Hitting adjustments for screwballs and defensive shift

[Northball]

Watching our local small school high school team, they played a team three times this season. All three games they faced the same opposing right-handed pitcher who throws around 53 mph. Her delivery was to start toward the 1st base side of the rubber, stride further to the side to what my estimation was outside the lane at least 50% of the time (but never called), and create an outside-in pitch using the angle as an advantage on top of a screwball type motion. The defense was shifted heavily toward right field with the assumption batters couldn't hit it toward the 3rd base side. This shrunk the effective area of the field down to about 3/4-2/3 of full size. 5 to 8 strikeouts per game, so most balls were put in play, but a lot of atom balls. These are not advanced hitters; no travel ball, no private hitting lessons, just HS and summer rec ball.
If you were up against this, what adjustments would you have your hitters make?

 

[Cornbread]

Couple things:

I would back hitters off the plate some and tell them to look for the ball inside. If a pitcher is comfortable throwing inside you want them to do what "could" make he uncomfortable. Make her want to throw outside.

I would bunt more vs the shift. Pitches inside are the easiest to bunt anyway. Make them adjust their defense.

I would make the coach chalk the pitching lane when yall are at home to make it more visible for the umpire. Chalk the inside of the rubber for the pitching lane. Don't make it wider lol.

 

[MoJo]

Watching college ball this past week there was a pitcher that started on the very right side of pitcher plate and would land right of pitcher lane. Very obvious and no calls about it.

 

[Lance Steckler]

hit ball early, don't let it inside. hammer a few off the LC fence.

 

[sluggers]

Teach the kids how to get hit by a pitch and crowd the plate. Take the inside pitch away.

 

[Chilixa]

I am a bit confused. Are they hitting towards the right side of the infield because 53 is fast for your teams hitters? Because I would think inside pitches would be getting pulled more often than not. Is the pitcher trying to hit the outside corner with the screwball on right handed batters? If she is primarily doing one thing I have my players sit on that pitch and drive the ball to the outfield. That takes away any shifts.


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[mmeece]

I'm also confused. Screwball should mean an inside pitch, which should be hit to the left side anyway. If she's trying to throw a screwball to the outside part of the plate then that should be pretty easy to hit at that speed. Crowd the plate and go get it.

 

[Northball]

I am a bit confused. Are they hitting towards the right side of the infield because 53 is fast for your teams hitters? Because I would think inside pitches would be getting pulled more often than not. Is the pitcher trying to hit the outside corner with the screwball on right handed batters? If she is primarily doing one thing I have my players sit on that pitch and drive the ball to the outfield. That takes away any shifts.


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53 is pretty average, maybe a little above. Her pitches tend to favor the outside part of the plate, and stepping outside the lane to create a bit more angle is an unusual look that the rh batters are not able to pull.

 

[Chilixa]

53 is pretty average, maybe a little above. Her pitches tend to favor the outside part of the plate, and stepping outside the lane to create a bit more angle is an unusual look that the rh batters are not able to pull.

If she is living on that outside corner you have your players crowd the plate. Don’t worry about pulling the ball and hit it hard to the right side. You will see a lot of teams adjust their defense based on how they are pitching a player in baseball and softball. Sounds like their strategy is to pitch to the outside corner and set their defense accordingly. But in my mind if the hitters know where the ball is coming it should be an advantage to them.


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