COACHING  HOME PAGE Goals Emphasizing The Basics: Defense Offense Pitching & Catching Team Management Managing and Coaching What To Teach Communication Preparation Meeting Agenda Games Agenda End of Season Agenda Coach Them With Confidence! Not Fear! Idea Batting Order DRILLS PAGE Bad ADVICE Most Common Mistakes Made by Coaches by John T. Reed   Coaching    Tee Ball

The Batting Order Example I The forming of a batting order is not as simple as it seems. The coach must arrange their order according to the players they have available. The coach should try to balance the line-up so that the attack is as strong as possible from the lead-off man through to the ninth hitter. Lead-off hitter  ability to get on base often  should be a fairly good hitter (not necessarily a power hitter)  possess a good eye at the plate (not swing at bad balls)  good speed Number two hitter  good bat control  be able to hit behind the runner  not strike out often  able to bunt  speed should also be an essential prerequisite  be able to pull the ball and hit to opposite field when required Number three hitter  power hitter  left handed hitter preferably  able to pull the ball and drive in a few runs  most consistent hitter (makes good contact) Number four hitter  power hitter  possesses the most power and potential to drive n runners  should be one of the two best hitters on the team Number five hitter  slightly weaker hitter than the number four hitter  somewhat slower although they have the same qualifications as the number four hitter Number six batter  power hitter, although not as good as the third, fourth or fifth man should possess decent speed Number seven hitter  second number two hitter   ability to execute the hit and run Generally though, the seventh, eighth and ninth positions are filled with the three weakest hitters. Of the three hitters, the eighth and ninth men should possess the best speed. In this way, they can act as lead-off men if they get on base.   Example II Part of a coach's responsibilities is to put the most effective line-up on the field. In order to generate a consistent offensive attack, the lineup has to be a threat one through nine. This takes getting to know what each and every one of your players has to offer. Practices should be set up so each player has the opportunity to show what they can offer to the lineup. Station work is always a great way to have quality repetition, view a player's work ethic, ability to make adjustments quickly/effectively, and self-motivation. After this, a controlled scrimmage situation is ideal to view the players' abilities during a game situation. Set it up where you can put runners on, bunt situations, hit and run, scoring from various bases and so on. If you can get a couple of real umpires to work the scrimmage, it can make it even more realistic. If you are having difficulty figuring out where to hit someone in the lineup, mix it up a bit and give them the opportunity (at game speed) to work out. Things to consider when making your lineup:  1) leadoff : person who gets on base the most; not worried about how they get on. They just always seems to get on, has above average speed, disciplined and good game sense 2) best at moving the runner: person who has a good eye(discipline), can hit behind the runner, patient, ideally a lefty 3) extra base hitter: someone who is not afraid to swing a bat, consistent high batting average, aggressive and smart 4) power hitter: good contact, power to all fields, not afraid to swing the bat 5) similar to #4: this hitter should complement the number 4 hitter, they need to be a threat at the plate, to help #4 hitter get better pitches to hit 6) speed and contact: good time for another lefty that knows how to get on base 7) speed and contact: same 8) weakest hitter: find a way to make this hitter still be a productive part of your lineup 9) like a leadoff: similar to #1, a triple threat; good speed, good bat, good sense; they gets on any way they can With the above mentioned suggestions in mind, it is a good idea to try and put together a consistent lineup through effective practices. Making a change every other game in the order does not help in the confidence level of the hitter. On the other hand, if a player has been given opportunity to perform and is having difficulty getting the job done, a change must be made. Sometimes finding the winning combination is a challenging task, but once you find it there will be great rewards.   Copyright © 2000 Brookside Little League, Inc. All rights reserved jontanderson@juno.com [Official Little League Rules & Regulations]   [Parents]   [Players/Kids] Learn How to: [Hit]  [Pitching]  [Infield]  [Outfield]  [Catcher]  [Baserunning]  [Coach] [Baseball Humor]  [Baseball Terminology]  [Site Map] [Sign Our Guestbook] [Privacy Statement/Disclaimer]  [Terms]