Instructing a pitcher to intentionally hit a batter

[catsbackr]

I agree robotman. Its part of the game. Last year our starting pitcher (a freshman who throws low to mid 60s) was challenged by a senior lead off batter for our biggest rival. The lead off was a slapper and the umpire was allowing her to practically hang her toes over the plate(not exaggerating). The first game our pitcher allowed it to happen and threw away from the batter and the senior slapper went 3 for 3 that night. After the coach talked to her freshman pitcher about not being afraid to challenge a batter who is trying crowd the plate and force her to throw the pitch that the batter wanted, the two teams met a couple of weeks later. First pitch was chin music, not close enough to hit the batter, but just close enough to let her know what she meant by that pitch. The senior batter turned and looked at her as to say "Do that again and I'm comin out there" The next pitch was right in the facemask, she reached because of being hit, but never touched a base off of this pitcher again that season and they faced each other two more times. I don't believe our young pitcher intended to hit her with the second pitch and definately do not condone hittng any player near the head, but she was sending a signal that if your going to crowd "my" plate I'm comin at ya! This is just as much the part of softball as baseball, Don't let anyone kid you. Hitting a player just because they are your only pitcher is a cowards game, but if your daughter crowds the plate you better be ready to be mad cause she is going to get "plunked", its just a fact.

 

This is part of the problem. You have to learn how to send a message to an opposing batter or to actually hit a batter.

 

You don't do this by throwing at the batter's head.

 

She wasn't sending a message that she was coming at ya, she was sending a message that she would throw at your head.

 

Plunking batters is part of both games, baseball and softball. Hit them in the back or the butt.

[66in74]

I think you would probably be taking that back pretty quickly. I can think of five pitchers in our conferance alone that would get close enough to your challenge to make you think. Instead of a window pane would you be willing to stand in the box, now that would make it interesting. Additionally, if you are at the high school level and can't hit your spots (or batters /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> ), you will not be very successful. Remember a 14-18 year old starting high school pitcher has probebly been throwing for 6-10 years.

 

Thanks for making my point. I said most, and you say five out of your conference. Then you say they'd get "close" to my challenge.

[JC#1fan]

This is part of the problem. You have to learn how to send a message to an opposing batter or to actually hit a batter.

 

You don't do this by throwing at the batter's head.

 

She wasn't sending a message that she was coming at ya, she was sending a message that she would throw at your head.

 

Plunking batters is part of both games, baseball and softball. Hit them in the back or the butt.

 

If she was trying to hit her in the head she would have done it on the first pitch. Actually, the batters head was across the plate and should have not gotten the base. She don't miss her spot very often. If you have any knowledge of the game you know the way you back somebody off the plate is high and tight.

[catsbackr]

Agreed.

 

If you're going to back them off the plate, it's high and tight.

 

So, using your logic, she meant to hit the girl in the head when she did it, right?

 

Why shouldn't she have gotten her base when it hit her? Even if her head is over the plate, head-high ain't a strike!

 

But if you're going to hit them, you don't hit them in the head. Even if it is over the plate. PERIOD.

[wad]

I don't like it. But I have seen a player on 2nd base giving signs to the batter on where the pitch was going to be. In this case you have to get someones Attn. So she hit the batter in the back. The batter thought the pitch was going to be outside because thats what the 2nd base runner told her. Instead right at the chest. knocked the wind out of her. The the SS calmly told the runner why that happened. NO one gave away any more signs.

[JC#1fan]

Agreed.

 

If you're going to back them off the plate, it's high and tight.

 

So, using your logic, she meant to hit the girl in the head when she did it, right?

 

Why shouldn't she have gotten her base when it hit her? Even if her head is over the plate, head-high ain't a strike!

 

But if you're going to hit them, you don't hit them in the head. Even if it is over the plate. PERIOD.

 

catsbacker are you just looking for something to argue about. From every post I see you comment on it seems that is your intention. I'm telling you if she "intended" to hit her the first pitch would have got her, no doubt. It doesn't matter where the pitch is if you run into it, now does it. If a pitcher allows a batter to dictate where the pitches will be, the battle is already lost. My logic is if you challenge a pitcher you know what you are asking for. and when it comes high and tight you have 2 choices get drilled or get out of the way.PERIOD!!

