How to show that you can hit, when you don't get pitched to?

A lot of times it's really hard with a small sample sizes, but my best answer is "do not miss the mistake". Unless the coach put up 4 fingers somewhere within the AB you had at least 1 pitch you could have hammered somewhere.

My kid is a HIGH OBP and take a lot of pitches batter. He won't swing at a pitch one inch out of the strike zone and often will take a strike (or two) waiting for the pitch he wants to hammer. As a dad spectator, it's frustrating because hits make noise and get attention.

Meanwhile I know other kids who go up there aggressive and rip at the first close pitch because they're thinking 100% hitter and zero percent patience. And, those are the guys getting 2 or 3 hits a game and getting attention.

While my son won't budge, if your son is considering being more aggressive, you might want to endorse it.

Is he really seeing that few strikes? 0.5 swings per plate appearance is extremely few swings, in mlb the average is around 1.5 swings per plate appearance.

If you track his stats what is his percentage of called strikes?

In mlb about 1 in 6 pitches is a called strike. Is he seeing way fewer than that?

Be honest about that, sometimes those patient hitters actually take a lot of called strikes and then the parents say "he has a good eye so the ump must have betrayed them" which in some cases is right but in many cases the "way outside" pitch actually was more middle away and should have been hit.

So the interesting question is is he really not seeing strikes or is he making the pitcher throwing 2 or 3 pitches into the zone before he puts one in play?

If he sees one called strike in every PA correct call or not he probably is a bit too passive (in mlb there are about 0.6 called strikes per PA).

So if you track him next time also track his total number of called strikes. Don't worry about correct call or not, just take the overall number.

It is OK to occasionally take a called strike early in the count to get a better pitch but if he has more called strikes than plate appearances he probably is too passive

@Dominik85 posted:

Is he really seeing that few strikes? 0.5 swings per plate appearance is extremely few swings, in mlb the average is around 1.5 swings per plate appearance.

If you track his stats what is his percentage of called strikes?

In mlb about 1 in 6 pitches is a called strike. Is he seeing way fewer than that?

Be honest about that, sometimes those patient hitters actually take a lot of called strikes and then the parents say "he has a good eye so the ump must have betrayed them" which in some cases is right but in many cases the "way outside" pitch actually was more middle away and should have been hit.

So the interesting question is is he really not seeing strikes or is he making the pitcher throwing 2 or 3 pitches into the zone before he puts one in play?

If he sees one called strike in every PA correct call or not he probably is a bit too passive (in mlb there are about 0.6 called strikes per PA).

So if you track him next time also track his total number of called strikes. Don't worry about correct call or not, just take the overall number.

It is OK to occasionally take a called strike early in the count to get a better pitch but if he has more called strikes than plate appearances he probably is too passive

Agree with everything that you are saying and appreciate the input / context. 

I looked at the book we keep at the school games (mind you I don't think we've seen anything +85 yet) 

He's had 5 pitches called a strike that he took.

Game 1

AB1 - Called Strike, Double

AB2 - B/B/B//Foul Ball/B

AB3 - B/CS/B/B/B

AB4 - LO CF

AB5 - B/HBP

Game 2

AB1 - B/B/Triple

AB2 - B/B/B/B

AB3 - B/B/B/CS/B

AB4 - CS (curve) /B/B/B/CS (curve)/B

And yes, in the Sunday games he's going deep into the count and taking pitches that are probably "hittable", but not what he was looking for.

I'll have him look that your response.

Does he have a fundamentally sound swing? Good bat speed and impressive exit velo? Perhaps he should do a PG showcase and have those metrics along with video of his swing sent to any interested scouts.

My son used to take a ton of pitches and walked a lot. I’d get the “not what I was looking for” after games. Took lots of curves for strikes. Then he set a goal for not taking strikes. I think he had 3 or 4 called strikes all summer. Funny thing happened, all of a sudden he was crushing curves. His approach now is if I can put a barrel I’m swinging. His OBP has suffered, but I’m sure a fly out to the warning track looks better than a 5 or 6 pitch walk.

Two truths … You can’t walk your way off the island AND you can’t walk your way to college ball. Hitters have to hack away and drive the ball.

After one strike prospects have to stop zoning and hack away. The pitchers are showing their stuff too. While they may be wild they’re all trying to throw strikes. Assume they’re going to throw strikes.

all good comments.  appreciated.  i'll pass along.

Sons had to learn no one comes to see you walk.  Swing a bat.  Even 3-0 both were most of the time given green light.  

Russ

do you chart all pitches when your son hits and then discuss after game? Do you understand that HS umpires will widen the strike zone on hitters who take, take, take. find a balance. My pitchers will throw first pitch strike or run laps.

Bob

My son was that type of hitter up until the summer before his senior year, he learned to get a lot more aggressive and hunt fastballs early in the count. His walk rate went down, his batting average went down maybe even slightly, but his slugging percentage went Way up. Now that he’s a freshman in his first College fall practices and scrimmages, it’s serving him well to be much more aggressive in games. The coaches recruited him to drive the ball into the outfield, And ideally over the outfielders head. I don’t think any of the coaches who seriously recruited him ever mentioned anything about on base percentage.

The goal should be high OBP plus high Slug. (high OPS). Put together a game plan to achieve that. The key is to not chase outside of the zone and capitalize with hard contact on favorable hitter counts.  A 1.+ OPS against good travel ball competition should get attention.

I do not like the walk too and you may not be able to walk off an island but you can strike out of your way to recruitment. It may be a tall ask to change an approach during the season and I am not a fan of adding more stress to a hitter. Yes this is a small sample but he is hitting balls in his "zone". I agree separate the "exposure" by going to a showcase.

