"Just throw strikes" Is there an alternative?

[sluggers]

There is another thread about a coach saying "just throw strikes" to a pitcher. Many people are upset by a coach using that phrase. So, exactly what should a coach say to the child?

The coach is really saying, "If you walk another batter, I am taking you out." However, I have a feeling that if the coach said that, then the parents would be complaining that the coach is putting too much pressure on the child.

On the other hand, "You're doing great. Keep your chin up!" after she walked three batters in a row seems ridiculous, considering the coach will pull her after she throws another ball.

A coach can't simply let the pitcher stay out there and walk a bunch of batters. And, it seems that some warning to the pitcher is warranted. So, what should the coach say?

I personally never said anything during a game other than a "come on, you can do it." Of course, I had previously told the pitchers and parents there was a "two walk" limit, so no one was surprised when the pitcher got pulled.

 

[Bucketrider]

Encourage her to "Let the seven behind you back you up!", "Let your defense work". If your pitcher realizes that letting the batter hit the ball is not the worst thing in the world as her defense will be able to get the out. If she feels she has to strike everyone out, then they become obsessed with missing the plate, which is exactly what she will need to do in 14U and above. At that point a pitcher tries to make them miss on pitches NEAR the plate. Remember always Bull Durham-"Crash Davis: Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic. "

 

[nanotech14]

Encourage her to "Let the seven behind you back you up!", "Let your defense work". If your pitcher realizes that letting the batter hit the ball is not the worst thing in the world as her defense will be able to get the out. If she feels she has to strike everyone out, then they become obsessed with missing the plate, which is exactly what she will need to do in 14U and above. At that point a pitcher tries to make them miss on pitches NEAR the plate. Remember always Bull Durham-"Crash Davis: Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic. "

I agree with you about this,but too many coaches and PC want the girls to throw fast.I have listened to this local supposed expert in are area praise these fireballs hitting the ground 5ft. in front of the plate and hitting the top of the backstop and tell them how great they are doing.I also watched girls that might not be setting the air on fire,but throw really well,and this guy not say a word to them.The girls with good control have been more productive then these fireballers,and guess what the girls with control are starting to pitch just as hard and faster then some of these fireballers.My dd might not be the fastest in are area,but she also doesn't give up 8 runs in a inning and thats with out the other team even hitting the ball.They also have really good mechinics ,so that argument doesn't apply here.

 

[curiousgeorge]

My DD sees Bill Hillhouse for lessons. The first thing he does with kids is teach them WHY the ball goes where it goes so they understand it. That is an extraordinarily powerful tool for a pitcher to have, knowing why the ball is not doing what they want and why strikes are not being thrown. When they know WHY the ball is going offline, they will have a much better chance of fixing what's broken. This is when the correction for each problem is taught. The pitches keep going inside is because of "this". The pitches keep going outside is because of "that". Etc. The answer is not to slow down and throw strikes, instead it's to fix what is broken (Bill's words, not mine).

cg

 

[quincy]

"Pitch like you have been practicing."

 

[abbygale]

I think saying "just throw strikes' is about as smart as saying "just throw the ball over the backstop". You need to start the game with a plan for your battery and they need to know what it is. If it's not working, then its not working. Don't demean your pitcher, pull her.


And if you as a coach don't know what to say, that's on you. "Just throw strikes" is a sign of inexperience or lack of preparation.

Alternative: Time...Blue!

 

[obbay]

The coach is really saying, "If you walk another batter, I am taking you out."

I disagree. what the coach is saying is don't try to strike them all out, let them hit. let your fielders play. don't think so much, just throw it and let 'em hit it if they can.

 

[PA SB Dad]

In TB, kids should be working hard enough on pitching outside of practice that they should be able to throw hard and throw strikes. If they do not have good control, take them out until they do and earn circle time back from the other pitchers who have speed and control.

I run the softball program for our local LL, and I am not a big fan of the "just throw strikes" mentality, even in rec ball. The reason is that at the younger ages (10U and 12U), the kids quickly realize that slow meatball pitches over the plate earn them praise as a "good" pitcher. The parents see that DD is a good pitcher and do not bother get her formal pitching instruction, but will bring DD to the occasional pitching clinics I set up (which I do strictly to enforce the notion with parents that this is something that few kids can learn on their own, especially without practice!). I've seen a number of kids who were "great" 10U and 12U rec pitchers quickly learn that it is not so fun to throw meatballs to older players, but they've never learned otherwise. In my limited esperience, mentally it's hard for them to make the jump learning to throw hard unless the pitch is a strike. I don't know if it's because they've never learned to work hard at pitching, or because they don't like not "throwing strikes". I'd love to hear others thoughts on this, as I have spent the past few years trying to develop our rec league pitchers with limited success (the successful ones move quickly to TB).

 

[Chris O'Leary]

There is another thread about a coach saying "just throw strikes" to a pitcher. Many people are upset by a coach using that phrase. So, exactly what should a coach say to the child?

The thing that used to go through my head when people would say that is, "What the &*@$ do you think I'm trying to do?"

I use phrases like...

- Focus on the glove and let it rip.
- Trust your stuff.
- Let your defense do their job.

Also, the last two cues only work if your defense is doing their job.

 

[PEPPERS]

I tell my daughter to throw to the limits of the ump and no more. IMO throwing the ball down the middle of the plate to a good hitter with a $300 bat is asking for trouble. I would rather her be taken out of the game for walking too many batters that be carried off in an ambulance for throwing the ball down the middle.

We have a very mature catcher and I tell her to talk to the ump and ask were we are missing and maybe say those look really close and my pitchers needs those to be effective and if that don’t work then so be it.

Her HS coach drives her crazy she will call only one or two pitches, last night only cure and drop no other pitches, sometimes a hole game and only a fastball. No matter how good a certain pitch is working batters catch on eventually.

As curiousgeorge advised Hillhouse teaches why a ball goes where it goes and knowing that and being able to adjust and how to adjust is a big part of being an effective pitcher JMO.

When my daughter and I work to gether and a pitch is off the mark. I ask, Why did it go there? Then I ask, What do we need to fix it? I make her answer it gets her thinking.