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maddux
19 Posts |
 Posted - 07/15/2011 : 13:49:05
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| So we finished coach pitch yesterday and signed up for kid pitch this fall. What can I do to help my son through the transition? He will be a pitcher and play 1st base. |
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Shut Out
512 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2011 : 14:38:17
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1. Pitch him a lot of BP and hit him every time you practice at least once. Remind him even that 8 or 9 year old kids don't through as hard as you do so it won't hurt any worse than it did when you hit him.
2. Don't limit him at this age to just be pitcher and 1b. You should want him to play as many positions as possible. It will help his baseball knowledge on what should happen no matter where the ball is hit.
3. Coming from cp you may feel those are the 2 most important positions so that is where you want him. Guess what all 9 positions are equally as important and when he gets to high school chances are there will be older kids already at his key positions so the best way he can earn his way on the team is to offer a coach as much as possible. i.e. I understand you have a jr at 1st but i also pitch and play all outfeild postions. Basically give the coach so many options he realizes there is no way he can pass on your kid.. I know this is way off from what your thinking now but if he doesn't learn how to play other spots the right way while he is young he will miss the boat.
IMHO :) |
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gamefanatic
40 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2011 : 21:41:04
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| Full body armor? LOL! Sorry- couldn't resist. Agree with ShutOut - 8/9 is way too early to not play more positions. Every player on those teams should be playing as many positions as possible. Unless he's a big old left hander - when he's older - he will be sitting the bench waiting to pitch. Give him options and experience now everywhere. |
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maddux
19 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2011 : 23:01:08
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Thanks for the advice. I should have mentioned he is a lefty. I am sure he may get some play in the OF, but he is a really good 1st baseman
I will take him to the machine pitch. There is a 40 mph and 55 mph. I assume the 55 mph would be like pitchers in the 9 /10 year old group. I am also concerned if he needs specific protection when batting or pitching. Should I teach him to turn his back to a bad pitch inside or bail out ? These are some of the specific issues I was looking for help with as well as tips that I may have overlooked.
Thanks again for any help |
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yarddog
48 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2011 : 00:05:53
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| I would teach him to turn into the pitch when he thinks he's about to get hit. What worked for my son is I would pitch to him using tennis balls and about every 7th pitched ball I would throw it at him so he could learn the proper way to get hit by the ball. After a while he felt comfortable knowing how to be hit. I think that teaching him to bail out will develop bad habits that will be hard to break especially when they start seeing the curve ball. |
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gamefanatic
40 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2011 : 00:20:11
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Turn his back - once they start bailing it's a hard habit to break.
I'm assuming your son is 8 or 9. Way to early to pigeonhole him in a position. Boys that age need diversity and the experience of different positions. I'm sure he's an awesome first basement - our experience if a kid that age can catch the ball he's got a leg up on a lot of the other players. Do him a favor, make sure he plays other places. If he's only comfortable at first, it will be hard to put him someplace else when he's older - he will not have the experience. Unless you are going to coach him up to high school and can always put him on first base, but you aren't helping him. Some of the most successful players we've seen are versatile, utility players. Food for thought. |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2011 : 06:44:40
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quote:
Originally posted by maddux
Thanks for the advice. I should have mentioned he is a lefty. I am sure he may get some play in the OF, but he is a really good 1st baseman
I will take him to the machine pitch. There is a 40 mph and 55 mph. I assume the 55 mph would be like pitchers in the 9 /10 year old group. I am also concerned if he needs specific protection when batting or pitching. Should I teach him to turn his back to a bad pitch inside or bail out ? These are some of the specific issues I was looking for help with as well as tips that I may have overlooked.
Thanks again for any help
Teach him how to turn hi back and take a pitch. Turn and tuck elbows in. Don't bail and don't raise your arms trying to stay "skinny" exposing ribs and chest. A Rawlings tattoo on the back goes away in about a week. A pitch to the ribs or worse can be dangerous. |
Edited by - rippit on 07/16/2011 07:20:36 |
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touchemall
145 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2011 : 11:50:41
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| Get him into as many spots as possible while you can. My lefty went from playing all the positions to only pitching, first and outfield once he hit kid pitch (at the travel ball level - if your boy is still playing rec you will still see lefty kids everywhere). The transition was tough and a time or two he said he wished he was a righty so he could play SS or C some. Once past that and he learned to pitch (with a nasty move to first), and he loves his role now on the team. good luck and have fun! |
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christheump
351 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 10:46:24
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As others said, get him in every position. The outfield is often overlooked by parents, but is just as important. A good outfielder can a line drive a single instead of a triple...and in the case of a RF, can easily turn a hard hit ball to them into an OUT. They are not glamarous positions...but every good team has some great outfielders. I was convinced my oldest boy was a stud 2B until he volunteered one game to go play OF. He loved it and never moved back and turned into a stud OF.
As for pitching, teach him that he is GOING to hit batters and to not worry about it. Teach him to change speeds.
As for 1B, teach him that it is ok to come off the bag to get a bad throw...dont let a bad throw give the runner an extra base.
Batting, have him hit off of a tee at every B/P and dont be afraid of taking him to that 40mph machine because he will see that speed. |
Edited by - christheump on 07/18/2011 11:40:24 |
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maddux
19 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 14:11:36
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| Do you think 40 mph or 55 mph would be most like travel ball 9u pitchers ? |
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christheump
351 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 15:58:24
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quote:
Originally posted by maddux
Do you think 40 mph or 55 mph would be most like travel ball 9u pitchers ?
Honestly, I think a 9yo is more likely to throw in the mid 40's..with some getting in the upper 40's-low 50's on ocassions.
Thats just one man's opinion and others may have some different opinions. |
Edited by - christheump on 07/18/2011 16:00:02 |
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Hurricane
351 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2011 : 12:59:59
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I would vary the speeds as much as possible. At 9 we saw a few kids hit 60 yes 60 saw it with my on eyes on Radar at ATPP. OK only saw 2 of those all season.
Like Christheump said mid 40's to mid 50's.
Most hitters their first year struggle with stepping out and staying back. Most pitchers struggle throwing strikes. |
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christheump
351 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2011 : 18:00:53
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| When I say visit the 40 mph machine...i was saying to dont bypass it and go to the 55....go to both. |
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Topic |
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Transition from CP to KP
