"Swing at everything" - Am I messing my kid up?

[R00STER]

Hey again guys, my son plays on a very mediocre Church team where it seems like the kids are either afraid to swing or they're just hoping to get walked. It's hard to get them to swing in games and even in batting practice they'll let strikes go by all the time. My son isn't really like that, but because I got sick of seeing that as a team (I'm not the coach by the way, just a concerned parent :happy:), when I take him and pitch to him, I tell him "strikes are free, swing at everything." I figure there are other times/drills etc. where he can learn to discern balls and strikes, but the time I'm with him I just want him to swing and adjust to where the pitches are. Well, now on at least one at-bat in every game, he swings at pitches that are literally over his head. He usually only does that like once, then he settles down and has gotten many walks too, so it's not like I've created this swinging robot that just swings at the first 3 pitches, but he does swing at an atrocious one that he might not would have used to. He blames me of course. Is my advice to swing at everything when I'm pitching to him a bad idea? He's 12 by the way, and I always make it clear that this isn't the way to do it in a game. He understands that clearly but still, could I be causing a problem?

[AgentX]

The more he plays, the more he'll come to understand that hitting a ball out of the zone isn't something you want to do.

Instead of urging him to swing at everything, try to get him to be more aware of the strike zone and his own power zone.

Tell him that the first two strikes are free. With less than 2 on him, he should be looking for the pitch that he really wants to hit. Once he has 2 on him, he should be looking for any pitch he CAN hit.

Emphasize that striking out looking is the worst thing he can do at the plate, and that any pitch close enough to be called a 3rd strike is going to be hittable.

[bbb3601]

The more he plays, the more he'll come to understand that hitting a ball out of the zone isn't something you want to do.

Instead of urging him to swing at everything, try to get him to be more aware of the strike zone and his own power zone.

Tell him that the first two strikes are free. With less than 2 on him, he should be looking for the pitch that he really wants to hit. Once he has 2 on him, he should be looking for any pitch he CAN hit.

Emphasize that striking out looking is the worst thing he can do at the plate, and that any pitch close enough to be called a 3rd strike is going to be hittable.

Great advice. when I throw bp to my kid I have him tell me after the pitch if it was a pitcher's pitch, or a hitter's pitch and why. This has really helped him understand the difference between the two, and his game results have been vastly improved. A few games ago he took strike 2 on what I thought was a better pitch than the one he poked past the ss. When I asked him on the way home ( we talk about his ab's after the game, but in a positive way) why he didn't swing at the strike 2 pitch he replied if I had I would have grounded out to second. I said O.K and we stopped at DQ he seems to get it now.

[R00STER]

By the way, just to clarify so you don't think I'm totally stupid, the reasoning behind this is that I'm not exactly a pitcher so if we take say 10 balls, there may not be but a couple that would warrant a "strike" in a game, so rather than waste time watching my crappy pitches go by, I tell him to swing at what I give him. This may still be dumb advice, but I wanted to explain WHY I would even tell him that anyway.

[AgentX]

By the way, just to clarify so you don't think I'm totally stupid, the reasoning behind this is that I'm not exactly a pitcher so if we take say 10 balls, there may not be but a couple that would warrant a "strike" in a game, so rather than waste time watching my crappy pitches go by, I tell him to swing at what I give him. This may still be dumb advice, but I wanted to explain WHY I would even tell him that anyway.

Then you need to get better at pitching. :D

[songtitle]

I would not have him swing at everything.

Can you throw closer from behind a screen? Can you use plastic golf balls, etc.?

[R00STER]

LOL, yeah I AM taking this as a challenge to learn to pitch and I'm working on it.

I don't have a screen but if that's what it takes, I'll get one. Thanks for the advice guys.

[bbb3601]

LOL, yeah I AM taking this as a challenge to learn to pitch and I'm working on it.

I don't have a screen but if that's what it takes, I'll get one. Thanks for the advice guys.

It is very hard to throw good bp. when I first started I moved a little closer, and at times I threw from 1 knee. Over the years I have gotten pretty good. I still have some days when it is awful....thank goodness my kid will say hey dad I don't wanna hit can we take ground balls instead. lol

[coach scotty]

By the way, just to clarify so you don't think I'm totally stupid, the reasoning behind this is that I'm not exactly a pitcher so if we take say 10 balls, there may not be but a couple that would warrant a "strike" in a game, so rather than waste time watching my crappy pitches go by, I tell him to swing at what I give him. This may still be dumb advice, but I wanted to explain WHY I would even tell him that anyway.

