Pitching to Luke Maile

[Big League Chew]

The way he's hitting right now should any team who wants to beat CCH pitch Maile straight up in any situation? Unless the bases are loaded and I'd be walking in a run, I would find it hard to give him anything close to hit. I have always been a supporter of going after hittters(especially in high school) but this kid is special and will surely make you pay.

 

Any thoughts?

[madman]

It's high school ball, pitch to him (very carefully) and if he beats you then tip your hat and say "congratulations kid".

[thewalrus]

How is he hitting so far?

[CCH24]

How is he hitting so far?

 

He's hitting about .450-.500 with 5 or 6 home runs.

[The Great Game]

He's hitting about .450-.500 with 5 or 6 home runs.

 

That is correct...but I still don't think he is having the year he had last year, yet.

[Diamond Dandy]

I don't know guys, we pitched to him all four at bats and he went 1 for 4.

Why give anybody a free base?

[Cardinal Fan]

I don't know guys, we pitched to him all four at bats and he went 1 for 4.

Why give anybody a free base?

 

I completely agree... He seems to have some trouble with slow stuff away and fastballs up and in (but you have to get it above his hands)... Best advice I think is to pitch him low away he will hit it but on the ground more often than not and if not its usually pop-outs.

[cch5432]

I believe that he has been hitting leadoff so that pitchers can't walk him. Has brought his RBI total down, but probably gets him more pitches to hit.

[Cardinal Fan]

I believe that he has been hitting leadoff so that pitchers can't walk him. Has brought his RBI total down, but probably gets him more pitches to hit.

 

Ya why not pitch to him... I am totally against walking people... Every hitter has a weakness and even if you make a mistake pitch he gets on and even if he hits it over its only one run with him batting leadoff... One run usually doesn't win a ball game.

[cch5432]

Ya why not pitch to him... I am totally against walking people... Every hitter has a weakness and even if you make a mistake pitch he gets on and even if he hits it over its only one run with him batting leadoff... One run usually doesn't win a ball game.

Agreed. But if I were a coach, and Maile came out with 1 or 2 outs and no one on base, I'd consider walking him.

[Water Boy]

Nah, no reason to be scared. You just have to be smart and live low.

[Cardinal Fan]

Nah, no reason to be scared. You just have to be smart and live low.

 

Exactly trust your pitching live low because luke isn't the only dangerous hitter on that team... You walk him to get to somebody else ha not very smart either.

[goallout25]

Consider this situation: runner on 2nd with 2 outs in a close ball game. Why wouldn't you walk him to take your chances with the next hitter (who may still be a very good hitter, but not the quality of Maile)? Sure that may seem like you are scared to pitch to him, but it is also a good coaching strategy. Baseball is a numbers game and in looking at the numbers, in that situation, I'd take my chances with the next hitter and not Maile. You see this happen all the time in every level of baseball.

[Cardinal Fan]

Consider this situation: runner on 2nd with 2 outs in a close ball game. Why wouldn't you walk him to take your chances with the next hitter (who may still be a very good hitter, but not the quality of Maile)? Sure that may seem like you are scared to pitch to him, but it is also a good coaching strategy. Baseball is a numbers game and in looking at the numbers, in that situation, I'd take my chances with the next hitter and not Maile. You see this happen all the time in every level of baseball.

 

Yes some situations walk him but not everytime he approaches the plate.

[CCH24]

I don't know guys, we pitched to him all four at bats and he went 1 for 4.

Why give anybody a free base?

 

He went 1 for 4, but his outs were very hard hit balls that just happened to be hit where the defense was standing. None of those 3 outs were easy.