[hits123]

catsbacker are you just looking for something to argue about. From every post I see you comment on it seems that is your intention. I'm telling you if she "intended" to hit her the first pitch would have got her, no doubt. It doesn't matter where the pitch is if you run into it, now does it. If a pitcher allows a batter to dictate where the pitches will be, the battle is already lost. My logic is if you challenge a pitcher you know what you are asking for. and when it comes high and tight you have 2 choices get drilled or get out of the way.PERIOD!!

 

Well, for most(not all), the fastest pitch a pitcher throws is the riseball.

Therefore, if a pitcher is throwing a riseball "high and tight", to establish the inside corner, the reaction time

of the batter is greatly reduced, compared to other pitches.This increases the possibility of a head injury.

 

Establishing the inside corner by throwing at the hip or leg area is one thing, but going head hunting to

intentionally hurt a player, (IMHO), is totally uncalled for and un-sportsmanlike.

 

If you watch major league baseball, even in a non-retaliation situation, if the pitch is thrown near a hitter's

head, that is when words are exchanged and/or benches empty, and brawls occur

[hits123]

Reaction times aside, a 60 mph pitch just isn't going to hurt that much if you get hit in the legs and shoulders. That's about the speed of the breaking pitches these guys are dropping their elbows into. It's not that big of a deal.

 

60 mph from 40 feet is like 90 mph from 60 feet.

[catsbackr]

catsbacker are you just looking for something to argue about. From every post I see you comment on it seems that is your intention. I'm telling you if she "intended" to hit her the first pitch would have got her, no doubt. It doesn't matter where the pitch is if you run into it, now does it. If a pitcher allows a batter to dictate where the pitches will be, the battle is already lost. My logic is if you challenge a pitcher you know what you are asking for. and when it comes high and tight you have 2 choices get drilled or get out of the way.PERIOD!!

 

No intent to argue at all.

 

It's just that what you post doesn't make any sense the way you post it.

[JC#1fan]

No intent to argue at all.

 

It's just that what you post doesn't make any sense the way you post it.

 

Understood catsbacker, I, in my personal opinion do not think our pitcher was intentionally trying to hit the batter, just intentionally trying to back the batter off the plate and hit a player who was intentionally crowding the plate. I do not condone "head hunting" or intentionally hitting a batter to hurt them in any situation(like the one described earlier with a team trying to put the other teams only pitcher out of the game) Apparently the pitcher wouldn't hit the other batter and should be commended for doing so. Any coach intentionally "head hunting" or intentionally trying to injure another player should be ejected and then taken "outside"(if you know what I mean). With that said, there is a correct way to do things, you can intentionally hit a batter without intentionally trying to hurt her.

[ksgovols]

60 mph from 40 feet is like 90 mph from 60 feet.

 

 

In reaction time only. A 60 mph ball 'feels' like a 60 mph ball no matter what distance it's thrown from. The larger surface area of a softball distributes the force somewhat which may be good or bad depending upon where it hits. A smaller surface area that is over a muscle is better even though concentrated than 'distributing' the force to a bone. A 90 mph fastball that's 90 mph when it hits you will apply half again more force than one that's 60 mph when it hits the batter. If a hammer hits a nail at 90 mph it will drive the nail 1 1/2 times further than a hammer hitting a nail at 60 mph is another way of looking at it.

[coachh17]

I never ordered a pitcher to hit a batter in my seven year softball coaching stint, but I did have a catcher buzz an opposing head coach in the third base coaches box once. We were trailing 15-0 and had one more turn at bat before the mercy rule kicked in. We were not going to score against their ace pitcher and they continued running up the score, stealing bases, and taunting my catcher coming down the third base line to the plate. I think the score reached 19-0 with another runner on third taunting my catcher to throw down after every pitch. It was a total lack of class and sportmanship by the opposing team, my kids were in tears, and the parents were fist fighting in the stands. I called time out and told my catcher to buzz the third base coach the next time the runner taunted her. She did and the twentieth run walked home. I probably should not have done it, but we had had enough. My catcher had also been intentionally hit by pitches in her first two at bats, as retaliation for a hard slide that took out the shortstop in the first game of the doubleheader. The umpire finally called me over and recommended that I pull my team off the field and head home because of the brawling and taunting in the stands. This was one of those games like you see on the violent video shows on television. Two bitter rivals, an inexperienced coach, crazy parents, and a little racial tension can be an explosive mix. Fortunately, only one parent was slightly injured and the fan behavior has improved in subsequent years.