow throwing" situation to practice the proper way to hit off-speed pitches. 

 

You are thinking along the right lines, you just need to put a complete plan in place.  Don't change where you are in the box.  As soon as you recognize off-speed (in this case, every pitch ), think oppo.  Let the ball travel deeper.  Anything middle/ middle away, try to drive it through the 3-4 hole on a line.  Stay inside the ball. 

 

You may need extra tee work with the ball back in your stance and away.  Never let the barrel get below the ball.  As you get better at this, you will find that when you are just a little early, your "misses" will be line drives up the middle.  And with this thought process, your brain will tell you when you need to turn on an inside hanger and your timing will allow you to do so.  Using this approach will help you tremendously down the road, not only with hitting off-speed but with your hitting mechanics in general and the ability to use all fields effectively.  But, you have to be mentally ready to take a few steps back before you go forward.  That means you have to be OK with looking bad sometimes in front of the guys that are on the laid back team. 

 

Lastly, it is great that you are looking for help against this type of pitching.  But never join in with the group that complains and uses it as an excuse ... "This guy is so slow I can't hit him".  Coaches HATE to hear it and it IS an excuse.  Be the better player.  Again, nice job looking to find ways to be that better player!

 

 

 

Last edited by cabbagedad
I am sorry, I know this is a sincere inquiry...
But, it reminded me of son's High School team. Politics were alive and well. If a player's Dad, brother had played for the school, or Coached one of their Travel Teams, it seemed that some kids, although nice young men, let's just say they weren't too athletic, although big kids,  and they appeared to get a free pass. Even if to ride the pine's.
But, I can remember this one particular player,  never a Pitcher, and who truly was not a Pitcher,  being called out to Pitch during a game. It got quiet. Everyone had th look of disbelief. Wondering what the Head Coach was thinking! 
Well, it seems the Coach knew what he was doing. For this big kid was slow at everything, including pitching. And the opponents couldn't hit his pitches! Go figure! 
Last edited by Shelby

You will see the pitching velocity pick up next year in 14u. 13u is a transition year to the 60/90 field. A lot of pitchers are just trying to hit the strike zone. By 15u the talent funnel whittles down the talent. You won't see many slow pitchers. But you will start seeing good pitchers improving at mixing up speeds. So use this year at learning how to stay back. Look at it as practicing hitting change ups.

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