Pitching to big hitter

[NVfishing]

U10. DD is good with fastball and location and the change is getting there. With those two pitches in mind whats the best way to pitch to a big hitter? My DD has faced this girl 8 times. The girl hit a great shot off DD last night. DD had struck her out first 7 times. Girls 1st at bat last night she fouled off 5-6 times before striking out. 2nd at bat hit deep to right on low outside edge of plate.

Jambing her hands she's fouled to left. The girl is good and getting better.

Need some tactics.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Walk her if you have a base open.

 

[riseball]

Shift left fielder toward line and back up 3rd even with bag. Two consecutive change up 1 ball off inside for two quick foul balls. Fast ball away 2 balls off for swinging K'. If she does not bite, put heat on the hands.

 

[JJsqueeze]

All hitters have weaknesses, find it and pitch to it. Or just throw her chase pitches and take your chances with the next batter. I know you are looking for specifics, but it all depends on the specific hitter. If she hit a low-outside ball pretty well there is a good chance that she can't hit inside real well so I would try that side of the plate. Those girls that like extending to the outside usually don't like trying to hold their release to hit the inside pitch properly. They either look at it or hit it off the handle.

Since she fouled to left inside, I would use that to get a strike or two then use a changeup or low inside pitch.

 

[sluggers]

First, your DD has to understand that good hitters will hit her. It is inevitable. She has to accept that getting hit is part of the game, and that giving up a hit to a good hitter is not something to get upset about.

Why? Because the best way to handle the "big gun" in the lineup is to pitch well to the other eight batters in the lineup. That means that if the big gun hits her, she has to forget it and move on to the next batter.

The reality: The big gun will hit the pitcher sooner or later. Each time the big hitter sees the pitcher, the odds shift to the big hitter. If your DD TCOB (takes care of business), she'll face the big gun three times. If your DD starts walking people and letting weaker hitters get on base, she'll face the big gun four or five times.

If no one is on base, then the big gun can't do much damage.

If the big gun is up with runners on base, the approach is a little different. Good hitters become extremely aggressive with runners on base. They swing too freely and start thinking "home run". They don't take borderline pitches. So, the pitcher has to figure out the umpire's strike zone, and then pitch slightly out of the umpire's strike zone.

At 10U, the big thing will be to keep your DD's head screwed on right if (and probably when) the big hitter pounds her. So, she has to just shrug it off and get the next batter.

 

[Jojo]

Change-ups and off the plate. You say she can hit her spots, have her work her spots just outside the plate. Can she throw one high in the eyes?

 

[CoachFP]

First, your DD has to understand that good hitters will hit her. It is inevitable. She has to accept that getting hit is part of the game, and that giving up a hit to a good hitter is not something to get upset about.

Why? Because the best way to handle the "big gun" in the lineup is to pitch well to the other eight batters in the lineup. That means that if the big gun hits her, she has to forget it and move on to the next batter.

The reality: The big gun will hit the pitcher sooner or later. Each time the big hitter sees the pitcher, the odds shift to the big hitter. If your DD TCOB (takes care of business), she'll face the big gun three times. If your DD starts walking people and letting weaker hitters get on base, she'll face the big gun four or five times.

If no one is on base, then the big gun can't do much damage.

If the big gun is up with runners on base, the approach is a little different. Good hitters become extremely aggressive with runners on base. They swing too freely and start thinking "home run". They don't take borderline pitches. So, the pitcher has to figure out the umpire's strike zone, and then pitch slightly out of the umpire's strike zone.

At 10U, the big thing will be to keep your DD's head screwed on right if (and probably when) the big hitter pounds her. So, she has to just shrug it off and get the next batter.

Sluggers, are you serious when you say "good hitters" become extremely aggressive with runners on base? Makes you sound like you just walked by your first softball game. Good hitters do just the opposite. That's how they get called Good Hitters.

 

[starsnuffer]

This kid struck out 7 times and had a good day and now she's a good hitter?

-W

 

[smddad]

Sounds like what she's doing is working. The kid is 1-8 against your DD with 7 k's.

 

[NVfishing]

This kid struck out 7 times and had a good day and now she's a good hitter?

-W

There's not many girls in league that make contact with my DD. This girl can and is getting better at it each time we face her. 6 or so fouls the first at bat. This is league and our warm up for TB. About every third or fourth girl she faces is a TB player. My DD is ok giving up a hit here and there. 9ks 2 walks and 2 errors last night giving up one run. The hit hit our right fielder in the thigh, I would score it as an error. A TB player would most likely have caught it. This batter usually doubles or triples off most other pitchers in league. To me that's a big hitter in 10U.