Batting average?

[24GahannaLadyLions7]

If on the other hand you are talking about "A" level tournaments in OH at 12u that would be on what people sometimes say as "Elite level, national level, top-tier" as defined by drawing "nationally competitive" teams from the entire Midwest and beyond... there are only a handful in Ohio that I am aware of that are even put together for that purpose and draw accordingly: Mark Skapin's Fall into Madness, DeMarini Fall Brawl, Stingrays, Outlaws Summer Invite, OH PGF Qualifier. I cannot think of any other events in Ohio where you will find teams like NJ Intensity, IL Chill, Bev Bandits, Finesse, IA Premiere, IN Magic Gold, Indy Gators, Indy Prospects, etc... coming to play on our turf. Apologies ahead of time if I left one out... just going off memory.

IF you are playing that type of competition week in and week out-- .350-.400 BA would be a pretty good IMO

 

[spartansd]

Just curious, why do you rate BA above QAB. Me an my other coaches talk about this a lot. I know and understand the importance of BA, but when devoting all the time we do to instruction and making sure these girls do things the way they are being taught, I would rather my DD see 4 or 5 pitches then crush the ball and make an out than swing at the first pitch and have a weak little pop up drop between the infield and outfield. I know its those little "Texas Leaguers" that may help win games but it isn't justifying the money I am spending on lessons.

My first time through at 12U I think I was all over the place on what is most important.

When discussing my daughters at bats we only have one discussion point. QAB but we do not use the Game Changer stat as our measuring. The goal it to bat 1.000 every weekend with this stat. Strikes outs are a no no, pop ups are a no no. Girl on 2nd or 3rd with 2 strikes I better get a ground ball to the right side. The expectation is to have a useful at bat to the team every time up if possible.

As they have gotten older (1 playing in college the other a HS JR) we discuss sitting on pitches and studying the pitchers. Most pitchers will get into a rhythm and you can often have a good idea of location and pitch based on count and stress. Yes if you watch a pitcher long enough they typically have a go to pitch they like to throw. It may be an un-hittable rise ball but at least you will have a good idea what is coming. Life gets tougher in the upper age groups if you are facing good pitchers. So you gotta keep looking for those advantages.

The point is that you need to set up a way to test and measure that keeps them focused on the process and the moment and not be focused on the results. Because focusing on the results created stress and then lack of focus on the now.

But obviously at the end of the Summer if you are a good hitter you should be hitting .350+ if playing A level ball and seeing good pitching.

 

[lewam3]

Honestly, at 12u, as a coach, you know you really don't look at BA, OBP, QAB, etc. You don't need stats.
Everyone on this forum will admit that you do not need stats to know who the good batters are. Every Class A 12u coach knows who hits the ball hard and who draws walked and who drives in runs. That coach knows who also grounds out, K's and leaves runners stranded. You simply don't need stats.

 

[Rose]

Lewam3 is right on point here. Anyone that says differently is just trying to prove their worth.

 

[larrybowman]

Honestly, at 12u, as a coach, you know you really don't look at BA, OBP, QAB, etc. You don't need stats.
Everyone on this forum will admit that you do not need stats to know who the good batters are. Every Class A 12u coach knows who hits the ball hard and who draws walked and who drives in runs. That coach knows who also grounds out, K's and leaves runners stranded. You simply don't need stats.

True statement!

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Honestly, at 12u, as a coach, you know you really don't look at BA, OBP, QAB, etc. You don't need stats.
Everyone on this forum will admit that you do not need stats to know who the good batters are. Every Class A 12u coach knows who hits the ball hard and who draws walked and who drives in runs. That coach knows who also grounds out, K's and leaves runners stranded. You simply don't need stats.

To be perfectly honest - The biggest reason for stats, especially at the younger ages is to justify why Jenny is batting 13th and Julie is batting 3rd - because god forbid you don't have back up information when Jenny's parents come knocking. You need to be able to say " I like what Jenny is doing, her QAB Ratio is improving it's only because her OBP is weak right now and she needs to work on that K/BB ratio but she has good potential, we moved her down to the bottom of the line up to take some pressure off her - and me and the other coaches we are working with her, and I think we got that hitch worked out... She'll be fine... and once she starts hitting like we know she can, she'll be headed for that clean up spot where you suggested I put her..."

 

[ErieDiamonds02]

OPS is how I have always determined lineups i think it is underused in softball

 

[24GahannaLadyLions7]

Softball is a sport of reaction time, everyone has seen ESPN Sport science segment critique of baseball vs softball both at the plate and in the field. Reaction time is less in softball then baseball for the most part whether it's getting it out of your glove at short to get a burner, or hitting at the plate with pitchers 37 feet away (after stride) throwing 65....the numbers are unbelievable

I think SOFTBALL OBP needs to INCLUDE errors, whether its a power hitter that smoked one in between the wickets off the glove, a hard hit ball right at a girl and trickles a few feet for an ROE or a slapper getting down the line on a drag forcing a hurried throw, -- in softball, you bobble any ball, there is no time to gather and make a play.

I think you should not only look at hits+walks+hbp but I think u need to look at adding +ROE in equation also IMO.... I tell my girls, it doesn't matter how you do it, just get on-base -- I tell my 12U slapper that, I tell my 10U right-handed hitter that, I tell my other 8U girl that..goal is to get on half the time or more I tell them, but also have smart at atbats

 

[cobb_of_fury]

24 you are correct there are certain girls that just 'get on" even if they hit that two hopper to the SS - the ball spins in such a way that the fielder has to double clutch and that's all they need -
I don't think I'd use that stat in place of OBP but may be in addition to it (OBP+ROE) -

As the girls get older and the fielders get better there are less and less but they never go away completly.

The other one that needs to be quantified especially at the younger ages is Mental Errors (ME) - so many of those popups that don't get caught or the girl throws to the wrong base or the 2B and SS look at each other on a ball up the middle.

 

[wow]

Stats are great however there are so many untold stories in the numbers. Who pitched for the other team? How strong was the pitcher? Not all teams are created equal. Then you have to take into account matchups. Some teams just match up better than others. I agree with the above, coaches know who hits, K vs. backwards ﻼ ( which BTW no one is really talking about) RBIs and QAB. I think if there was a magic formula for determining who should hit and where, it would look like this. RBI *(QAB/K%)√AVG+<>Ωӡ?=(⅔)/ABﻼ

But seriously folks this is analysis to paralysis. Somehow everyone using their own ideas, of what is important, make it work.