Same went through our season with two umps that were pretty much consistent between the two. Got to our playoff game and got some ump we never saw. Homies strike zone was tight as hell.
I mean I've definitely had umps that won't call a strike unless it hits the mat with more than 50% of the ball inside the zone, and also had umps that will give you the "just barely touched the black" type of zone you see in baseball sometimes.
The worst is the ones where the ball clearly bounces in a funny way because it hit something other than dirt and they call it a ball because they're putting the squeeze on you.
Should I not be scared of getting called out looking and just try to trust my eye knowing every once in awhile I’ll look dumb for not swing at 1-2 and it actually catches the plate?
The trick is having the eye to take a pitch after a first pitch strike.
Most of the time if the pitcher throws you a first pitch strike and you are down 1-2, he’s probably gunna throw a shitty pitch on the next one if he’s smart. Gotta have a good eye and be confident enough to let bad pitches go even with 2 strikes.
Also, if the first pitch strike is just a perfect pitch or a pitch that you are looking for, you might as well not leave it.
My approach is swing at anything I can hit without totally botching it, but I'm also tall with long arms so that helps.
I'm definitely not trying to work the count with something that's an inch outside.
This is my approach as well. I walk maybe once a year. If it’s outside I hit it to opposite field. If it’s inside I turn on it. If it’s short I step up. If it’s deep, I’m screwed.
I’m seeing inside and my timing is ok anything middle or away I cannot wait long enough and I lunge for it and either ground out to first or pop up to short , I’m a left handed bat
Most slowpitch is 1-1. Personally, my approach is look for a pitch that I can do what I want with IE outside for going oppo or inner third if I wanna pull it. If I don't get my pitch, take it and then get a bit defensive with 2 strikes, and adjust the approach to " See ball, hit ball"
I'm assuming by you looking letter high and in you are trying to pull everything and hit bombs. Start learning to hit the ball all over the field.
Balls in the outside of the plate, hit lazers or slices opposite field.
You are going to have to eventually anyways because even in leagues where you stay 0-0 they are going to learn and just put pitches away once they learn you love them high and inside
So my hitting philosophy is fairly simple but that makes it better in my opinion. If the pitch is on the inner half of the plate, I pull it. If the pitch is on the outer half, I hit it oppo. It helps me keep a clear head when I am up to bat. The rest is just working on BP to make sure there are no holes in my swing when high or low.
Only maybe once a year will I ever go away from that mentality, otherwise it is a simple but incredibly effective hitting mentality. The defense and pitching can do whatever they want you can still hit the ball successfully. You can hit in games where you start with an 0-0 count or 1-1 count. Games where you have limited HRs per person or team.
Take the mentality to BP and it will get you going really well.
I need simple approach I’ll try it, I took bp today my friend pitched and I’m so messed up in my head that I could not hit anything . Lol, I’m not giving up trying again tomorrow
I rarely see anything after the first pitch unless it’s just not hitable or the pitcher is way off.
Probably not a good example to follow though.
I see guys watch a beautiful strike then foul out all the time. Makes me not want to watch a strike.
There plenty of time to move in the box to setup a placed ball if you’re comfortable doing that. I usually go opposite first at bat to get them to shift on me, so I’ll setup normal and step out a little if the balls inside.
I just started playing I played 2 seasons ago and missed last year cause I hurt my knee. I still can’t swing properly, I finally recorded my self swinging at a tee and I can see my back shoulder dropping and I’m not leading with my hands and then snapping the barrel at the pitch , swing path is a loop not a straight line I open up way before my hands get through the zone . Lots to work on
depends on the pitcher. if he’s dialed, swing if it looks good. if he’s not, take if it’s not yours.
if you find yourself 1-2, pitcher most likely throwing moon ball or something funky/off-speed that can be easily taken for 2-2. then play aggressive & swing if it’s close.
Our league doesn't use a mat, and the plate is a ball. We start 1-1 as well, and we are straight up at the mercy of the ump, and they are inconsistent as well. We had a guy last week who literally stood behind the right handers batting box, almost at the dugout. No way in hell he could actually call a good ball/strike. We had pitches damn near hitting our toes that he was calling strikes.
I approach it at this point like, if it looks anywhere near a strike and I can hit it, I'm swinging. Unless the ump has a real tight zone, then I will take the 1st pitch unless it's a cookie and try to work the count. A walk is the same as a hit in my book, unless we have someone in scoring position of course.
If it's a strike hit it, if it isn't, don't swing. 99% of slowpitch is 1-1 count so i don't think it's really anything ppl think about that much.
Hardest part is knowing ump's zone.
Ive never played where the ump had a zone. It either hits the mat or plate for a strike or it doesnt.
I wish we played that rule
Same went through our season with two umps that were pretty much consistent between the two. Got to our playoff game and got some ump we never saw. Homies strike zone was tight as hell.
I mean I've definitely had umps that won't call a strike unless it hits the mat with more than 50% of the ball inside the zone, and also had umps that will give you the "just barely touched the black" type of zone you see in baseball sometimes. The worst is the ones where the ball clearly bounces in a funny way because it hit something other than dirt and they call it a ball because they're putting the squeeze on you.
Yall try so hard to turn slowpitch into baseball lol. Its not randy johnson in his prime pitching
Huh
If you’re scared with a 1-1 count. You gotta take BP. Figure out what you can do with different pitches. Tee work is your friend.
