Pitching to big hitter

[chinamigarden]

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.

Your dd struck out a girl 7 times in a row and finally gets a hit off her and you want to know what your dd could be doing better? Keep doing what she is doing it works

 

[chinamigarden]

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.

Lots of hitters are coached to expand the strike zone a bit with runners on. A walk drives in one run at most a double clears the bases. In reality with runners on a walk is not as good as a hit

 

[GunnerShotgun]

A pitchers job is to get the lineup out, not to get one particular batter out.

 

[sluggers]

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.

First, the OP is not about the usual "good hitter"...the OP is about the big hitter. This is the player who intends to smack the **** out of the ball AND has the skills to do just that. This is not the kid taking on 3-0 or when the team is behind in the 7th inning.

The big hitters don't chase balls they can't hit...but, their pitch selection is different. They can hit pitches that aren't in the strike zone, so they aren't going to take a lot of pitches. When there is a runner on base, their eyes light up.

The key is not to throw inside pitches they can turn on (i.e., throw inside pitches well off the plate) and then pitch at the edge of the strike zone.

I watched a HS player who started for the one of the PGF champions. She is an excellent player. She was up with the bases loaded. Rather than drive the ball, get the basehit and drive in two runs, she was trying to hit a 6 run homer.

They are expected to hit the ball, not get walked--and they know it.

 

[Greenmonsters]

There's been some good advice given so far; however, IMO, the best way to pitch to a 10U big hitter is to distract her i.e., look at that cute puppy by the fence, oh no, it looks like the ice cream truck is getting ready to leave before we'll be done etc. If that fails, you could always bring in a closer with a 65+ rise.

My DD's HS team had a unique home field advantage - their school field and town rec fields they grew up on were right near an little airport with an active skydiving club; while DD and her teammates had grown accustomed to it since age 6, many opposing players (HS age included) just couldn't help but sneak peeks at the jumpers and colorful chutes floating overhead during games. It drove opposing HS coaches crazy.

 

[NVfishing]

So far inside at the knees has been the only thing that works. She doesn't swing at junk. Steps to the ball when it's on the outside edge close.

Going to throw CU first next at bat since the outside edge at knees got hit. Then inside low fastball.

 

[starsnuffer]

This is a problem that will resolve itself as your daughter develops more pitches. There is a reason the fastball isn't used very much as they get older. It's a hittable pitch. A decent pitcher is going to hit a fastball thrown for a strike, unless the speed is absolutely overwhelming. If the kid is "stepping to" the outside pitch, then the fastball isn't overwhelmingly fast, because the hitter has time to adjust. You won't see this kind of thing at higher levels.


-W

 

[MsDinosaur]

My advice would be to keep doing what she's been doing. But in the situation where a big hit's going to hurt, IMO just go ahead and walk her once she's gotten as far ahead as either 2-0 or 3-1 in the count.

BTW, I agree with what sluggers said, a big hitter doesn't even necessarily need a strike; they just need a pitch THEY can hit. If they're feeling it, a pitch deliberately thrown to be out of the strike zone can end up zooming the other direction in a big hurry.

 

[SBFAMILY]

If she is a lefty power hitter. Throw her a change up inside, while her dad is the first base coach!!! Then laugh out load as he cusses at you and dives into your doughout. Just for my buddy Boulderdad!