My whole baseball life I always swung at everything I could reach with my bat during BP. I also have all my players do it. Then when we get to the last 20 or so balls I tell them to be selective.

[wogdoggy]

What I would get him in the habit of is "SWINGING" on every pitch and then stopping if its a ball..

there is some great advice on this thread about hitters pitch etc etc,,But I will say you want to instill agressiveness in your boy at an early age..i noticed that a kid who will agressiveley attack a first pitch is usually a good confident hitter.

[shake-n-bake]

By the way, just to clarify so you don't think I'm totally stupid, the reasoning behind this is that I'm not exactly a pitcher so if we take say 10 balls, there may not be but a couple that would warrant a "strike" in a game, so rather than waste time watching my crappy pitches go by, I tell him to swing at what I give him. This may still be dumb advice, but I wanted to explain WHY I would even tell him that anyway.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I'm so bad at times that my son is very good at hitting balls that bounce in front of the plate. He hasn't swung at one in a game, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if he did out of habit.

You might try pitching on a big diamond - 60' to home plate. My problem is being accurate while not throwing close to full speed. When I'm back further, I can throw a little harder and more naturally. Your son will be playing on that size field soon anyway.

I agree that your son should still be selective and swing only at strikes. And, its a real good idea to have him take some simulated 2 strike BP as well.

[Marc]

It is very hard to throw good bp. when I first started I moved a little closer, and at times I threw from 1 knee. Over the years I have gotten pretty good. I still have some days when it is awful....thank goodness my kid will say hey dad I don't wanna hit can we take ground balls instead. lol

My son moves up after this season to kid-pitch and I've wondered how I'm going to throw BP to him. I'm tall, 6'4", so me throwing regular to him from the mound isn't really going to help. I don't think throwing from my knee is the way to go. I've thought about putting a chair right there on the rubber and going through the pitching motion before release. I'm an ex-pitcher...so, I feel I'll still be able to throw strikes in this manner.

Has anybody ever done this?

Also, I was a side-arm pitcher (not submarine) so I'm having to tell myself to move my slot a little higher.

[dolphindan1]

I tell my kids in BP to treat each pitch like there are hitting with 2 strikes...If its close go after it...leave the terrible stuff alone

[ctandc]

My son moves up after this season to kid-pitch and I've wondered how I'm going to throw BP to him. I'm tall, 6'4", so me throwing regular to him from the mound isn't really going to help. I don't think throwing from my knee is the way to go. I've thought about putting a chair right there on the rubber and going through the pitching motion before release. I'm an ex-pitcher...so, I feel I'll still be able to throw strikes in this manner.

Has anybody ever done this?

Also, I was a side-arm pitcher (not submarine) so I'm having to tell myself to move my slot a little higher.

L- Screen about 20 feet from the plate. Sit on the bucket. Throw from the side. The shorter distance means you don't have to throw it as hard to simulate correct reaction times from the hitters. Also means more strikes, and more swings in less time.

And once your guys get to be 12/13 like mine, and some are weighing 130lbs or more, and hit the ball hard enough to leave seam 'burn' marks on you (yes I'm serious) you'll appreciate this approach more and more.

[Ursa Major]

L- Screen about 20 feet from the plate. Sit on the bucket. Throw from the side. The shorter distance means you don't have to throw it as hard to simulate correct reaction times from the hitters. Also means more strikes, and more swings in less time.

And once your guys get to be 12/13 like mine, and some are weighing 130lbs or more, and hit the ball hard enough to leave seam 'burn' marks on you (yes I'm serious) you'll appreciate this approach more and more.

That's why they make buckets with padded lids -- one of my favorite Father's Day presens.

Rooster, ya gotta understand that no kid is a blank slate, and your approach has to be based on the strengths and flaws of the kid you're teaching. If your kid has trouble swinging at pitches out of the zone, then stop coaching him to do it in practice. If you can't throw accurately, get a cheap pitching machine or a Personal Pitcher (that throws wiffle golf balls) on Ebay. Let him hit off a tee (an underused drill, IMHO). But, he should never develop a muscle memory that involves hitting something over his head unless he's a tennis player.

