Confused on coaches comment

I am confused!


But what else is new

quote:

why would you want balls hit on the ground?

Umm - you don't. Grounders get gobbled up by slick fielding SS & 2B. They turn into outs and double plays (Son is slow - yes?) Hit line drives to gaps, those turn into doubles.

I listen to a college coach in NE that preaches to his pitchers to get ground balls and praises their effort when it happens. Then when the offense is at the plate he is encouraging them to hit the 'top half of the ball'. Sounds contradictory to me, as even the simplest laws of physics will reveal that hitting the top half of the ball will generate a projection pattern downwards on impact, thus eliminating line drives and home runs.

quote:

Hit line drives to gaps, those turn into doubles.

And, see right here, I put a nice dry comment about high school coaches, that I really don't can't do anymore.

Self-deletion is a difficult thing.

My 2 cents, the coach could be trying to say that hitting the ball on the ground gives you a better chance vs. hitting the ball in the air. Balls on the ground can find holes, or be booted easier than a fly ball.

That being said, there is still no guarantees either way. Tell you son to keep working and try and improve his speed and strength. As we all know there is always two sides to every story.

I have also noticed coaches that want ground balls, especially on the right side of the infield, in certain hit-and-run situations and with a man on second base to move runners along without bunting.

Other than that, obviously gapped line drives are preferable. I think coaches believe that a ground ball on the right side of the infield is easier for most players to execute than a double in the gap, especailly for the lower hitters in the order.

Not necessarily my opinion, just things I have seen/heard.

The only comment I would make is that if the coache tells you to hit GBs you hit GBs until you are told otherwise.
There are lots of contradictory things in baseball.
I hear coaches say that to pitchers because they are looking for an out or double play. They don't want the ball leaving the infield.
When your son plays for a team he should always do what the coach asks him to do right or wrong in your opinion. That little voice that tells you not to ask the coach is doing you a big favour.

quote:

Originally posted by dbg_fan:

quote:

why would you want balls hit on the ground?

Umm - you don't. Grounders get gobbled up by slick fielding SS & 2B. They turn into outs and double plays (Son is slow - yes?) Hit line drives to gaps, those turn into doubles.

I listen to a college coach in NE that preaches to his pitchers to get ground balls and praises their effort when it happens. Then when the offense is at the plate he is encouraging them to hit the 'top half of the ball'. Sounds contradictory to me, as even the simplest laws of physics will reveal that hitting the top half of the ball will generate a projection pattern downwards on impact, thus eliminating line drives and home runs.

You don't literally hit the top of the ball. You do want to hit the middle to the top of the ball because when it comes off the bat it gives the ball back spin. Back spin is what allows the ball to "carry" out to the outfield and over the fence.

This is where baseball is a game of "centimeters." If a hitter its too much of the top of the ball, then sure, he will hit it straight into the ground with lots of topspin. If he hits the bottom of the ball, he will pop it up. When we hit off the tee, they are supposed to be hitting the "inside and middle of the ball."

I ask my hitters and I want them to ask themselves the same 3 questions after every at bat...
1. Did I give the ball force?
2. Did I give the ball direction? (hitting it where its pitched)
3. Did I give the ball "line drive elevation."

To me, line drive elevation can be anything from a ball that I hit off/over the wall, to a ball that I hit between the SS and 2B that takes its first bounce right next to the base.

Give me a hard hit ground ball over a weak pop up or routine fly ball anytime. No bad hops in the air!

Assuming the hitter has been taught good mechanics, all he can do is:

Use those good mechanics at the plate.
Hit the ball where it is pitched, unless in a situation where pulling or oppo is required.
Use a "swing zone" (as opposed to the strike zone) appropriate for the count.
Take a good cut.

Having done the above, the ball will go where it will. Nothing else can be controlled by the hitter.

JMHO

What does a HS coach know anyway? All he is worried about is winning. Never mind your sons best interest! If he really cared he would teach him to hit line drives all the time. You know, the kind that cut through 20 mile an hour winds. Ground Balls are over rated!

Thanks! this is all good and interesting information. I tend to think he should try to hit line drives and since I wasn't there, I'm not sure what my son was considering hits. Earlier that day, coach asked him if he couldn't hit to the opposite field and so my son said the next time he went up he hit to the opposite field. That's when he said he needed to hit ground balls, maybe that's what he meant, ground balls to the right field. I don't know and of course there are two sides the story.

Thinking outloud,
Not endorsing anything but a swing designed and meant to be middle to the top of the ball that one gets under becomes a line drive. If you try to develop a swing plane more than horizontal and make that same miss-calculation, you got yourself a pop-up. Fly balls are outs if one thing gets done right....Ground Balls take 5 successful events to become an out. Again ~ I'm just thinking outloud.

I am thinking the coach is trying to get him to stop swinging for the fence and just meet the ball with a flat swing. At his age hitting the top or anywhere else is wishful thinking.

That's what I was trying to say! Thanks BobbleheadDoll