Author Archives: Ken Krause
No shortcuts on the road to success
During the tryouts I was observing a pitching tryout. The girl was someone new, a 12U. I was chatting with her mom and bit and she told me where she’d been taking lessons and from whom. As I sat there, the girl seemed to go through an elaborate (to me) warm-up, beginning with some wrist snaps and then staging her throwing arm through about four or five starting locations. At no time did her feet move during these. Finally, her last drill was from full distance; she did what is usually called the “stork” drill, where she stood on one leg and then launched herself and pitched. So one leg at least got involved.
I guess different people have different philosophies or ideas or whatever, but it didn’t make much sense to me. I subscribe to the Bill Hillhouse school on warm-ups and drills — the more you make it like the actual pitching motion and get the whole body involved, the better off you’ll be. It looked like the girl was practicing to be an arm pitcher. When she went to full motion that’s exactly what happened. No leg drive, no body drive, just an arm thrower. It was too bad, because she looked pretty athletic and it seemed like she could get a lot more out of her body than she was getting.
I mentioned all this to another of our coaches, and he said that maybe she was being taught that way because it would be easier to throw strikes if she wasn’t going fully into it. I suppose that’s true. If you’re only using one body part there’s less to go wrong. But that seems like a shortcut to a dead end. Sooner or later if she wants to compete she’ll have to learn to throw her body into it, at least if she wants to develop speed. At that point she’ll probably have some setbacks and will have to relearn how to pitch. By then she’ll be behind the other 14Us who started out learning a more dynamic way of pitching and who were willing to walk a few more batters early to become better later.
Of course, that’s only one assumption. For all I know her pitching coach may be telling her to use her legs and she just doesn’t like to do it. But again, based on the warm-up drills I saw, that doesn’t appear to be the case. It seems like the arm is the focus, and the weak muscles in the wrist, and nothing else matters much.
There are no shortcuts on the road to success. It takes a lot of the proper work to learn to do things right. Parents, before you go shelling out for lessons, see if what your daughter is being taught is what you see from the players in the NPF or the Women’s College World Series. If it doesn’t match up, you may want to find another coach.
What’s not to love
I called a girl named Kathleen who had played for me the year before, and who I had worked with on her hitting during the high school and travel season. (Kathleen had left due as much to a political issue with her high school as anything. Things happen, ya know?)
In any case, I knew her summer team wasn’t going anywhere for Nationals since I’d already snagged one girl back, so three days before it was time to leave I asked if she’d like to go with us. She jumped at the chance. She rearranged her work schedule, her parents got vacation time, and she joined us for the tournament.
That would be pretty cool by itself. What I just found out, though, is that not only did she do all of that, she played with a finger that was either badly bruised or broken. I never knew it, she never complained or said “I can’t do that.” She was just happy to have the chance to be there, and willing to do whatever it took.
That kind of thing doesn’t show up in a stat sheet. You can’t measure it with a stopwatch or a tape measure. But any coach should be thrilled to have someone with that kind of heart and dedication. In this self-centered day and age those qualities seem to be few and far between.
What it takes to be a D1 prospect
So, what does a D1 prospect look like? Is she easily identifiable amongst all the other players, or are there more intangibles at work?
For my part, I would assume you could pick her out of the bunch. She would generally be very athletic — faster or stronger than average, with quicker reactions. If the next best player on the team is hitting .333, she’s over .500. In the field she is very sure-handed — no fumbling around with balls when she gets them, she just picks them and fires them. Her arm is very strong, with good mechanics. When she throws the ball it pops!
Mentally, I’d assume she knows the game well. She is rarely confused about what to do with the ball when she gets it. She exhibits leadership qualities among her teammates, is generally very confident, and has an overwhelming desire to win.
Is that accurate? What did I miss?
Strong position for hitting
To get us started, I thought we’d go right into hitting. Here’s a photo of Stephanie, one of the girls I coach, as captured by Mike Zupec, with whose permission I am using this photo.
There are a number of things going right here. Looking from the ground up, the front leg is pretty firm and the back foot is heel up, toe down. Her back hip has some around to replace her front hip and her weight has shifted forward into her front leg. The shoulders have come around, the hands are palm up/palm down at contact, they are slightly above the bat head, and she is leaned into the plate. About the only problem I see from this picture is she is a bit late to the ball. I’d like to see the contact a little more out-front. This particular stroke, however, went for a double to the fence in left-center so that’s a quibble.
If you have one, compare a photo of your position at contact to this one. This is pretty much where you want to be.
