I’m a right handed batter having issues hitting to left field.

[dunkky]

Well, this is a lazy approach. If you ever want to get good at softball and move up in skill levels you should learn to pull the ball at will. Learn to spray the ball all over the field as you see fit. No matter how hard you hit the ball, if you only hit to one area teams will start sniffing you out and turn even your hardest/best hits into outs. You're only shortchanging yourself by leaving the pull side of the field untouched. EVERYONE should know how to pull the damn ball in slowpitch.

Amen. surprised, the opposing teams haven't figured you out by now. if you plan to play for a long time, you are better off knowing how to pull the ball. if I play you, i'll have one man play very shallow at middle right and center/right play 10ft closer and towards the right. dare you to hit one over. that put you extra pressure and try to hit one over. more tense on your shoulder. you gonna end up with a pop or weak ground ball... seen it from my own teammate.

 

[Donofdacourts]

It’s not really that serious for me guys, I’m just playing for fun. I doubt that anything the opposing team would do would stress me out. Also we haven’t even played a real game yet just practice and two scrimmages. That’s why no one has figured me out. This is new for me in a general sense as I only played baseball one year growing up(5th grade). I was a collegiate b-ball player so I concentrated on that mainly. I was basically asked to play because they needed a more capable outfielder which I’m very good at.

 

[Rooster210]

then I recommend hitting off a tee. ball may not go far but at least you can tweak some things if you feel you need to.

 

[Donofdacourts]

Amen. surprised, the opposing teams haven't figured you out by now. if you plan to play for a long time, you are better off knowing how to pull the ball. if I play you, i'll have one man play very shallow at middle right and center/right play 10ft closer and towards the right. dare you to hit one over. that put you extra pressure and try to hit one over. more tense on your shoulder. you gonna end up with a pop or weak ground ball... seen it from my own teammate.

Also let me clear this up, I do hit to left center as well just not left field at all. As I said previously I’ve hit one ball down the left field line and got a single out of it in one of our scrimmages. I’m not expecting to be an all-star player first year playing, but i am competitive and would like to have an idea of how to hit that left field line if at all possible.

 

[blakcherry329]

When you take bp, just concentrate on LF. You already hit oppo, so work on your "weaknesses" in practice.
When I warm up for pitching, I work on my Slider and straight pitch because I can throw a knuckleball in my sleep.

 

[Worm]

Also let me clear this up, I do hit to left center as well just not left field at all. As I said previously I’ve hit one ball down the left field line and got a single out of it in one of our scrimmages. I’m not expecting to be an all-star player first year playing, but i am competitive and would like to have an idea of how to hit that left field line if at all possible.

It is overrated pulling the ball to left field. If you hit the ball hard from left center to right, you are gtg. No one is going to shift you unless they see you a dozen times a season and you tell them you can’t hit left field. I hardly ever hit to the left field line, but if some jack asses shifted the left fielder to left center, I would stand closer to the plate and do it. It is only an issue if you make it an issue. If you face a five man and they play the extra guy push, just pull it. Not a big deal. Don,t overthink it or think pulling the ball leads to more hrs. If you start “slapping” (casting) at the ball out in front, you will actually have less power.

 

[Normy]

When you take bp, just concentrate on LF. You already hit oppo, so work on your "weaknesses" in practice.
When I warm up for pitching, I work on my Slider and straight pitch because I can throw a knuckleball in my sleep.

Counting knuckleballs before bedtime last night blackcherry?? Maybe that's what I need to do so they don't spin

 

[killabees]

This is the exact opposite of a problem.

 

[TWmccoy]

It is overrated pulling the ball to left field. If you hit the ball hard from left center to right, you are gtg. No one is going to shift you unless they see you a dozen times a season and you tell them you can’t hit left field. I hardly ever hit to the left field line, but if some jack asses shifted the left fielder to left center, I would stand closer to the plate and do it. It is only an issue if you make it an issue. If you face a five man and they play the extra guy push, just pull it. Not a big deal. Don,t overthink it or think pulling the ball leads to more hrs. If you start “slapping” (casting) at the ball out in front, you will actually have less power.

Pulling the ball is NOT overrated. To even suggest that is hogwash. Any good hitter will be able to pull the ball with authority. Now, there's a difference between pulling the ball and becoming so pull-happy that its the only thing you're capable of doing.

 

[Worm]

Pulling the ball is NOT overrated. To even suggest that is hogwash. Any good hitter will be able to pull the ball with authority. Now, there's a difference between pulling the ball and becoming so pull-happy that its the only thing you're capable of doing.

Oh really? Please explain why someone would NEED to pull the ball any farther than lc field, especially batting right handed.

 

[TWmccoy]

Oh really? Please explain why someone would NEED to pull the ball any farther than lc field, especially batting right handed.

To smash one by a 3B down the LF line. By not being able to utilize certain parts of the field as a hitter you sell yourself short. No one should look to pull the ball every AB, but pulling the ball (and hard) is definitely not overrated.

 

[scrub]

Its okay to have a busted swing. Most people do and still manage to hit over .400

 

[dunkky]

to each of his own. if that works, it's great. but i must agree with mccoy. why in the world, would you give up an option to pull it. only reason, backside is effective is because your opponent respect your pulling ability as well or they just simply don't know you. Even our lame beer league guys know your distance and what side you are going after a few seasons. you guys know how many times helmmer got robbed because he doesn't have the ability of backside hitting?

 

[TWmccoy]

Its okay to have a busted swing. Most people do and still manage to hit over .400

Its certainly not OK to have a busted swing and then defend that fact by saying that pulling the ball is overrated. Just because a particular hitter is unable to pull the ball with authority doesn't mean its overrated.

All the best hitters in softball will hit the ball line to line on cue and with precision. Hitting the ball to one part of the field is not any more under or overrated than hitting it to some other spot.

The thought that its OK to suck is the reason a lot of softball players.... suck.

 

[TWmccoy]

to each of his own. if that works, it's great. but i must agree with mccoy. why in the world, would you give up an option to pull it. only reason, backside is effective is because your opponent respect your pulling ability as well or they just simply don't know you. Even our lame beer league guys know your distance and what side you are going after a few seasons. you guys know how many times helmmer got robbed because he doesn't have the ability of backside hitting?

Hitting backside is also effective for keeping the ball in when you aren't looking to go yard accidentally. Oh, and Helmer can hit backside just fine. You don't see him do it all that often, but he can do it. You won't see any guys playing that level softball who lack the ability to go oppo.... or pull the hell out of the ball when the situation calls for it.

 

[smarkley3]

I am a dead opo hitter, can take the outside pitch down the RF line and inside out the middle in pitch. A few weeks ago I was playing a team that I used to play on. First AB I hit a line drive the first base snagged. My second AB they shifted leaving a hole at SS. I grounded to third... Third AB they did the same shift and I hit a line drive to the open hole at SS.
The key to hitting opo is to prove you can at least go middle and try to turn and pull on some inside pitches. My batting average has improves about .300 points since I started hitting middle more, trying to go with the pitch more.
Today they left a huge gap in CF, I smacked a nice line drive there. It helped that I was patient and worked the count in my favor and got the meatball, had to throw a strike pitch. My second AB I hit the first pitch (inside but a strike) inside out past the first baseman.
90 percent mental, or something like that, LOL

 

[Worm]

If you can’t hit a ball to the “weak side” when the defense over-shifts, go back to t-ball. This isn’t the mlb - where the ball is coming 90+.