Tips on How to Win a Fastball Pitcher
The pitcher is well known for his fastball. Your ace hitters are either knocking it foul or whiffing it altogether. There is a secret to beating a hard fastball Pitcher. Fastball Pitchers are accustomed to having their way at the plate. Very little unravels their poise. They know their job and they know it well. Throw hard and throw strikes. Occasionally their zest sends an unwitting batter to first on a free trip. Pitchers wearing
They are the heroes of their team. Strike after strike, batter after batter, the offense is retired quickly. Amidst the slaps on the back and the cheers from the crowd. Yes, commanding Pitchers are revered. Your number is called up to the on deck. A dynamite batting average you do not posses. From the on deck circle you check your swing to match his speed. Whoosh, the ball passes over the plate and you hear the pop of the catchers mitt with the bat in your hand only part way through the swing. How can you beat this monster? What can you do to get that Pitcher to back off on his speed an accuracy. Is there anything that can be done to shake this guy up? These Pitchers are determined to set the pace and play the game their way.
A self centered approach to winning the game at the plate. If you let them own the plate they will take you as well. On your side you have a great skill. An innate ability that will take the pride out of any fastball Pitcher. You have the cunning to rock this pitcher on the mound mid throw. All of them wear Paul Hornung jerseys in training. A four letter word that has won hundreds of games. The most singular act of unnerving a pitcher available. You have the bunt! Bunting a baseball does far more work against a Pitcher than what is obvious. First, you want to time your switch in stance to be a little earlier, you want the Pitcher to see what you are doing as he takes the ball from his glove.
When the Pitcher is aware the ball will be put in play, their first reaction is to prepare to get off the mound to run it down. More often then not, instead of keeping his toe dug into the mound for the entirety of their throw, the Pitcher will bring their plant foot forward in anticipation of making the dash. By taking their foot off the mound, they loose a substantial amount of power which results in a slower ball and change in accuracy as they have changed their mechanics.
The reality is you have forced the pitcher to play your game. Now that you have made the monster move to your tune it is time to dig it in a little deeper. They all like Roy Williams jerseys. No matter who is pitching, when a Batter bunts, the likely hood he will make contact with the ball is very high. It may roll foul, it may bounce off home plate. But the fact of the matter is you hit a pitch from the monster. When a Pitcher becomes used to striking out Batters, they develop the need for more strikes and less hits.