Fastpitch softball IS America
At last weekend’s tournament I observed a scene that to me captures the heart and soul of what makes fastpitch softball such a great sport. It was a typical thing, really. A girl on our team was having a little trouble hitting, and her father was talking to her offering his best advice on how to break out of the slump.
Nothing remarkable there, except for one thing: the dad, who is from India, probably has never played baseball or softball in his life. Yet there he was trying to help his daughter with something that is vitally important to her.
I couldn’t hear what he was telling her so I don’t know whether the advice was good or bad. That’s not the point. The point is that it was a Norman Rockwell moment, only with faces Norman Rockwell never thought to use.
Fastpitch softball is as all-American as it gets. Most sports have certain requirements for body types or athleticism to be successful at all but the most basic levels. In basketball and volleyball it really helps to be tall. Football is best played by those with sturdier builds. Soccer requires a combination of endurance and speed above normal levels. The list goes on.
But in fastpitch softball there’s a place for both the small and speedy and the large and strong. You can overcome your athletic weaknesses by maximing your strengths. If you’re not too strong but you’re fast you can bunt or slap. If you’re small and slow you can work on your hitting technique to punch the ball through the infield to give you more time. If you’re big and really slow, you can shoot for the fences.
Yes, being athletic and in great shape is an asset, especially at the upper levels. But not being the greatest athlete, or a certain height, or a certain body type, is not as much of a limitation as it is in other sports.
Softball also drives a kind of camaraderie between kids and parents. When I asked for volunteers to pitch some batting practice with wiffle balls, the dad I described earlier was one of them. He was only too happy to help the girls prepare for their game, and he’d certainly watched enough games and warm-ups to know what to do despite never having played himself. The parents enjoyed participating, and the girls appreciated the help. We were able to warm up efficiently and come out with the bats roaring.
The girl I described at the beginning of this post was about 10 years old when she first started playing. In fact, we talked about that this weekend. Her mom worked with a guy who was involved in our organization, and she mentioned she was looking for something athletic for her daughter to do. He suggested bringing her to our tryouts and she did. The girl told me she had no idea what a softball was or how the game was played, but once she got started she got hooked. She started out playing a few innings here or there in right field, and gradually got the hang of it.
As she has continued she has worked on her game and is now an excellent first baseman. She is not only sure-handed but also has great awareness of where the runners are on the field. In fact, she has been involved in several double plays for us this season that ended with the last out at home off her throw.
America has always been a country that is more concerned with what you can contribute than where you came from or what natural gifts you have. Fastpitch softball matches up with that ideal very well.
Knowing the rules
Before I launch into this let me preface it by saying I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women in blue. It’s not easy to do the job they do. I know. I’ve done it. Every single pitch requires a decision by the home plate umpire, and often you have to think quickly and make a decision before you really have all the information you need. Add to that six to eight games in a day in the blistering heat and humidity and you have a tough job on your hands.
That being said, this tirade isn’t about making the calls. I may not always agree with the calls they make but I’m sure they’re making the best calls they can.
No, this post is about umpires not knowing the rules. To me there is no excuse for that. I’m just a coach, but every year before the season I read the rulebook cover to cover. I make sure I know what’s changed and what’s new. Apparently not all umpires do the same.
Here’s a case in point. For the second time this season an umpire declared in a pre-game meeting that a catcher’s mitt couldn’t be used certain positions. Which used to be the rule. Of course, this umpire stated that you can’t use a catcher’s mitt in the outfield, which was never the case. The old rule said a mitt could only be used in the catcher and first base positions.
That rule was changed I believe in 2006. Rule 3, Section 4 of the 2007 ASA rule book states “A Glove/Mitt may be worn by any player. The dimensions of any glove/mitt used by any fielder shall not exceed the specifications set forth below (see drawings and specifications.” In other words, as long as the mitt meets the legal dimensions it can be used in any position on the field. If it can be used in the catcher’s position, it can be used anywhere on the field. The rule is perfectly clear. It’s not highlighted as a change so it’s been on the books for at least a year. Why is it that two different umpires at two different tournaments insisted otherwise? Isn’t it their job to know these things? As my friend Rich says they’re the only people being paid to be on the field. It’s their responsibility to know the rulebook backward and forward.
Now, this is not to say that I like or encourage field position players to wear a mitt, especially in the outfield. They’re designed to accept a hard-thrown ball, not to catch a fly ball or a ground ball. But if a player insists on it, the point is it’s legal.
Ok, so maybe it’s tough to know every rule. Again I can understand that. But that doesn’t mean you should declare something that is patently incorrect. If you don’t know, and you are challenged, perhaps you should have a copy of the rulebook handy so you can look it up. I know I always have one.