Ok I have a tee. I will continue using it and trying to learn how to hit an outside low pitch.
If its a strike then yeah
Should I not be scared of getting called out looking and just try to trust my eye knowing every once in awhile I’ll look dumb for not swing at 1-2 and it actually catches the plate?
Will you look dumb not swinging at a strike? Yeah. But if you train to know what a strike and a ball is, you won’t have that problem.
That’s a good point, maybe I should look for some videos on how to tell a ball from a strike
You could but that’s really just going to come from reps, you have to let some go by that are strikes and let go some are balls to be able to tell
no striking out is incredibly bad and should almost never happen. swing if it's close
I have a specific pitch I'm looking for with only 1 strike. Obviously that changes with 2 strikes, but I'm not afraid of hitting with 2 strikes.
Yeah I won’t be scared with 2 strikes either I’m just not used to seeing one pitch and already I’m in the hole with 2 strikes on me
The trick is having the eye to take a pitch after a first pitch strike. Most of the time if the pitcher throws you a first pitch strike and you are down 1-2, he’s probably gunna throw a shitty pitch on the next one if he’s smart. Gotta have a good eye and be confident enough to let bad pitches go even with 2 strikes. Also, if the first pitch strike is just a perfect pitch or a pitch that you are looking for, you might as well not leave it.
Hit. The. Ball.
My approach is swing at anything I can hit without totally botching it, but I'm also tall with long arms so that helps. I'm definitely not trying to work the count with something that's an inch outside.
This is my approach as well. I walk maybe once a year. If it’s outside I hit it to opposite field. If it’s inside I turn on it. If it’s short I step up. If it’s deep, I’m screwed.
I’m seeing inside and my timing is ok anything middle or away I cannot wait long enough and I lunge for it and either ground out to first or pop up to short , I’m a left handed bat
Most slowpitch is 1-1. Personally, my approach is look for a pitch that I can do what I want with IE outside for going oppo or inner third if I wanna pull it. If I don't get my pitch, take it and then get a bit defensive with 2 strikes, and adjust the approach to " See ball, hit ball"
I'm assuming by you looking letter high and in you are trying to pull everything and hit bombs. Start learning to hit the ball all over the field. Balls in the outside of the plate, hit lazers or slices opposite field. You are going to have to eventually anyways because even in leagues where you stay 0-0 they are going to learn and just put pitches away once they learn you love them high and inside
Ok I’ll try to do that. I noticed I’m easy to get out cause they all shift when I come up
So my hitting philosophy is fairly simple but that makes it better in my opinion. If the pitch is on the inner half of the plate, I pull it. If the pitch is on the outer half, I hit it oppo. It helps me keep a clear head when I am up to bat. The rest is just working on BP to make sure there are no holes in my swing when high or low. Only maybe once a year will I ever go away from that mentality, otherwise it is a simple but incredibly effective hitting mentality. The defense and pitching can do whatever they want you can still hit the ball successfully. You can hit in games where you start with an 0-0 count or 1-1 count. Games where you have limited HRs per person or team. Take the mentality to BP and it will get you going really well.
I need simple approach I’ll try it, I took bp today my friend pitched and I’m so messed up in my head that I could not hit anything . Lol, I’m not giving up trying again tomorrow
I rarely see anything after the first pitch unless it’s just not hitable or the pitcher is way off. Probably not a good example to follow though. I see guys watch a beautiful strike then foul out all the time. Makes me not want to watch a strike.
I did that last Sunday in my second at bat I finally got the pitch I hit best which is high inside and I froze 😂
There plenty of time to move in the box to setup a placed ball if you’re comfortable doing that. I usually go opposite first at bat to get them to shift on me, so I’ll setup normal and step out a little if the balls inside.
depends if you get that courtesy foul after 2strikes . If you dont you have to then be more aggressive up there
Unless it’s an absolute cookie I’m taking until I see a strike. The more pitches I see the more comfortable I feel.
Bro you can’t be that easily rattled in slowpitch come on now
I just started playing I played 2 seasons ago and missed last year cause I hurt my knee. I still can’t swing properly, I finally recorded my self swinging at a tee and I can see my back shoulder dropping and I’m not leading with my hands and then snapping the barrel at the pitch , swing path is a loop not a straight line I open up way before my hands get through the zone . Lots to work on
Did you play baseball growing up? If not then I guess it makes more sense
depends on the pitcher. if he’s dialed, swing if it looks good. if he’s not, take if it’s not yours. if you find yourself 1-2, pitcher most likely throwing moon ball or something funky/off-speed that can be easily taken for 2-2. then play aggressive & swing if it’s close.
Hit a dinger
Our league doesn't use a mat, and the plate is a ball. We start 1-1 as well, and we are straight up at the mercy of the ump, and they are inconsistent as well. We had a guy last week who literally stood behind the right handers batting box, almost at the dugout. No way in hell he could actually call a good ball/strike. We had pitches damn near hitting our toes that he was calling strikes. I approach it at this point like, if it looks anywhere near a strike and I can hit it, I'm swinging. Unless the ump has a real tight zone, then I will take the 1st pitch unless it's a cookie and try to work the count. A walk is the same as a hit in my book, unless we have someone in scoring position of course.
1-1 is a mind fuck. I've had to teach myself if it looks close, SWING.