Approach

[_MIA_]

@pattar

What now P?

You somehow turned this into a mechanics thread..you have a problem

 

[Work=wins]

You somehow turned this into a mechanics thread..you have a problem

they are kinda life partners.. but I did make sure everyone knew it. Lol. I do have a problem.

 

[BigSkyHi]

Maybe I can help confuse the issue

 

[Eric F]

If you don’t have some anterior tilt (posture) into toe touch you don’t have your legs (glutes) and a few things happen.. spacing will be lost meaning inside pitches will be hit foul. The hips are in the way so the hands must come around. The ability to wait on the low and away pitch will dissipate bc when the hips extend early you stand up which raises the knob of the bat which puts you over and around the ball. The hips are pulling too early (centripetal to centrifugal). The hands will set the direction of the swing. The hips will keep the body and hands going in the same direction longer or pull them off line.

So it’s not hit outside pitches or low pitches. Just ensure that your body is able to make adjustments as deep as possible with space to operate. Thinking outside and down does that coupled w a good set up or posture. Watch Mikes belt line not change one bit on the low pitch but comes up some for the other two. Notice the shorter stride for the higher pitches? Good posture w good reactions. Miggy set low but comes up pretty quickly.

edit: so when you see a pro working down and away his whole tee/toss routine. This is what he is solidifying. His ability to stay through the ball or on plane.

View attachment 24584

View attachment 24585

Look for down and away. Adjust from there.

Got it.

 

[erniekru]

Sheesh, I've noticed a lot of action in this thread and for whatever reason, stayed out. Now I've just read 12pages and that was quite the show. I think the approach should be "elevate and celebrate"

In all seriousness, as the game gets into the older divisions, it seems to be a battle more times than not. In our situation, DD is 15 and is playing top, top, top notch teams in 18u. She's faced seemingly every dominant senior pitcher imaginable (probably 10+ senior commits to top 20 div 1 schools). The overriding thing for her is AT BEST she usually gets one marginally good strike per at bat. If you let that go, its all downhill from there. Even in 18u, probably 60% of pitchers are aiming low/outside for strike 3. The others are great pitchers who are supremely confident and work hard and in on the hands. Riseball pitchers are different, they seem to throw that pitch ALL this time.

My advice is to learn to hit low outside with confidence and then adjust to in on the hands. (That is what DD is working on just this weekend)
Pic of 2 of her at bats where she took a pretty good strike and was left battling at 2 strikes, the second one is a crappy angle but the catcher is lined up in firmly in the river. Both of these were batted balls for outs.



I really wish that in the younger divisions DD was afforded the flexibility to K looking without such a stigma.. After all, an out is an out. I think it would have helped her in pitch recognition now that she's older. She's got to learn how to take a ball with 2 strikes, but its hard. You look at most NCAA batters and they KNOW when its a half ball out.

 

[Eric F]

...an out is an out.

I disagree with this. A ball in play has a chance to move runners. A K does not.

 

[erniekru]

I disagree with this. A ball in play has a chance to move runners. A K does not.

Of course, having the chance to move runners is important, especially in softball. But the flip side that scenario is swinging and getting bad contact on pitches thrown for a ball is also pretty damaging to the offense (basically why I posted the two photos that I did). Pitch recognition (ball vs strike) is VERY important, it is a very difficult skill and rewards batters via hopefully getting a better pitch in the future.

 

[_MIA_]

View attachment 24586

With a 10-0 lead in the 2nd inning and bases load I am selling out for a bomb...sorry

 

[erniekru]

With a 10-0 lead in the 2nd inning and bases load I am selling out for a bomb...sorry

Got one first at bat in the first!

 

[_MIA_]

Got one first at bat in the first!

I’m greedy