Looking for situational material.

This will probably be of no help but my son's travel coach was a fantastic teacher of the game.  They spent a lot of time learning about baseball and what to expect situationally so that when they were playing the game they didn't have to think about it.  It was just a reaction.  I know for my own boys just watching a lot of baseball and discussing what is happening and what to do or why they did what they did was a huge help.  

 

This might help... for you to read, and pass it down...

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ment...rmance/dp/1888698381

Thanks! I will take a look at that. I see a couple of other books that look interesting. LivingtheDream...it actually has been very helpful to watch games. I have MLB.tv. I watch a lot of baseball. I'm eyeing the MiLB for next year. I would bet the commentary for those games would address player issues a little more. 

Elijah;

can you teach your son to "read the bat".

Try to find a MLB team "playbook".

Study the Atlanta Braves philosophy in the 1990's.

 

Bob

<www.goodwillseries.org>

 

Yeah, watching a lot of baseball is good!  There are certain commentators, usually ex-pitchers, who do a good job of discussing pitch selection and strategy. Krukow and Shilling come to mind.  But keep in mind that MLB and MilB pitchers are going to have very different strategies than HS pitchers.  For example, a fastball in on the hands is a lot more effective against a hitter with a wood bat than it is against a hitter with a drop-5 BPF bat. And likewise for hitters. As an example, you see pro hitters having success sitting on off-speed pitches in certain situations.   This not something many HS players should and can do.

My son played 12u last year and in short, he should ask his coach how he wants his at bats handled.  Some coaches have STRONG feelings about:

1. First pitches, is the kid allowed to swing?

2. It's a perfectly thrown change up....but it's only pitch 1, is the kid allowed to swing?

3. Is there a particular pitch the coach wants him to wait on?

4. Three balls, one strike, is he allowed to swing?

5. Does he have to put the ball middle or away, or can he just put it in play?

 

There is no one universal rules of how to handle your at bat successfully.  If there was a sure fire method then EVERYONE would do it and it wouldn't really be effective anymore. To further complicate matters my son's 12u coach had different rules for different kids.

 

While I'm all for a kid getting out of his own comfort box and learning the mental side of the game, you may want to double check the coach doesn't have strong feelings on his own at bat rules for his team.

 

 

Brian Cain's books are great - http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Cain/e/B0089MPYGQ.  When he gets older, have him read "The Mental Game of Baseball" by Dorfman and Kuehl.  Or, if he becomes a Pitcher, "The Mental ABCs of Pitching" by Dorfman.  My son, somewhat to my surprise (because they are dense), could not put the latter 2 down and references them often.  One game, he played up and pitched against one of the top travel programs around and walked 3 in the first.  Went on to shut them down and get the W.  First thing he said when we got in the car (as he grabbed his book..which always had with him) was, "Without this book, I would never have gotten through the first inning today."

Bob, I do not know what you mean by "read the bat". Tried to Google it. Didn't yield anything. For the playbook, are you talking about offensive and defensive drills? Lastly, is there a source for the Braves philosophy that has been written about or are you just referencing in general? Thanks! I'm green but I'm willing to put the effort in for him.

 

I did find this: 
http://www.amazon.com/official...aybook/dp/0136309542

Yep, this is what I am talking about. Would you explain your last two sentences? Why wouldn't a high school batter wait for a pitch?

+1..definitely a keeper!

 

There are situations that may come up in games where a Coach's At-Bat strategy may be something he/she may want the player to adhere to some of these techniques...

But, if a player has to adhere to these rules at EVERY At-Bat - especially so at 12u, it will more than likely not develop the player...

I would RUN as fast as I could AWAY from a coaching style like this... 

I'll let his coaches handle that aspect of each game. He knows to follow their game plan. We have not had coaches thus far that get too deep into strategy for various reasons. Much of that is time constraints. My view is that anything we can do away from practice will help him grow. 

       
       
Cac I I have a slightly different take on that.  I really don't care what the 'coaches' think.  Especially if they are parents with no coaching experience beyond youth ball.  Unless you are horrible (probably coaches kid) you should always always always have a green light on 3 and 1.  Its 12 yo baseball we should be here to hit.  3-0 I could go wither way.  Bottom line go up looking to hit not take.  Now since we are looking to HIT not just swing we want to lay off 1st pitch off speed unless its extremely hittable.  Should always be looking first pitch fasball in your happy zone.  If its not there take it.  Balls down and away don't offer til you have 2 strikes. 1-0 and 2-0 should be no different than pitch one.  Obviously with 2 strikes you need to cover the zone.  If you are adept enough to do so foul off down and away pitches.  As for placing the ball I don't believe in that at all.  Hit the ball hard someplace.  When all else fails swing hard in case the pitcher hits your bat!!

If you're sitting on a change it's very difficult to adjust to a fastball.  From what I've seen most coaches feel most  youth and HS players should almost always look fastball and adjust to offspeed. 

 

They have a very good point.  But if I'm the #7 hitter and 1 through 6 have all followed the coach's rule that you never swing at a breaking ball until you have 2 strikes on you, and each of those first 6 hitters have watched a belt-high hanging curve go by, then I'm the rebel who is sitting on a curveball.

