Does position in the batting order matter?

[Justafan]

Would you consider her an aggressive hitter who can hit pitches further out in the zone, in out up or down?. Or is she more of a selective hitter only swings at certain pitch locations?

Hbp and walks is productive in its own way.
when in 4 slot
Are you seeing more strikeouts? Or are you just seeing she's not hitting as much with the same amount of strikeouts as in 7 slot?

She tends to have a different approach for 0 or 1 strike vs. 2 strikes. She's relatively selective on 0 and 1, although doesn't let many strikes go by. Swings at anything close on 2 strikes, she's a pretty good contact hitter. Doesn't strike out often but has seen more at the 4 slot. But we're talking 1 in the 7/8 slot vs. 2 or 3 in the 4 slot all summer. She's a catcher so has a relatively good sense of the strike zone.

She struggles hitting a change up so that might be it. She might be getting more change ups higher in the order.

 

[RADcatcher]

She tends to have a different approach for 0 or 1 strike vs. 2 strikes. She's relatively selective on 0 and 1, although doesn't let many strikes go by. Swings at anything close on 2 strikes, she's a pretty good contact hitter. Doesn't strike out often but has seen more at the 4 slot. But we're talking 1 in the 7/8 slot vs. 2 or 3 in the 4 slot all summer. She's a catcher so has a relatively good sense of the strike zone.

She struggles hitting a change up so that might be it. She might be getting more change ups higher in the order.

If the opposing pitching has good control and she's letting herself get to two strikes until she gets more aggressive and less selective. Could imagine the next pitches she is getting are further out of the zone could be cause of swings and misses.

Me. I am aggressive regardless of pitch count stepping in the box.

But feedback in her situation, because she does like to be selective , going to offer this suggestion...

Would be more aggressive with one strike, and stay aggressive...
instead of still being selective until two strikes.

Difficult to make an assessment why you're seeing a difference without actually seeing her performance over time in the two different hitting slots. But there is something she can do to promote being more productive and that's go for more green lights sooner in the count generally are better strikes.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Hi all, I'm just curious what you all think about batting order and success at the plate. My DD finally switched teams/orgs. She started off in the 7or 8 slot and had good success at the plate. She then got moved up to the 4 slot and suddenly wasn't hitting. Does get more walks and HBP but also more strikeouts. Gets moved back down and is hitting again. Similar pitching, pretty good teams with experienced pitchers. She's never really hit in the 4 slot so just trying to figure out if she's getting different pitching as a 4 slot hitter or if it's mental, she feels more pressure. She's been moved back and forth now a few times and it's the same pattern. She has to figure it out either way and is good for her to have the recognition of hitting well (in the past always was kept low in the order or simply didn't get put in the lineup, even with highest BA on the team).

Just curious on your opinion of what's going on and any advice on approach when put in the 4 slot. Thanks all!

Have you asked her if she feels more pressure?

"simply didn't get put in the lineup, even with highest BA on the team)."
That makes no sense. I seen plenty of not so smart coaches but never have I seen a coach sit the player with the highest BA on the team.

 

[Rolling Hard]

As far as being aggressive. The second you step in the box you should be confidently aggressive. Yes, yes, yes approach. Every time you take a strike your batting average goes down (fact). Pitching is only going to get tougher and if the hitter is simply taking strike one because its not a pitch she likes (say outside and low) guess where the next pitch is going to be? Yep! Outside and low again. Now she is in a big hole. Learn how to hit all strikes and remember if the ump calls it a strike, its a strike.
There is a pretty famous coach that during friendlies if a batter takes a hittable pitch (called strike), he informs the ump that she is out and sends in the the on deck hitter. A little harsh but he sends a message to be aggressive.

 

[Justafan]

If the opposing pitching has good control and she's letting herself get to two strikes until she gets more aggressive and less selective. Could imagine the next pitches she is getting are further out of the zone could be cause of swings and misses.

Me. I am aggressive regardless of pitch count stepping in the box.

But feedback in her situation, because she does like to be selective , going to offer this suggestion...

Would be more aggressive with one strike, and stay aggressive...
instead of still being selective until two strikes.

Difficult to make an assessment why you're seeing a difference without actually seeing her performance over time in the two different hitting slots. But there is something she can do to promote being more productive and that's go for more green lights sooner in the count generally are better strikes.

Thank you - really good advice. She's pretty aggressive, often will get her best hits off the first pitch, fouls off a lot. I wasn't clear about the difference in her 2 strike approach vs. zero or one, I think it's her swing and hitting anything that might be a grey area. If she thinks it's a ball but is on the edge. She doesn't often let strikes go by. We've been known to ask her when she lets a good strike go by, what happened. Most of the time, she was given a take. It is a good reminder though, she can always use reminders to keep aggressive. Her previous coach taught the team to wait for their pitch. If she hit a single off an ok pitch that wasn't "her" pitch she was told it wasn't a good at bat.

 

[RADcatcher]

Thank you - really good advice. She's pretty aggressive, often will get her best hits off the first pitch, fouls off a lot. I wasn't clear about the difference in her 2 strike approach vs. zero or one, I think it's her swing and hitting anything that might be a grey area. If she thinks it's a ball but is on the edge.

She doesn't often let strikes go by. We've been known to ask her when she lets a good strike go by, what happened. Most of the time, she was given a take.

It is a good reminder though, she can always use reminders to keep aggressive.

Look how opposite be aggressive is then both of these coaching comments you shared.

Her previous coach taught the team to wait for their pitch. If she hit a single off an ok pitch that wasn't "her" pitch she was told it wasn't a good at bat.

Mehhh don't really like take sign unless there's a particular thing that's being looked for on the field with say a runner on. coaches that are calling takes are putting players in the hole.

Also don't care for the word waiting.
What are we waiting for pizza?...

RollingHard sums it up well.

 

[Justafan]

Have you asked her if she feels more pressure?

"simply didn't get put in the lineup, even with highest BA on the team)."
That makes no sense. I seen plenty of not so smart coaches but never have I seen a coach sit the player with the highest BA on the team.

I have but she's 16, I get a "no, not really". I think it could be just confidence. She was led to believe that she wasn't a good hitter for so long that it's hard to get out of that mindset.

She sat with the highest BA, highest OPS, Slugger, RBI for months on her previous team but never made the starting lineup in bracket play. She also had the best fielding %. She gave it such a go with that team trying to find a way into the lineup, it was ridiculous. She kept asking the coaches, what can I do to get more playing time or in the lineup. She'd go accomplish what they asked, but she never saw the playing time. This is a team with a small 12 person roster. I believe it was a case of not being able to forget who she was and see her for the player she is today. The coach had his 9 and it didn't matter if they were hitting .100 and making error after error, they played and she didn't. It's fine, she's in a great situation now. Cost me some money for her to switch but well worth it to get out of the insanity.

 

[Justafan]

Look how opposite be aggressive is then both of these coaching comments you shared.


Mehhh don't really like take sign unless there's a particular thing that's being looked for on the field with say a runner on. coaches that are calling takes are putting players in the hole.

Also don't care for the word waiting.
What are we waiting for pizza?...

RollingHard sums it up well.

Ha! Completely agree. She's done with this coach now, whew! Has some great coaches on her new team!

Waiting for pizza....I'm going to use that

 

[dogpatch]

Hitting 7th or 8th is a good remedy for treating a batter in a slump. She will see better pitches to hit which can be a confidence booster.

 

[lostcreek1]

Only if you want more at bats.