Hitting and Hitters Discussion Batting cage

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I have a question for the batting coaches. If you have a DD that is having some issues with the faster speeds in the batting cages, does it make sense to slow down the pitching speed until she is more successful? My contention is that it is important to have success and we can move up in speed when she is she is ready. Of course my daughter gets upset at me thinking she won't be able to hit faster pitches if she doesn't practice at those speeds.

 

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If we are talking about one of my Favorite Chargers lol, I doubt the faster speed is the issue. Its more her Go for it all on every pitch attitude. Its just her nature, that is were I would start with her, just getting her to make contact. I would not slow down the speed, tell her to swing way to early and work back from there. I bet its just a timming/trying to hit a dinger problem. Also what size bat is she using?

 

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It is that very person! The issue is swinging under the pitch rather than too late. She is using a 32/21.

Hey by the way Uber we'd love to take you guys out for pizza!

 

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Just my 2 cents worth, from experience with my HS team. If she is not hitting, or making solid contact with the ball, it is to fast, and reinforcing bad mechanics. Slow it down, and have her concentrate on staying relaxed, seeing the ball, and focusing on driving the barrel of the bat through the center of the ball, while maintaining proper mechanics. It is going to take time and repetitions and a gradual increase in speed allowing her to gain confidence, while reinforcing proper mechanics.
Like someone on here said that distance pitching will help magnify mechanics problems with pitchers. I feel that speed will also magnify those mechanical problems in your DD's swing.
Reinforce to her that the pitcher and ball will supply the power, she needs to stay relaxed, with a nice easy swing. Loose muscles are fast muscles!!

 

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go back to Tee work to perfect mechanics, then gradually move back to front toss (with L screen) -- once the ball starts moving with any speed, old muscle memory returns to rule and ALL the bad habits come back.
Speed isn't the issue (we have a 9-year-old that can consistently hit jugs machine set at 59-60) -- mechanics are. Perfect your mechanics then go back to hitting moving pitches

 

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Bigtrain, I agree with you, I am not a big fan of hitting on a machine, proper mechanic are better learned on a tee. The girls I have had in the past did alot of tee work and hit at slower speeds in front of a machine to continue reinforcing mechanics. My HS girls crush the ball at 60 mph @ 25-30 feet, big deal, there not going to have a pitcher throwing them meatballs come game time.
Last year we looked great in the cage, crushing the ball, then go outside, and looked foolish. Nothing you do in a cage or on a tee compares to live pitching, so concentrate on proper mechanics while in the cage or on the tee, and take that to the field.

 

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What BigTrain said!

 

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I agree with Lady Knights. Proper mechanics is the most important issue. My daughter has struggled with pitching machines for a couple of reasons. Her timing was way off and she was having trouble picking up the ball as it came out of the machine. The other thing that we did at the advice of her coach last year was get her eyes checked. He was right. she needed glasses/contacts. Now we are working with mechanics and timing and things are improving. She has always hit live pitching better than machines, but building that confidance in the cages is very important as long as the mechanics are there.

 

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We tell all of our players the most important thing is what the swing looks like. Yes it does build some confidence when they "crush" the machine, but if they are properly encouraged they will eventually start to adjust to the speed and see the ball better. You should start to notice her fouling a few off and gradually she will figure out how to hit the machine. In my mind's eye, having players adjust to be able to hit faster pitchers/machines is the same as them going the order once and the nthe second time they are gettign another look at a pitcher and starting to adjust to her style/speed.

Keep encouraging the good mechanics and good things will happen for her.

 

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Thanks for the many good tips. We will go back to the tee and soft toss, with focus on the mechanics encouraging relaxation. We will then gradually move to the cage and work with progressively higher speeds.

 

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The hardest things with these young ladies, is that they want immediate results. Most of us who come onto this forum know that hitting as well as pitching takes countless hours of practice before you see results. I guess what I am getting at is, your DD may fight you on moving from the machine to the tees and soft toss work, depending on her age. You may have to get her coaches to verify what your saying before she will believe that what you are telling her is truth.

Start your hitting sessions off of a tee, then move to some soft toss, then onto the machine. Make a point of telling her, when at any point her mechanics start to fail your hitting session is over, ....or you will drop her back down to the previous execise until she regains her technique. Give her some incentive to continue working hard at each station to reach the goal of hitting off of the machine. I would say that 75-100 swings per session max, fatigue will start to set in, hurting swing mechanichs, so know when to say "thats enough."

Another great tool on the market that I swear by are those Hit N Sticks, they cost about $50 and last quite awhile. Allows you to get numerous swings in different zones, without chasing balls. Also allows you to be right there watching her swing to provide immediate feedback and make corrections. Good Luck to you and your DD!!

 

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Lady Knights -- it's usually the mommy and daddy that want instant results -- the kid just wants a clue on how to achieve the task

 

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Definatly mechanics. The tee is a great tool and you may want to check out another hitting aid. Softballjunk.com has the Hitting Disc. It's like a cloth frisbee that is placed between the hands and then you swing as if you're batting. You release it as you're coming through on the swing and if your mechanics are off it won't go straight. University of Michigan's softball team uses these things during practices and at their camps.

 

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I have to agree with you Lady_Knights. It takes countless hours of practice, many repetitions the correct way to get the mechanics in order. When my DD started with her current hitting coach, she did not see a pitch from a machine for her first 10 or 12 sessions. He worked on the entire swing from top to bottom and we worked at home (tee work) nearly everyday between lessons in the garage.

When she finally went in the cage I was amazed at the results, she makes solid contact and hits hard consistently. Her swing has been completely transformed but it took many hours of practice to get to that point. I my opinion, there is no other way to improve a swing but to consistently put in the tee work using sound mechanics.