It must be frustrating during games where you want to show you can hit but can't because no one is throwing strikes. I would say if the league your playing in has just straight up horrible pitching you should attend a reputable showcase full of solid talent to show it. You aren't going to get on the radar for schools if you only show you can walk and not swing the bat. Show aggression but not to where your just swinging at horrible pitches. I had a similar issue as a pitcher where I would throw pitches pretty much down the pipe because no one was swinging and mistake pitches ended up being strikes because hitting was so bad when I played. I ended up doing a few showcases that summer against solid hitting and was able to show that I can do an at bat against good hitting. You should do the same but as the hitter.

Russ; where does your son stand in the batter's box? If he standing off the plate and deep then "move up" and crowd the plate. change your bat size to 1/2' less.

Then you have strikes!!! Change back after a few games. The batter's box is your classroom.

Bob

He needs to play against better competition...competition that isn't afraid to challenge him.  Ditch the HS fall ball and get with a quality travel program that plays the best competition.

@Smitty28 posted:

He needs to play against better competition...competition that isn't afraid to challenge him.  Ditch the HS fall ball and get with a quality travel program that plays the best competition.

He does, he plays both. However in most areas the committed seniors are not playing much in fall tournaments/scrimmages, so the pitching talent in those events is watered down.

@russinfortworth posted:

Agree with everything that you are saying and appreciate the input / context.

I looked at the book we keep at the school games (mind you I don't think we've seen anything +85 yet)

He's had 5 pitches called a strike that he took.

Game 1

AB1 - Called Strike, Double

AB2 - B/B/B//Foul Ball/B

AB3 - B/CS/B/B/B

AB4 - LO CF

AB5 - B/HBP

Game 2

AB1 - B/B/Triple

AB2 - B/B/B/B

AB3 - B/B/B/CS/B

AB4 - CS (curve) /B/B/B/CS (curve)/B

And yes, in the Sunday games he's going deep into the count and taking pitches that are probably "hittable", but not what he was looking for.

I'll have him look that your response.

Be more aggressive, can't walk off the island, crowd the plate, etc.... @russinfortworth I just wanted to point something out. Kid roped a double his 1st AB in game 1. Then proceeded to hit a triple his 1st AB in game 2. From those points onward he likely didn't see much over the plate.

With some quick calculations, he is batting with a 666 average, 889 OBP, 2.555 OPS

I know this is only through 2 games (very small sample size) but if it ain't broke don't fix it! @2022NYC makes a great point. 

On a side note, it also matters where you bat in the lineup. Some guys will get pitched around to no matter the level of competition. It helps to have some protection behind you.

My son had a similar approach (only swing at pitches in his zone that he could drive, unless he had two strikes) because that was what he was taught coming up.  This resulted in a high on base percentage but quite a few walks mixed in with hits.  However, the summer after his freshman year, he began playing on a high quality travel program that attended more showcase type tournaments where more emphasis was placed on being seen by college coaches than on winning.  We both soon realized that the college coaches were not watching games to see guys walk.  Instead, they wanted to see which guys could hit the best pitchers.  As a result, my son began expanding "his zone" and became more aggressive early in the count.  He would also often swing at pitches 3-0 or 3-1 that were borderline balls/strikes that he would not swing at in a HS game, as he would rather get another hack in than walk (Note:  His travel coach encouraged him to do this).  In the end, this change in approach worked because he was recruited primarily based on how he hit at his travel ball tourneys.  As he finishes up his HS career and moves on to college, he will modify his approach to be more team oriented again (take on 3-0 if the pitch isn't grooved), but I will encourage him to stay aggressive because that is what has gotten him to where he is.     

On a side note, it also matters where you bat in the lineup. Some guys will get pitched around to no matter the level of competition. It helps to have some protection behind you.

Put a condom in your back pocket?

@RJM posted:

On a side note, it also matters where you bat in the lineup. Some guys will get pitched around to no matter the level of competition. It helps to have some protection behind you.

Put a condom in your back pocket?

That went in a weird direction... To each their own???

Are there really showcase pitchers who pitch around guys? Sure in school ball it can make sense to be careful with the middle of the order and then throw the 7,8,9 guys some heat down the pipe to escape the jam but if I was a scout I don't want to see how the fastball and breaker plays against the 8th hitter but I want to see how it plays against the good guys. Sure getting nuked isn't great either but if I'm a college recruiter I want to see his stuff against the good guys (as most college hitters hit middle of the line-up in HS)

I've definitely seen showcase pitchers pitch around guys, especially if the hitter smoked one earlier in the game.  However, instead of pitching around guys, I think I have seen more of them have trouble finding the zone because they are trying max out their velo in front of the scouts.

@JDUBSDAD posted:

I've definitely seen showcase pitchers pitch around guys, especially if the hitter smoked one earlier in the game.  However, instead of pitching around guys, I think I have seen more of them have trouble finding the zone because they are trying max out their velo in front of the scouts.

absolutely correct ^^^

Yes. Showcase and HS pitchers will pitch around a guy.

Paula

during the 17 years of the Area Code games, no pitcher had fear of a hitter.

absolutely none. The teams Coach Pro Scouts, said only fastballs the radar guns do not clock “change ups”! Josh Beckett at 97 mph,

Bob

My boys generally change their approach at the plate depending on the coach. In travel they are aggressive and will many times cut at the first pitch as it may be the best pitch they see. In HS ball, the coach will rip them for taking a swing at the first pitch as he wants to see them get deep into the count due to the limited number pf pitchers. That is his strategy. He generally doesn't chew on them if they get a base hit on the first pitch, but lord help them if they miss or roll over it. I will say that my boys have a hard time not hitting a grooved first pitch fast ball in HS ball. I have always encouraged them to be aggressive hitters no matter who they play for. Walks may improve their OBP, but to make an impression they have to be hitters.