Tiarra Davis for Texas is a great example of a hitting pitcher and she would occasionally lead off. Just to add to conversation
When did you pitching DD start pitching exclusively?
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Tiarra Davis for Texas is a great example of a hitting pitcher and she would occasionally lead off. Just to add to conversation
DD didn't truly start pitching for a team (HS or TB) until her freshman year of HS. That said, she was on high caliber teams her freshman and sophomore years but saw very little mound time; instead she played 3B or 1B...batted middle to bottom of line up (remember the other players were much higher caliber than she was used to playing...more than half were D1 committed). Now she is on a lower caliber team and is one of the major pitchers (we had 3, but now we have 2 due to senior wanting summer off before college)...but she bats and plays 1B.
Sidenote: Rainey Gaffin is a beast if she consistently plays outfield (or 1B) if not pitching, and is in the middle/end of lineup. It was a huge hit to Tennessee when she was HBP (sorry RB LOL) and it fractured her forearm. I guess another example of taking risks with star player being in pitching rotation.
Sidenote: Rainey Gaffin is a beast if she consistently plays outfield (or 1B) if not pitching, and is in the middle/end of lineup. It was a huge hit to Tennessee when she was HBP (sorry RB LOL) and it fractured her forearm. I guess another example of taking risks with star player being in pitching rotation.
While I understand the sentiment that we are paying for our DD to be on a team and not "buying" playing time (REC ball), we are free to choose which TB team my DD plays on and if we are smart and do our homework we will put her on a team that meets our expectations. I would also like to point out that I think I have realistic expectations of my DD and her abilities, and while I do not expect her to be batting 4th and playing SS at PGF nationals, it is nice to get her some opportunities to hit and play in the field in friendlies, showcases, pool games, and tournament we are just playing to get better. Qualifiers and Nationals are the only tournaments that matter when you reach 18U....
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- Nov 29, 2009
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That's what's good about TB. You're always free to find a situation that's the best fit for your DD's desires and abilities.
Good luck to her in her search.
DD 3 first started pitching in 10u, and started lessons second year 10u. I think she got to where she pitched most inning for her team 2nd year 12u. However, except for one tournament, she almost always plays some other position when she is not pitching. She is always one of the best batters, so she always bats.
My daughter is a pitcher and is just now finding her batting niche. She bats in the #5 hole for her travel team (14u), worked up from #9, she is also a good choice at 1st base because she is always the tallest kid and very flexible. I think most coaches worry about the chance of injury with their pitchers. There's a lot of things that can go wrong from getting hit in the joints with pitches and breaking bones/twisting ankles running bases. I imagine if she keeps pitching there will come a day where she only touches the circle unless she continues to get a better bat and they need her to generate runs. Ultimately it just depends on what coaches want. Some teams just don't use their pitchers to hit regardless of their batting skills because that department is already stacked. I know a travel team like that, they just don't need anymore bats because their line up is already deep with big hitters.
Most of the marquee teams in our area carry 16+ players on their rosters, which is why their coaches like pitch-n-sit pitchers. I want my DD to get some at-bats during TB season because she will hit in HS, which starts in August. If she was pitch-n-sit in HS I could sell her bats and stop paying for batting lessons....
- Jan 9, 2015
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There is nothing wrong with her being a pitcher that only pitches. If she isn't better(or at least close to as good) than the girls starting in the field, then she shouldn't be out there. After all, she wouldn't want the #4 1st baseman playing 1st when she pitches...
This tends to happen to pitchers because their skill set as a pitcher may be showcase level, but their skill set as a position player may be B+. Long term what is more beneficial to her?
I say this assuming that she is getting 50%+ of circle time. If she is 1 pitcher in an equal 4 pitcher rotation, then I would rethink the above statements.
JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
I am really not concerned, I was just curious about others who have pitching kids and when they had the bat taken away, it happens at some point to the vast majority of pitchers, for JAD it sounds like her college coach is going to have to pry the DeMarini from his kid's hands. Sounds like Sluggers and Riseball's kids went a little more quietly. If my partial genetic duplicate really wants to continue batting, and I mean really batting, not just in pool, she can achieve that. I doubt she will cross home plate again on non-home run at bats though because base running has definitely gone the way of the dodo and aside from me running really fast in the opposite direction there is no way to make her faster.