 

Which raises a good point.  #7 hitter should have a good idea what to expect on 0-0.  At 12U most kids are talking about video games, movies, snacks, friends, etc. while the game is going on. As they move up they must learn to watch the game and really pay attention 100% of the time.  I used to look up from my scorebook and innocently ask players on my 13U team  what the count was.  If they didn't know the count that earned post-game foul poles for the team.

Thanks JCG. That makes sense. I actually just read something similar to what you said about looking for fastballs. I appreciate your explanation. 

LOL, I did make my son run far away considering it was 12u.  The guy was used to being the paid coach of a 17u team.  Really great baseball knowledge, but way too much stress for 12u!  However, he did learn the valuable lesson that SOME coaches want what they want, you either do what they want-how they want, or you sit. Not great to have a team full of terrified stiff 12u kids, but like I said, I didn't give my son the option to play with him again.

Elijah;

you can google the Atlanta Braves for books on situations. Pedro Martinez provided the quest to study the "bat' during our International Goodwill Series [31 years].

 

When he pitch he watched the "on deck" hitter for his swing. Pedro already knew how he was to pitch the batter at the plate. In a recent discussion with a retired SF Giant Noah Lowry we discussed the game plan of pitchers. When Delmon Young made a great catch against the Japan National Team, I ask him how?

 

Delmon said Bob, "I studied the Japan LH hitters and with 2 strikes they always "inside out".

 

Delmon started running before the pitch hit the bat and made the catch in right center field at Blair Field in Long Beach. "a game of inches"

 

There are 100's of stories "observe, ask questions and evaluate".

 

Bob

 

The ultimate resource is, as others have stated, "The Mental Game of Baseball".  However, your 12 y.o. son may not be ready or willing to jump into a book like this.  It's not too complicated.  He just may not want to read a book about how to mentally play the game he likes to play naturally.  You would know him better than we in that regard.

 

At 12, don't try to get TOO deep with him.  But certainly start exploring the basics.  Let's look at some widely accepted generalizations...

 

Pitchers have most control of their fastball and will throw it in counts when they have to throw a strike.  1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 2-1.  And they are instructed to work ahead so they will also throw it very often at 0-0.  Hitters should be looking fastball (particularly in these counts) and adjusting to off-speed.  Swing only at FB in counts where you are way ahead and pitcher shows he has these typical tendencies.  Build your swing to be quick to the ball and able to catch up to any FB velocity.

 

Pitchers are instructed to work mostly down and away because that is the hardest place for most hitters to hit the ball hard.  Hitters should work hitting oppo often so they are efficient at hitting that pitch well.  Make sure you are close enough to the plate to have good coverage of that outside pitch.  With two strikes, it is often a good approach to get even closer to the plate so that you know for sure the outer pitch is off the plate and to put more pressure on the pitcher to be careful he doesn't hit you if he tries to come in.

 

Most pitchers have an off-speed pitch that is recognizable in some way - (big arc/hump, spin, different arm angle, slower arm speed).  Hitters should learn how to recognize to the point where it becomes somewhat instinctive/automatic.

 

Most undisciplined hitters are not balanced and get out in front of off-speed pitches.  Learn a balanced mechanical swing that will allow you to gear for a fastball and adjust (stay back/balanced) to off-speed.  Learn to think "go the opposite way" with off-speed pitches.  This will allow you to stay back/balanced.  Only attack those pitches in a pitcher's count ... 0-1 or anything with two strikes except full.

 

Hitters should have the mental approach that "I'm hitting until I'm not".  Anticipate that the pitch is one you want to hit until you recognize that it is not.

 

Hitters should work to identify what specific pitch location they hit best and build a mental/visual zone centered around that spot that they will attack when they are ahead or even in the count.  This zone should be big enough that the hitter is aggressive but small enough that he doesn't swing at pitches he can't crush.  Adjust stance in relation to the plate accordingly - put the advantage on your side instead of the pitcher's side.

 

When behind in the count, a bigger zone should be visualized - one that is tied more directly to the actual strike zone.  With two strikes, shift the emphasis somewhat from "intent to crush" to "intent to make good contact and put the ball in play" but still crush a mistake over the middle of the plate.

 

Hitters must learn at an early age to recognize and stand in on a breaking ball that starts at them.  Turn the right way to take the hit.  Keep the front side in so you can stay on the pitch.

 

Watch each pitcher's tendencies closely on any given day to identify any necessary adjustments to the plan above.

 

If a 12 y.o. can grasp the concepts of these nine short paragraphs and start putting them into practice, he's way ahead of the game.

cabbagedad, 

 

Wow! Good stuff. I have heard bits and pieces about much of what you wrote but having all that in one post is welcomed. The good news is that my 12u seems to pick up quickly and has good retention. Thanks!

He's 12. Hitting approach should be to hammer fastball strikes. Take any offspeed with less than 2-strikes. Use this approach until he faces hitters that can throw 3-offspeed pitches in an AB for strikes. Probably will work until he's dang near 18.

 

Books: Heads Up Baseball by Ken Ravizza is perfect for a 12-year old and the foundation of the rest of what he will need to know. 

 

Mental Conditioning for baseball by Brian Cain is something you should read and apply the techniques to working with your son.

 

THose two books should cover most of what you need till he hits the Minor Leagues.