Running vs. Wait and see?

[NOLE]

NO-

leaving the ball up leaves you vunerable to the long ball-

don't give the chance away if you don't have to

 

but working down puts the ball in play- forcing the pitcher/coaches to trust their defense.

 

It also gives the offense a much better chance to get on base than a lazy fly ball.

 

Remember also, line drives aren't hit by swinging for the fence, they are driven by swinging down to meet the ball----

[LCborn]

NO-

leaving the ball up leaves you vunerable to the long ball-

don't give the chance away if you don't have to

 

but working down puts the ball in play- forcing the pitcher/coaches to trust their defense.

 

It also gives the offense a much better chance to get on base than a lazy fly ball.

 

Remember also, line drives aren't hit by swinging for the fence, they are driven by swinging down to meet the ball----

Sure, it was kind of a silly question. But is it still contradictory to teach kids to hit ground balls and teach pitchers to try to give up ground balls? That seems like assuming what works for you won't work for them. I think it depends too much on the other guys making a bad play. It's playing to let the other team lose instead of playing to win.

 

But there are times when you absolutely want a ground ball, like on a hit and run.

 

Of course, there are also times when you want a ball hit into the outfield, like with a runner on third and less than 2 out.

 

Anyway, I don't like seeing coaches teach kids to hit ground balls routinely. It seems better to teach them to hit line drives. If they're strong enough, some of those liners will naturally find the parking lot. And if they are trying to stroke liners, some of those will end up as ground balls.

 

Say, how long do you think this question has been debated? Probably for about 150 years, anyway.

[creekerfan]

I agree with others on here, it is not an either/or proposition. You've got to know your kids and the situation. At some point though you will have to be able to play small ball to win. I think outstanding catchers in the major leagues only throw out 35% of the baserunners. Good enough odds for me.

[NOLE]

most likely the debate has gone on for years, and will go on for years....

 

I guess it is like a manager described to me in the past-

the situation dictates the swing----

 

"situational hitting" has become something I try to explain, teach, and utilize with the teams I am associated with.

 

I agree that kids need to know how to hit the sac fly, lay down the bunt, hit and run, as well as hit for power and average.

 

I guess I see the biggest importance in hitting being the need to have a fundamentally sound swing, and I don't think that is possible if every swing is wasted trying to power the ball out.

[LCborn]

Really, I think that's right. A really good team can play small ball when the situation calls for it and play the wait-and-see game if that's what it calls for. Very few teams are blessed with the players to do it all, though, and I think smart coaches have to adapt their approach to the style their kids can play (duh). I mean, that seems trite, but I know coaches who try to force their talent into a style the coach likes, regardless. In all sports.

 

I've even played in situations where the coach did three different things with one at bat: you get the first strike but you better drive it, I get the second strike and you're bunting, and on the third strike we'll try a hit and run. Or some such mix.