This year one extraordinary thing did happen. During a game I declared a courtesy runner for my pitcher and the umpire wasn’t sure he should allow it. I quietly told him that the ASA rules state a courtesy runner can be used for the pitcher or catcher at any time, and that it has to be someone not in the game. I told him I had rulebook in the dugout and he could confirm it there if he wanted. To my surprise he said yes, go ahead and find it. I did, he looked at it between innings, and he actually apologized for not knowing the rule. That was pretty cool of him. And pretty rare.
In a perfect world every official would know every rule. That’s not going to happen. I don’t claim to know them all by heart either. But if you don’t know the rule, as an official you shouldn’t be making declarations about it before the game. That’s just wrong.
A Little Perspective
It had been a rough weekend so far. We were 1-2, but as they say in Bull Durham it’s a miracle we’d won the one. Now it was Sunday morning and we were a 4 seed playing a 1 seed out of a tough pool. Not exactly the formula for a great day.
I’d gone ahead to check if the field was open so we could warm up there. It wasn’t, so I started heading back to where our team was waiting. That’s when I saw her. A young girl, perhaps about 12 or so, shriveled up and being pushed in a wheelchair. It looked like her physical challenges were multiple, and that she may have some mental challenges as well.
As we approached each other I saw it — she had a softball glove in her lap. Then as we got closer she put the glove on, as though she was getting ready to play. She was smiling as I walked past her, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
It was then that the first thought struck me. My players were sitting around getting ready for warm-ups. It was 8:45 AM, and some were probably thinking how they’d rather be back in bed. It was just another day at yet another tournament, and maybe a few were thinking about somewhere else they’d rather be this July day. After all, a season can be wearing after a while.
But I thought about that little girl, and what she wouldn’t give to spend just one day doing what these girls were taking for granted. Just one day to be able to run out onto a freshly dragged and lined field, feel the heat coming up off the infield dirt, and get her uniform dirty diving after a pop fly that’s falling short Just one day to step up to the plate and face a pitcher bringing some serious heat. But I knew it was never to be.
I thought about telling this story to my players but decided against it. It just didn’t seem like the time to tell it. I feared instead of inspiring the girls it might bring them down. You never know how people will react. We went on to lose that Sunday morning game, getting blown out after a good start. We went home early, and I will admit I was rather bummed about our inability to play to the level we can this weekend.
Then in the evening the second thought hit me. What would that little girl have given to be be the coach of a team that got run ruled on that Sunday morning? To be making up lineups, calling defenses, giving signals from the third base coach’s box on a bright and sunny July morning? I realized then that my problems were small, and instead of feeling sorry for myself that I should be thankful for the opportunity to do what I do.
I don’t know who that girl is, or what team she was there to watch. But I feel lucky that I had the chance to see her. She helped me gain a little perspective on an otherwise disappointing weekend. If she can smile and be happy to be a part of this great game, I should remember to do the same.
Conditioning without conditioning
As I watch and hear about various practices, it’s amazing to me how much practice time gets wasted on pure conditioning. For example, coaches will have their players line up on a foul line, then have them run endless rounds of 60′ sprints. In the meantime, the clock is ticking and you’re not solving any of your other softball-related concerns, such as throwing and catching.
Now don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t see the value of conditioning. I do. I wouldn’t be checking out the Softball Performance web site all the time if I didn’t. But when you’re in-season, or even preparing for the season, running to run is just wasting time. Don’t even get me started on distance running!
Last night we ran a drill that on the surface is aimed at improving our ability to throw and catch on the run. It’s a variation of the four corners drill, where you set a player on each base and throw the ball around. Normally when this drill is run you stack two or three players at each base and alternate. Sometimes you throw to the left and run to the right, or throw right and run left to the next base to get a little movement in. But with two or three players waiting at the next base there’s no sense of urgency to get there, and the running is more of a job.
So we took it down to its bare essentials. One player on each base, throw left and run right. Now it’s a sprint, because that ball can get thrown around the bases a lot faster than anyone can jog. Depending on where you are, you barely have enough time to get there.
We ran the drill three times with each group. Do the math. Four sprints, three times each, equals 12 sprints. To make sure they were full sprints, we timed each set with a stopwatch, and on the third go-’round we offered a prize (a page of coupons to Dick’s Sporting Goods that I’d gotten for free) to each participant on the winning team. Later we used different people for baserunners in a fielding drill, which increased the amount of running considerably. But never, at any time, did we say “now it’s time for conditioning.” Everything was done within a softball context.
