Posted by: grc () on Tue Apr 23 07:46:47 2002

Might have misunderstood since he referred to it as a LL tactic.
> But do you really think it's OK at the Junior College level?...College level?....seems to me that players think it's pretty horeshit at the pro level and they're getting paid. Where do you advocate it as OK?
>
> That has to be one of the dumbest responses I've ever heard. Advocating head-hunting at the HS level would be bad enough, but to promote it on the LL level is the height of stupidity. I hope you were still high (on something) from the victory when you posted that one.
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> > > i was wondering if college coaches had the same philosophy when you played....my son's jr. college coach (and by the way, my son is not playing; he tore his acl)instructs the players to crowd the plate (6 to 12 inches from plate) & if possible, get hit by the pitch.....other coaches in the league do the same, and it seems like this makes the pitchers that much more afraid to pitch inside.....your experiences?......respectfully, grc.....
> > > > >>Sounds like a little league tactic,I would throw inside all day long and if we got ahead in the game stick one in their ear once in a while solid and see how long they stay with that tactic.Pull hitters do crowd the plate some times when they don"t have good plate coverage,but not much of a hitting style for that to be your plan.
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> > slav....i clearly said my son's team is JUNIOR COLLEGE....where did either myself or rql advocate "headhunting" at the LITTLE LEAGUE level?

in a dream world,even at the major league level i think there should be rule changes calling for severe penalties when a batter is hit, or at least when the blue thinks a "purpose" pitch was made....i don't think the pitcher should "own" the outside corner....if the concern is loss of balance between pitcher and hitter, then maybe there could be some other rule changes to maintain the balance.....

however, reality is that at the major league level (i'm not sure about minor leagues or division 1 ball)pitchers feel they have the right to back off the hitter if he's crowding the plate.....since that is the reality, sooner or later hitters have to start learning how to deal with that reality.....little league is much too soon...jr. college probably is not too soon...afterall, about 10 per cent of the drafted players come from jc......high school? i don't know....

by the way, it's not that the coaches in the league want their players to get hit in the head on purpose...they just ask their hitters, on a close one inside to turn their hip or lower shoulder into the pitch.....