This is a topic I have been thinking a lot about lately and it did not really hit me for this to be a big point until the other day.
We are talking about 9-10 year olds. My son plays rec league. Have not really gotten into the travel ball world. So we have to consider that they are using USA Baseball bats as well and not the USSSA's.
What should we be teaching these kids and why?
I hear horror stories on both side of the spectrum. Gist of the horror stories. Teach them to lift the ball and they will burn out in middle school at best because they do not have enough power to hit it out of the infield and just hit a bunch of easy pop ups. Teach them to be more line drive get contact and run, and every high school/college/travel will think that they are not strong enough to play for them.
And with the MLB playoffs right now, it makes this topic more interesting. MLB has been trending for years to the HR or K league for me. But now in the playoffs, that goes out the window when someone gets on base. I have seen them try to bunt and hit backside to the runners and move people over, aka small ball. Funny to me is how unsuccessful it is because I am sure they do not practice it often.
What are everyone's thoughts on this?
We are talking about 9-10 year olds. My son plays rec league. Have not really gotten into the travel ball world. So we have to consider that they are using USA Baseball bats as well and not the USSSA's.
What should we be teaching these kids and why?
I hear horror stories on both side of the spectrum. Gist of the horror stories. Teach them to lift the ball and they will burn out in middle school at best because they do not have enough power to hit it out of the infield and just hit a bunch of easy pop ups. Teach them to be more line drive get contact and run, and every high school/college/travel will think that they are not strong enough to play for them.
And with the MLB playoffs right now, it makes this topic more interesting. MLB has been trending for years to the HR or K league for me. But now in the playoffs, that goes out the window when someone gets on base. I have seen them try to bunt and hit backside to the runners and move people over, aka small ball. Funny to me is how unsuccessful it is because I am sure they do not practice it often.
What are everyone's thoughts on this?
