Thread: Changing Pitchers

(1) Walks
(2) How hard the other team is hitting the ball. Bloop singles? So what. Line drive screamer at 3rd base...maybe time to pull her.
(3) Demeanor on the mound.

Originally Posted by sluggers

(1) Walks
(2) How hard the other team is hitting the ball. Bloop singles? So what. Line drive screamer at 3rd base...maybe time to pull her.
(3) Demeanor on the mound.

and, most importantly, (4) Do you have a better option to bring in?

Originally Posted by SCflash

I am new to the high school softball scene. Is there an objective method anyone uses to know when to remove a pitcher for another one? It seems like a coach has to go by their gut feeling most of the time. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.

Earlier than you think. When I started coaching TB I always left them out there too long. Now if I am starting to think is it time to pull her and she doesn't get the batter she is facing, then it is time to pull her. No 'one more batter' - time to get a new arm pitching.

When it goes bad, generally it goes bad fast. Sometimes it is not just the pitcher either - bad pitching leads to checked out fielders and fielding errors, which makes the pitcher situation even worse.

The good news in softball is you can pull them and then PUT THEM BACK IN AGAIN!!! What a novel concept that more coaches should take advantage of.

- You have to know your pitchers. So while this is the guideline I generally use I will note some exceptions.
- Walks. I have a varied scale but if you walk two batters on 10 pitches or less you are coming out. If you are going 3-2 - I generally give them 2 of these before 'is it time' wanders across my mind. (I had one girl who went 3-2 on EVERYONE.. and also WALKED everyone. Just mentally couldn't throw that last strike).
- Hitting batters followed by a weak walk or another hit batter. (Exception: Had a pitcher that once she hit someone she was going to hit someone else or throw 3-4 wild pitches. I always took her immediately after hitting someone and then re-entered her an inning or so later)
- If she is getting hit around (generally two or three batters in a row really getting hold of a pitch even if they are not necessarily fair)
- Body language. Have they checked out? We had a girl who lost it if their catcher made an error (pick off gone wrong, missed tag, bad passed ball, etc. Took us 12 games to pick up on this - and it was no one else - just the catcher making an error).

And of course if their dad starts calling pitches from the stands then she is straight out.


College Coaches are weird and think so short term they rarely pull pitchers when they probably should for the long term success of the team. They are so desperate for wins to keep their jobs they ride their #1 like a mule and then wonder why their #2 can't win a game when it matters and their #3 can't even find the way to the pitchers circle in a game cause they have only been there a couple of times.