Hitting lineup with weaker batters

Question
QUESTION: I have 12 players on an 8 year old team, so we have to bat the lineup.  There are 4 players that are very weak hitters and 95 percent of the time will strike out.  We have been putting them at the bottom of the lineup, so if we start out an inning with one of them, we almost assured of not scoring.  

Do you recommend spreading them out inn between the good hitters?  We also don't want to have rally killers, but for this age group what is the best option?

Thanks
ANSWER: Hi Richard,

without a doubt spread them out!  Why throw an inning?  Try to work your lineup such that you get one hit, one out but maybe a steal.  Practice to improve batting BUT also work with runners in stealing with these weaker batters.  You know your team better.  Maybe train the weaker batters to bunt AND have runners stealing at same time.  The notion is to advance the runners by using the weak batters inability.

You could try to make a lineup where you have a strong inning then balance the weaker players before and after this.

It's not easy but I know where you are coming from.  I once had 16 players ( played only 12 each game) and would inject the weaker ones carefully.  Another option (less popular) is to play only 10 of 12 per game and rotate the weaker ones regularly.  Practice is for the entire team and reward good practices by letting weaker player play in next game.  It can be an incentive but it can also be hard on these weaker players.  It may also seem unfair and the parents of the weaker players won't like you.  Your call, coach.

Best of luck,

JohnMc

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: In our age group, all 12 have to bat in order, there is no substituting, except defensively.  Each player must remain in the lineup all game & play a minimum of 2 defensive innings.

Also, in our age group (coach pitch) we cannot steal bases.  So would still spread them out?

Answer
Hi Richard,

I understand.  

You'll still have to learn to balance your lineup.  Some will bat, some will walk and some will strike out.  Here's a possible lineup:

0 = weak batter
1 = good batter

101101101110 - if you want to lead off with a runner on base

011011101101 - if you want to have a strong inning in the middle

Just don't give yourself a 'black eye' by lining up 2 weak players in a row.  If you are sure of 2 outs, that an inning you may not recover from.

I hope this helps.

JohnMc