Position in the Batters Box

Question
My daughter plays 10 & under fastpitch and is a lefty.  There is quite a bit of controversary over where to stand in the batter's box.  She started lesson's with a batting coach who told her to move forward in the box because she would miss the "drop" pitches from where she was standing.  However, an assistant coach for her team insists that she needs to stand at the back of the box in order to see the ball for a second longer.  As a lefty, she has always hit the ball to the left side and up the middle.  Now she is striking out.  I realize there are variables on where to stand, but if you could give your opinion, it would be helpful.  My child is losing her confidence at the plate!  Thanks!

Answer
Hello Teresa

If she was hitting the ball to center or left field bat speed / quickness isn't a problem unless it was hitting against slower pitching. If she was making contact seeing the ball wouldn抰 have been a problem either.

I agree with what the batting coach told her to do. Hit the ball before it breaks. If she is having problems seeing to ball tell her to focus picking up the ball from the pitchers release point (usually just below the hip).


Moving back in the batters box may help a batters reaction time against a quicker pitcher but in reality it only gives the batter less than 1/10 of a second more. On average, the batter has a little less than one-half second to get the bat on the ball. That means the batter has about .2 to .25 seconds to analyze the pitch, decide whether or not to swing, and if the decision is to swing, there is another two tenths of a second to decide where to put the bat and to physically get the bat on the ball.

That is why is so important to pick up (see) to ball from the release point.