Pitching to leftie batter

[AUbie]

Does anyone have any tips/techniques on improving and working on pitches to lefties? DD's coach asked her to work on this, which of course is mostly due to lack of experience, and seeing fewer left than right handed batters. I know some of the techniques for pitching to slappers are a bit different and vary with the slappers level of experience too.

DD has a leftie friend who she can practice with—but in her mind what differences should she concentrate on when pitching to a leftie? I think most of it is just a mental difference

DD is right-handed.

Thanks

[soreshins]

The first question is how old is your DD? As the girls get older they will see more left handed slappers. Many right handed pitchers use screwballs away and get the slapper to foul the ball off or hit a weak roller to third. If you can make the screwball sink, you get a lot of strikeouts. I like throw slappers curveballs in on their hands because the get accustomed to seeing a lot of screwballs and outside fastballs. A riseball is a good option to get a pop up. I try to avoid dropballs because they are easier to put in play on the ground.

If your DD is not yet throwing breaking pitches outside fastball, inside fastball and high fastball are your choices. At younger ages, I would avoid throwing change ups to slappers.

[AUbie]

DD is twelve and really just getting into the movement pitches. Of course drop is one of the first ones they work on learning - - so that will be one to avoid. They just started showing them some curve at a clinic in close up drills.

She has some movement on her two seam FB, and her one knucked FB, both are pretty reliable.

I guess just practice, practice is the key.

TKS.

[2bucketdad]

Wow I was about to tell you how silly a good change up can make a slapper look. Don't ever under estimate the power of the beaner.

[Sftbll4ever]

My dd had a few lefties this weekend called for being out of the box on the change-up.

[AUbie]

Thanks. A change-up sounds good. I guess and experienced slapper could lay it down easily, but the younger 12's are still looking mostly for FB's. DD is getting her change up back, she inexplicably lost it for a while. (I'm thinking it was just she lost her timing as her speed/strength increased rather quickly in a short while. She doesn't throw rockets but it was a noticeable improvement for her.)

We'll work on these zones an pitches and get her to mentally work on them as well.

Thanks!

[2bucketdad]

Remember to tell her that she is pitching to the catchers glove, not the batter...

[AUbie]

Remember to tell her that she is pitching to the catchers glove, not the batter...

Aaaahhh, not a small point either. Will do!!