1. Why does Riley Boone often run forward in the batter's box when a pitch is thrown? Jayda Coleman sometimes does it, too. Doesn't this "change in perspective" make it harder to decide if the pitch will be a ball or a strike?
2. Many of the non-swinging strikes Cydney Sanders takes are over the inside edge. As the pitch is thrown, it appears she moves slightly inward toward the plate. Wouldn't that make the pitch appear that it's going to be inside and off the plate?
3. Why does OU take so many fat pitches early in the count? Surely the 'take' sign can't be on with virtually every 0-0, 1-0, or 2-1 count.
It's hard to disparage the job JT does as hitting coach, but those items puzzle me.
1) I think it's their way of making the opposing infield reflect the slap, or the bunt, and not play as deep as they might if they knew they were swinging away. It's like showing bunt and pulling it back on the big diamond.
2) I'd have to pay more attention to Sanders. Perhaps she begins very close to the plate to begin with (?) making her susceptible to inside strikes generally. Or, if she begins further back, perhaps she loads on a line not parallel to the line from catcher to pitcher, but actually toward the pitcher, which would be slightly inward, which is not uncommon.
3) I think the Gassos might quibble about how fat those pitches are, yet beyond that it is Oklahoma's (sort or new) batting philosophy to make pitchers throw pitches and it's worked. OU has walked 332 times entering tonight and carries a collective .469 on-base percentage. A year ago, they walked 242 times and carried an on-base percentage of .456, which is still fantastic but not .469. It's the difference in drawing about 1.5 more walks per game.
1. Why does Riley Boone often run forward in the batter's box when a pitch is thrown? Jayda Coleman sometimes does it, too. Doesn't this "change in perspective" make it harder to decide if the pitch will be a ball or a strike?
2. Many of the non-swinging strikes Cydney Sanders takes are over the inside edge. As the pitch is thrown, it appears she moves slightly inward toward the plate. Wouldn't that make the pitch appear that it's going to be inside and off the plate?
3. Why does OU take so many fat pitches early in the count? Surely the 'take' sign can't be on with virtually every 0-0, 1-0, or 2-1 count.
It's hard to disparage the job JT does as hitting coach, but those items puzzle me.
Phil Graham, Tulsa
1) I think it's their way of making the opposing infield reflect the slap, or the bunt, and not play as deep as they might if they knew they were swinging away. It's like showing bunt and pulling it back on the big diamond.
2) I'd have to pay more attention to Sanders. Perhaps she begins very close to the plate to begin with (?) making her susceptible to inside strikes generally. Or, if she begins further back, perhaps she loads on a line not parallel to the line from catcher to pitcher, but actually toward the pitcher, which would be slightly inward, which is not uncommon.
3) I think the Gassos might quibble about how fat those pitches are, yet beyond that it is Oklahoma's (sort or new) batting philosophy to make pitchers throw pitches and it's worked. OU has walked 332 times entering tonight and carries a collective .469 on-base percentage. A year ago, they walked 242 times and carried an on-base percentage of .456, which is still fantastic but not .469. It's the difference in drawing about 1.5 more walks per game.
Second on the team in walks, behind Coleman, tied with Sanders