Coached them right into a loss on tourney day.

Our end of season rec tourney was today, and in trying to avoid a repeat of last season I saved my #1 pitcher. So instead of walking through teams we'd already beaten by large margins in the regular season, I left my #2 and #3 in too long, got us too far behind, and left us a hole we couldn't dig ourselves out of. I feel terrible. Ugh.

I owned the loss afterwards, and DQ erased much of their disappointment, but I'm disappointed in myself.

If it makes you feel any better, most of us have done that. I learned that you go with the best you have, until they are not your best. Build the lead, then bring in #2 and #3. The girls tend to play better knowing that their best pitcher is in the game.

If it makes you feel any better, My 10u all star team had to score 9 runs in the top of the last inning to come back and win after I left my #1 pitcher in too long. She was struggling with control and I kept thinking she would work through it. It can go both ways

BuckeyeGuy said:

Our end of season rec tourney was today, and in trying to avoid a repeat of last season I saved my #1 pitcher. So instead of walking through teams we'd already beaten by large margins in the regular season, I left my #2 and #3 in too long, got us too far behind, and left us a hole we couldn't dig ourselves out of. I feel terrible. Ugh.

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We have all been there. You had a good plan and it didn't work out. Happens ALL the time. No need to feel bad about it even though you do. “No Battle Plan Survives Contact With the Enemy”

I have to disagree with smddad though (sorry) - we used to do that "Lets pitch our #1 and if we get a lead, we'll bring in #2 or #3".... either we would never get a lead or it would be a close game and we'd never have the guts to bring in the #2 or #3 - well not until the next game against harder competition when our #1 couldn't go. We were getting deep into tournaments but we didn't have enough left to win one because our top players (particularly our #1 pitcher and #1 catcher) were shot by the championship game. So two seasons ago we sat down and decided that we either win the tournament with the players playing the roles they needed to play or it ends up where it ends up. We started planning elimination day from the championship game back. i.e. if we make it, who was it likely to be against and who should pitch it. And if she pitches that game, who pitches the game before.. all the way back to game one of elimination day. And then we started who we planned to start and went from there.

Sometimes that meant our #2 and #3 pitcher HAD to come through because we had a plan where our #1 pitch would be fresh against a team we wanted her to pitch in. It was hard two seasons ago and we didn't get as deep into eliminations as we were for a time, but we are a much better team today because of it. We now have two #1's pitchers plus a #2 that can get us through games we should win with her pitching and we have 2 strong catchers and another player who can catch if they need a break. In addition we are winning tournaments or going deeply into tournaments against a much higher level of competition we were previously not able to compete with directly (i.e. we went from a higher 'B' team to a mid-high level 'A' team without adding new players. We also won a tournament without our #1 pitcher who got injured - there is no way we could have done that a year ago.

We have been successful in the past by splitting the pitching fairly evenly between #1 and #2. In many games, the starter will pitch the first 3 innings and we bring in the "closer" to finish the game. This kept both pitchers fresh to play as many as 4 games in a day. The #3 would pitch a few innings if it was a blowout either way. Of course, you have to have a pretty solid #1 and 2 to make this work.

BuckeyeGuy said:

Our end of season rec tourney was today, and in trying to avoid a repeat of last season I saved my #1 pitcher. So instead of walking through teams we'd already beaten by large margins in the regular season, I left my #2 and #3 in too long, got us too far behind, and left us a hole we couldn't dig ourselves out of. I feel terrible. Ugh.

I owned the loss afterwards, and DQ erased much of their disappointment, but I'm disappointed in myself.

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Well, sir, you had a group of some 12 or so girls who depended on you, many of which may never again have a chance to win a championship of any kind in any sport, and you just flushed it down the drain!! ...

Just kiddin'. Yeah, any coach who's been around has done something he/she regretted that lost a big game. One of mine was a game where I had only 2 pitchers, and 1 had lost her control in an earlier game, and I had lost faith in her. So I left the other one in there as we blew a 9-2 lead in a single final inning. Just kept letting her go one more batter, one more batter, thinking she could get that last out. We'd beaten the team like 7-1 earlier in the day, so I just didn't see it coming and remained in denial the whole way. That's sorta the opposite of what you did. I rode the #1 too long and didn't give #2 a chance.

IMO owning it is the best thing you can do there. Everybody makes mistakes; taking responsibility sets a good example. Sorry it went that way!

I don't think a team ever won a game because of my coaching.. But they've sure lost more than a few because of my choices :-/

My girls with their regular season champ trophies. Now we have a real tourney this weekend. Should be interesting!

Yeah, but remember.....you helped #2 and 3 develop by getting in more work in a competitive setting than they normally would. In the long run, the girls are better for it and there's the win that everyone has to realize. It is waaaay too easy relying on #1 and jeopardizing the development of your pitchers.

Besides, we as coaches all have those 2nd guessing-ourselves moments.

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