[Marc]

That's why they make buckets with padded lids -- one of my favorite Father's Day presens.



Yeah, yeah...didn't think about that.

[Ursa Major]

Marc, ya obviously can't use the bucket for games, but you can try kneeling if your league allows it. One of the worst coach-pitch teams in our leage for some incredible reason has a dad who's at least 6'6" pitch, and he lobs the ball in. It's painful to see the kids upper-cut to try to match swing plane. The best coach-pitcher I've seen is a left-sidearmer - the ball is flat, and the kids don't see the pitch coming from off their left hip. Second best was a short, Japanese-American mom who must have spent her formative years in a pub -- as she'd throw darts up from a low release point, and the kids did well.

[Marc]

Marc, ya obviously can't use the bucket for games, but you can try kneeling if your league allows it. One of the worst coach-pitch teams in our leage for some incredible reason has a dad who's at least 6'6" pitch, and he lobs the ball in. It's painful to see the kids upper-cut to try to match swing plane. The best coach-pitcher I've seen is a left-sidearmer - the ball is flat, and the kids don't see the pitch coming from off their left hip. Second best was a short, Japanese-American mom who must have spent her formative years in a pub -- as she'd throw darts up from a low release point, and the kids did well.

Not for coach-pitch. I was talking about throwing BP for kid-pitch. I wouldn't be tossing in the game.

But, we're finishing up our coach-pitch season next week, and I pitch in that. My knees are getting sore from bending them so much to throw dart style. Ball comes in at good angle...not too much of an arc.

[Ursa Major]

Not for coach-pitch. I was talking about throwing BP for kid-pitch. I wouldn't be tossing in the game.Unless you've got a really strong arm, 30 feet is probably about the max distance you can throw from the bucket -- but that should be a good distance for throwing to coach pitch kids, and for throwing up to 12 y/o's from behind an L screen. (After that, you can stand up, because they'll be facing tall pitchers who throw off a mound anyway.)

The bucket is really good for throwing wiffles. Plue, if you're trying to teach kids to hit up the middle, they get a kick out of aiming for the bucket -- shooting one between coach's legs and making the bucket clank is a source of great humor. If you can make the coach flinch enough to fall back off the bucket and onto his arse, you attain great status among your peers.

[bbb3601]

Unless you've got a really strong arm, 30 feet is probably about the max distance you can throw from the bucket -- but that should be a good distance for throwing to coach pitch kids, and for throwing up to 12 y/o's from behind an L screen. (After that, you can stand up, because they'll be facing tall pitchers who throw off a mound anyway.)

The bucket is really good for throwing wiffles. Plue, if you're trying to teach kids to hit up the middle, they get a kick out of aiming for the bucket -- shooting one between coach's legs and making the bucket clank is a source of great humor. If you can make the coach flinch enough to fall back off the bucket and onto his arse, you attain great status among your peers.

I have taken a "dive" off of many buckets and stools over the years dodging balls, wiffles, and corks. It's funny the kids remember every single one.

[AgentX]

If I can, I'd rather throw BP than toss it.

IMO, young players need all the experience they can get in picking up the pitch out of the hand and deciding whether or not to commit to it.

That is unless the kid is focused on working out something in his swing, in which case he needs to eliminate as many variables as possible to make adjustments. That starts with tee work, then toss, and finally pitched BP.

[MSandman]

Like others have said, I almost always throw to my son in our cage while sitting on a padded cover bucket about 30-35' away and behind an L-screen. I can throw pretty quick from here, on a line, yet still place pitches where he wants to work on them.

[dolphindan1]

Something else I do to young kids is throw 1 or 2 wild pitches...behind them or in the dirt or way over there head....especially if they are a little unsure of themselves in the box...that way they see bad pitches and learn to see bad pitches...it also gives me a chance to see how they react....it also keeps them on there toes instead of knowing that coach will not hit me....

[Quiz]

Swinging at anything certainly isn't the right approach, because developing a good idea of the strikezone is a valuable skill.

How about teaching your son what a fastball count is and trying to make him more aggressive in such situations? I mean if you do swing at everything 2:0 at least it doesn't hurt as much as trying it on 0:2.