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Pre-game BP

J jayhook10+ posts
I raised the issue on the coaches tip board and didn't get much feedback. Maybe it's better suited here. What are your thoughts on taking BP before games? Do teams typically do it, why? Or is it just pre-conditioned or a quirky baseball ritual?

I'm a parent of a 13-yr-old travel ball player. And I raise the question not to second-guess a coach or be a pain in the butt.

Other teams my son has been on always went to the cage for BP before games, and so I'm perplexed by a new situation. We're with a coach who apparently doesn't believe in BP. He does a very minimal amount of soft toss before games - maybe 10-12 balls per kid.

I haven't inquired about his philosophy. I don't know if it's because he and his assistants can't or don't want to throw BP. In a pinch, I could throw or maybe even sollicit other fathers. At the same time, I don't want to put the coach on the defensive or act like I'm trying to show him up.

Any thoughts on how best to handle the situation? And getting back to the original question, does BP really matter? Thanks
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P powertoallfields1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by thirdsacker66:
I would think if pro, college , and hs teams take bp it might be something to it.




Many times in HS ball and in Travel ball, there just isn't time to take BP before games and in many places, there aren't facilities to do so. If you have the facilities and opportunity, fine, but it's not going to change how well you do at the plate that day, IMO.
floridafanfloridafan5,000+ posts
With all due respect PTAF if batting practice is going to have any effect it should be realized quickly and be evident during the game.

Players get to loosen up after a bus ride perhaps, swing the bat, adjust timing, track the pitches, and basicly get into their groove, get into the zone mentally.

Yes, mechanically nothing may be gained by pregame BP, but the mental part, which is HUGE should benefit if the athlete takes this time to remember to see and read the ball.
P powertoallfields1,000+ posts
Floridafan,

I agree with what you are saying, if the facilities are always available before each game. Here is the problem though, if you get in the habit of taking BP before games and you hit well when you do and then all of a sudden you don't get to take BP and you hit poorly, what is that going to do to your confidence? Some kids will be thinking, "oh man, I didn't get to take BP today! I can't hit if I don't take BP before the game!"

All I'm saying, is that kids can hit the ball just fine if all they ever do before a game is take soft toss. Keep in mind that this guy is asking about a 13 year old travel team. When they travel they are not going to have the opportunity to take live BP before each game.
Last edited by powertoallfields
J jayhook10+ posts
Good point, these are 13 yr olds, not quite high school kids yet. That said, they play at a reasonably high travel ball level. It's not a matter of fields not also having cages. Never been an issue. We're talking a coaching philosophy here, as well as the fact neither coach throws BP. My issue - right or wrong - is the first swing of the day shouldn't be off a live pitcher.
P powertoallfields1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by jayhook:
Good point, these are 13 yr olds, not quite high school kids yet. That said, they play at a reasonably high travel ball level. It's not a matter of fields not also having cages. Never been an issue. We're talking a coaching philosophy here, as well as the fact neither coach throws BP. My issue - right or wrong - is the first swing of the day shouldn't be off a live pitcher.




I'll just say that I helped Coach my son's travel ball team from age 13 to 15 and we were able to take BP about 1/3 of the time before a game and the rest was soft toss. There was no difference in number of hits between the two.

How long before a game do College and Pro teams take BP? About 2 hours? Example, a guy takes BP 2 hours before the game and comes in a pinch hits in the 9th inning. How much good did that BP do him? It's just a mental thing and what you get used to. You can believe me or not.
RJMRJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007
A drawback to travel ball is if it's tournament ball there isn't an opportunity to take BP on the field. Some facilities will have a cage. Get in the cage if it's possible. When we can't get in cage we do front toss with pickle balls or whiffle golf balls.

My son likes to hit on Friday nights before tournaments. If we have a late Saturday start he likes to hit Saturday morning. As soon as he drives a few he'll step out of the cage even if there are more pitches. The games are far too much later to have a BP effect. He takes these BP's for positive mental imagery.

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