Pitching Batting Practice

We throw live BP from the mound. Batters warmup and hit from T then go face live full out pitching. The pitchers throw full out and 4-5 rotate through for each batter. Strikes and balls are called by coach. We have a Pro mobile batting cage that keeps the balls gathered up and the coach can get a good look at the swings without getting hit.
We do the same in the winter but pitchers go behind an L screen because in is a little harder to pick the ball up.
We have pitching machies but I don't like them. I like soft toss and swinging off a T as long as coach is monitoring the mechanics.
Nothing as good as live pitching.

Bobble

I totally agree on the fact that live BP is the best

We have two ex pitchers on our coaching staff and we strive to get the players in the cage with the coach throwing at all events--one big thing here- while throwing they can advise the player on what he is doing right or wrong as they throw to him

Dad10,

On the field:

Works well if you have a small portable ramp (mound) and place it in front of the real mound. 45-50 feet from the plate. ( you’ll wear yourself out and have a much harder time throwing strikes from the full distance)

We like to use a catcher whenever possible. Easier to throw to and makes things move quicker. Usually just use the "turtle" for practice with no catcher though, except at showcases. We seldom even use a cage for showcases. This allows scouts a better view of the hitter!

Get a bucket of balls and place on a chair or stand next to your off throwing hand. If you have shaggers and screens on the field, place another bucket behind the screen behind 2B. Have a player there to receive all hit balls from other shaggers and deposit in bucket. When you start to run low on balls, tell the player at 2B to replace hid bucket for your empty one.

Remember to let pop ups drop before throwing the next pitch, if you have shaggers.

If you can do it, and just working with your son, throw from the mound (60’6”) and throw all the various pitches you are capable of. I wouldn’t just do that though. He needs to get lots of good swings in.

BP seldom will have much more than straight fastballs (50-60 mph) unless you can throw breaking balls from that distance.

Control is obviously the major attribute of a good BP thrower. Without good control you’ll never be a good BP thrower.

Also important is timing the pitches so hitters can time their swings. (not too quick, not too slow) Anything deceptive should be avoided unless your working on something specific. Changing arm angles, changing speeds, hiding the ball, etc. might be used with your son, but are complete no-nos in showcase type BP.

Throw pitches down the center, then go outside, then go inside, but keep pitches close to the strike zone. If throwing BP for instructional purposes, give your son different situations (runner at 2B – no outs), (runner at 3B – 1 out), (hit and run), (2 outs – no one on base), etc.

Not sure I’ve been a lot of help, but good luck.

Thanks!

My control is ok, not great at full distance, so I am usually in front of the mound and have good control and location from there, and move the Lscreen even closer if I want to sort of simulate faster pitching (I'm not a real hard heat kinda guy from full distance)

I try to do a couple rounds (20-30 pitches) of just BP fastballs, then a few Changeups and then I mix CUs and FBs for another 20 or so. I'm working on a Curveball, it isn't great but it's getting better, so we'll sometimes work on just those for a round. I just want it good enough to be effective for him to practice against it, and so far . . . well I'd say 4 out of 10 are good. I'm working at it.

I also try to work certain areas like low and away, areas that pitchers typically try to work him, just so he's prepared for them in a 2-strike count.

We end up doing another 20-40 FB at the end of BP.

Now I've gotta work on throwing lefty!

PG, I like the ideas of the situational hitting. We'll add that to the routine, thanks!

just wanted to wade in here. i use pitching machines almost exclusively with batting practice. also, i never do a batting practice without video taping the session.

the percieved downsides of pitching machines is that a) you can't teach proper timing off of them and b) the pitches are all in the same location.

Not true..

I have found that provided you show your hand as you drop the ball in the machine, the hitters can begin their timing sequence off your hand. This represents the pitchers foot hitting the ground or what ever the hitter has decided to trigger off of you have a tremendous success rate. We use the two wheel machine for curve balls.

With the 2nd perceived downside of using pitching machines (the ball taking exactly the same path with each throw) I use old baseballs. Some weigh a pound they have been in the water for so long. Some are torn a bit and take a slightly different route to the plate. You never get a pitch in the same place.

In closing, always tape your hitters. It can take a year to explain something that takes seconds to show.