I coach a team that has 12 boys on it (age 7 & 8) 3 of the boys are consistently hitting the ball very well and I would consider them my power bats, the other 9 players are good solid base hitters. How would you advise placing the 3 boys in the batting line up?
2007-02-23 15:24:35 · 6 answers · asked by dadoftwins 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
I would first agree that teaching the boys fundamentals and sportsmanship should be the primary motivation of coaching this age group.
At this age, lineups can be fairly easily manipulated to produce a fair amount of runs by simply spreading the power hitters throughout the lineup. In other words, don't bunch them all together, but intersperse them between the other hitters.
This approach is effective for these reasons: The team doesn't have to know that there is a "method to your madness" other than you have them batting in an order where everyone feels important. Kids are extremely perceptive, and have heard that batting lower in the lineup means that they "aren't as good" as the guy hitting in the third, fourth, or even fifth spot. However, if they see their teammate "Mighty Casey" batting in, say, the 8th spot, a certain acceptance of wherever they might be hitting can be achieved. If they don't have the ability to hit like Casey can but are hitting maybe 5th, the stigma of being a weaker hitter will be removed. Casey isn't a dummy, of course, so you can simply tell him just what your strategy is, that all the players are good hitters, and your choice for that day's lineup is the way it is for a reason. Then, perhaps the next game, the two can basically switch places, and there is really nothing lost, because Casey isn't more than one weaker hitter away from yet another strong hitter. Everyone, then, feels good, and there is no stigma to being placed anywhere in the lineup, because any way you write it down, you're going to have an effective, run-producing lineup.
There is another, more devious reason for this approach, however, in case some of you parents are ready to cannonize me for my "Put the Kid's Delicate Psyches First" approach, and it is simple: With a lineup that has the better hitters interspersed in the lineup, THERE IS NO EXTENDED REST FOR THE OPPOSING PITCHER! >:)
2007-02-23 21:25:50 · answer #1 · answered by Kesokram 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would put your best hitter first, and the other two at 3 and 4. In a league of 8 year olds, if you have a great player you want to get him as many at-bats as possible, especially if there is not a huge difference between the other 9 players. Plus you have your 2 other great hitters to drive in your best player. That is the strategy I try to use in my 5th-6th grade team.
2007-02-23 15:31:37 · answer #2 · answered by pemmican 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually in a lineup, the power hitters are 3 4 5.
2007-02-23 15:28:00 · answer #3 · answered by jpoor 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would put either my best hitter first or my fastest runner first. I would have either my best home run hitter or best RBI hitter fourth. I would put my best power hitters at 3-4-5 in the batting order. I would have my fastest and best hitter in the first two spots in the order.
2007-02-23 17:52:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
at 7 and 8 years old it doesn't matter. spread them out in the lineup. change things up and give everyone a chance. it's about teaching fundamentals and sportsmanship at that age not winning.
2007-02-23 15:44:13 · answer #5 · answered by Mitch 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3,4, and 5 with the most consistant hitter of the remaining batters leading off.
2007-02-23 15:32:13 · answer #6 · answered by Jose M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