Some questions

by mikedaviswhereareyou on Mar 16, 2005 3:44 PM PST

Ok, these are real questions, baseball related though not A's specific except that I would like to know what the A's do also. Its spring trianing and I would like answers for the season.

Who pitches batting practice?

When the team is going to face a particular starter, does the guy throwing BP chage the pitch? I mean if it is Moyer, does he soft toss it? for Colon does he throw it hard right down the middle? Can he throw a knuckle? Seriously, don't you think this would help?

How many pitches does each batter take?
Does anyone face off speed stuff?

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Interesting question...

Guys like Brandon Buckley, Dave Hudgens and pretty much anyone all of the way down to Sr. Batboy will throw it at some point in time during the season.

The close proximity of the BP net to the plate allows for pitches thrown from 45-50 MPH to seem a lot faster.

I do wonder if Steve Sparks threw BP when we were going to face the Red Sox and Tim Wakefield?

As a hitter, every edge you can get is for the better.

From having a solid mental approach to honing your reactions, a batter will be more successful. His success rate need only be increased by 10% per AB (One extra hit per 10 ABs)in a season in order to go from a .250 hitter to a .350 hitter!

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Mar 16, 2005 7:08 PM PST reply actions

Dave Hudgens is the "tough" BP pitcher

by OaklandSi on Mar 17, 2005 2:42 AM PST up reply actions

I do know

that normally when a lefty is starting for the opposition they will have a left throw BP, and vice versa.

by Athletics fan and runner on Mar 17, 2005 9:10 AM PST up reply actions

I have a question too

I should've asked Sickels, but I forgot. My question is, how do teams apply the DH rule in the minors? In the minors, affiliates of AL and NL teams play each other regularly. Do NL teams have their pitchers bat in the minors? Do AL minor league affiliate have to send the pitchers to bat when visiting an NL affiliate? Or do AL affiliates always use the DH, regardless of who and where they're playing? Anybody know?

by OaktownTribesman on Mar 16, 2005 7:12 PM PST reply actions

I think it depends on the league...

There is a DH in the California League.

I looked up Dan Meyer's stats who pitched in Richmond and Greenville in 2004. There he had AB's, while not at any other level.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/dan_meyer_1.shtml

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Mar 16, 2005 7:18 PM PST up reply actions

during the season

most pro teams use a pattern when hitters will hit in groups. When an individual is up, he will bunt a pitch or two, or more (a lot of guys do this very half assed), then he will take a hit and run swing, a move the runner over from second swing (i.e., try and hit it to the right side), a drive him in from third swing, and then swing away at about 5 to 10 pitches. After this is done he will switch. Normally there are about 3 to 5 guys in a hitting group. They will rotate through until each hf them has gome 2 to 4 times.

This varies of course but that is the general practice.

On the hitting away swings hitters are normally working on things, like keeping their hands inside of the ball or keeping their head down all the way through their follow through, or what have you. Pros do not get to be pros without working on stuff in the cage.

by Athletics fan and runner on Mar 17, 2005 9:07 AM PST reply actions

off speed stuff

Sometimes a coach will throw breaking balls and such to the hitters in BP, normally at the hitters request. If you go early to bp and watch the BP pitcher, he will sometimes motion with his hands turning his fingers over to indicate that he is about the throw a breaking ball.....

by Athletics fan and runner on Mar 17, 2005 9:09 AM PST up reply actions