Tips for adjusting to different pitch speeds

[Coz]

Hi,

I coach LL 10 & 11 y.o.'s. By and large, they are a good group of hitters. We've played 4 games to date. In 3 games we averaged 15 hits per but in one game we only scraped together 2 hits. The biggest difference was the pitching. In the big hit games, we faced traditional LL pitching- relatively slow and erratic. In the two hit game, we faced a kid that threw much harder but just as erratic, which kinda had our guys on their heels. We ended up winning (our pitching staff is pretty good) but it was a struggle.

Does anyone have any tips that I can give to our kids on adjusting from slow pitchers to studs throwing 60? They often have to make the adjustment mid-game, since often we'll see 3 or 4 pitchers per game because of the LL pitch restrictions.

Thanks! Coz

[merdon133]

We do this

Move them in the box! for slower kids move them to the front of the box and faster kids to the back. other then that practice at higher speeds.

[korp]

I agree for younger players I suggest moving their position in the box. I do not like moving around in the box as a college player because my adjustments for pitches I like to keep the same so the balls always look similar ... but at that level its about minor adjustments. Really you can have the players work all different types of pitchers at the same spot but its not a huge problem moving their position.

[TG Coach]

Move them in the box! for slower kids move them to the front of the box and faster kids to the back. other then that practice at higher speeds.

Move slower kids to the front of the box against faster pitching?

[TG Coach]

"Does anyone have any tips that I can give to our kids on adjusting from slow pitchers to studs throwing 60?"

Throw BP at sixty. Years ago when I coached Babe Ruth ball I knew we would be facing a fifteen year old who was throwing in the upper seventies. I pitched BP for two days at that speed. The first BP was ugly for half the team. The second day was better. The third day the kids ripped him in the game. He was accustomed to just bringing it in the strike zone.

[Thor]

Get older kids to throw BP

Further to TG's comment, ask kids from the upper leagues to throw batting practice to your players.

[merdon133]

TG you know I suck at typing

I meant to say for slower pitchers move kids to the front of the box

[Mark H]

"Does anyone have any tips that I can give to our kids on adjusting from slow pitchers to studs throwing 60?"

Throw BP at sixty. Years ago when I coached Babe Ruth ball I knew we would be facing a fifteen year old who was throwing in the upper seventies. I pitched BP for two days at that speed. The first BP was ugly for half the team. The second day was better. The third day the kids ripped him in the game. He was accustomed to just bringing it in the strike zone.

Agreed. And then they will struggle with slower pitching. But eventually they will learn to hit both...if their swing is quick from decision to contact.