Imagine trying to motivate your team to run 20, 25, 30 sprints just for the sake of conditioning. You could find yourself mightily challenged. But put it into the right context and you won’t have to motivate them. They will motivate themselves and each other. And you’ll improve the conditioning of your athletes.
Knowing what’s coming
I was just reading one of Dave’s posts on the Girls Fastpitch Softball, and he hit on something that drives me crazy too: the way hitters will stand and watch good pitches go by for no reason.
Now, if you’re facing a pitcher throwing 65 mph with good movement and a change of speed, and you’re used to hitting 55 mph or less with little or no movement, it’s understandable that you might be a little overwhelmed. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about standing there taking perfectly good and hittable pitches coming in at a comfortable speed. It just makes no sense.
Now, I am an advocate of the Mike Epstein “get a good pitch to hit” philosophy. With a 0-0 count there’s no need to swing at a pitch you don’t hit particularly well. But if you let yourself get into a hole with an 0-2 count, your odds of getting a good hit decrease dramatically. Even MLB players hit sub-.200 with an 0-2 count, and they’re theoretically the best in the world.
Younger pitchers (and their coaches) tend to be obsessed with throwing strikes. Throwing a ball is considered a bad thing, and throwing two in a row usually gets action out in the bullpen. That’s a risk-averse mentality but a lot of people have it. That can be an advantage to a hitter if she knows how to deal with it.
If you’re not one of the first two hitters in the lineup, you should have a pretty good idea of what and where the pitcher is throwing by the time you come up to the plate. If you start out by looking for that pitch, you’ll give yourself an advantage. It’s like blackjack players counting cards in a casino. You only gain a 2% edge over the house, but if you’re smart about your approach it should be enough to carry out some cash.
The first thing to look at is does the pitcher tend to throw high or low? As a pitching coach I can tell you that pitchers are generally taught to keep the ball low. See if she mostly throws waist-high or below. That’s something that’s easy to tell from the on-deck circle, or even from the dugout. If she always starts out with a low pitch, you can cut the strike zone you’re trying to cover in half. Especially if you see that when she tries to go high she tends to throw a ball.
The next thing to look at is whether she tends to go inside, outside, or middle early in the count. The odds are she’ll be looking to go outside first, because most hitters don’t like that pitch and will let it go. But it’s not a certainty. Watch the catcher’s glove and see where she’s getting the ball. Middle is a gimme, so if you can see that she’s throwing mostly inside or outside you can cut the remaining strike zone in half. Now you’re looking for a pitch in 25% of the zone you were before. If she is consistent with her placement, and you’ve observed correctly, you can be looking for the ball in a particular spot as though she announced the location to you. That’s a nice advantage to have.
Suppose your observation tells you the pitch will likely be low and outside, and you don’t like that pitch. Well, you can let it go, but then your covered strike zone gets bigger. Instead, if outside is what bothers you move in closer to the plate and turn that outside pitch into a de facto down the middle pitch. Forget the plate, just see the ball coming down the pipe and pop it! If she likes to start inside, try backing off the plate to give yourself a little more time to get around on the ball. Don’t forget, you don’t have to start there. You can line yourself up normally, and then as she starts her windup creep in or out a bit. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to get set.
The changeup is another tough one. A good change will tend to freeze a hitter who’s not expecting it. But here’s where observation can help you again. First, look to see if she throws it on the same pitch count, then look to see if every batter sees one. If she’s throwing it to everyone, you may want to plan for it, and simply wait until she throws it to crank it. You can also look to see if she telegraphs it, either by playing with the grip, shortening her arm circle, or slowing down the arm. I watched an opposing pitcher last night give away her speed on all pitchers by her arm speed. If you can recognize the subtleties you’ll have a pretty good clue as to what’s coming.
For movement pitches, try to train yourself to recognize the spin. It requires a lot more focus and concentration than the average fastpitch player gives to her at bats, but it does make a difference. Ask your team’s pitchers how they throw movement pitches, or maybe volunteer to catch for them, so you can get used to seeing the motion and the spin. It definitely helps.
Hitting is still a low-percentage activity. Succeeding 3 out of 10 times makes you an All-Star. But you can help increase your odds by paying attention to what the pitcher is doing, learning her patterns, and narrowing down your happy zone. After all, it’s a lot easier to react to a sudden movement if you know what’s coming.
Trackbacks are temporarily closed
Just wanted to let everyone know that I have temporarily closed trackbacks for this blog. Ol’ Coach Ken was getting tired of having to delete robot-generated trackback notices for porn sites and wonder drugs from his e-mail.
I may open them back up after a couple of weeks. But for now, just remember on your own to give credit where it’s due. Thanks!
Life in the Fastpitch Lane 