Strike Zone

[TheSlav]

In youth ball (12U), as long as you don't expand up or down too much you should be OK. MOST coaches want the kids to swing the bat, the others at that level know that walks turn into PB doubles, triples and more importantly RUNS scored and are subtly teaching a percentage of their kids to NOT swing the bat and draw the all-important walk.

One on the inside corner, two on the outside or visually anything between the two batters box lines, provided they were drawn by someone who can put them close to where they belong.

Nothing above the shoulders or in the dirt (You'll hear the whiny "how can I teach him not to swing at that if you guys are going to call it").

The kids finally enjoy playing a 4-3 or 5-3 game and a full six innings once in a while instead of the beer-league softball scores ended by darkness with four ugly innings in the books after 2 1/2 hours.

RANT OVER