Which is why we go 1 and down with no infield balls when we take the field. If the pitcher is not loose after the first pitch then the next 4 are probably not going to help.
Coaching them the right way
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Which is why we go 1 and down with no infield balls when we take the field. If the pitcher is not loose after the first pitch then the next 4 are probably not going to help.
I won't take a holier than thou approach to this topic because I can see the value in lessons learned on both sides of the argument.
At any rate the amount of time players waste between innings is a pet peeve of mine. I can't stand it. I'd also like to see more umps enforce the one foot in the box between pitches. So many kids at the young age step out, walk half way down the line and take 3 or 4 practice swings, get a sign and slowly walk back to the box. It's like watching friggin Nomar Garciapara or something. Grrr. STAY IN THE BOX DAMN IT.
At any rate the amount of time players waste between innings is a pet peeve of mine. I can't stand it. I'd also like to see more umps enforce the one foot in the box between pitches. So many kids at the young age step out, walk half way down the line and take 3 or 4 practice swings, get a sign and slowly walk back to the box. It's like watching friggin Nomar Garciapara or something. Grrr. STAY IN THE BOX DAMN IT.
This past weekend I encountered a clock management situation for the first time since DD started playing softball (she's 10U). We were in the semi's of our league championship tourney and we were up 4-2 against the #1 seeded team who was undefeated. 5 minutes to go in the game, bottom of the 5th with our opponents up to bat at the bottom of their order. DD is pitching and strikes out #1 and #2. Our coach realizes this is going to go into the 6th inning if we get another quick out so he takes a trip out to the mound and tells DD to try out the change up she's been working on. Meanwhile, the coach from the opposing team - who nearly had a stroke when our coach called a time out - is talking to his batter. Batter swings at next 3 pitches while visibly upset about being forced to strike out to get to the next inning.
Game on - bottom of the 6th inning, DD shuts down the top of their order 1-2-3. I was confident that they weren't going to get any runs because DD was getting hotter as the game went on, mostly because the team was obnoxiously taunting her at the beginning of the game and screaming as she was pitching. I could tell it was getting her fired up. It was a quiet game once we took the lead.
Very interesting to watch and gratifying to win having played the full 6 innings so there were no excuses from the other coach that we won based on a time limit.
Game on - bottom of the 6th inning, DD shuts down the top of their order 1-2-3. I was confident that they weren't going to get any runs because DD was getting hotter as the game went on, mostly because the team was obnoxiously taunting her at the beginning of the game and screaming as she was pitching. I could tell it was getting her fired up. It was a quiet game once we took the lead.
Very interesting to watch and gratifying to win having played the full 6 innings so there were no excuses from the other coach that we won based on a time limit.
Yeah, I've seen things like this in 10U and 12U ball - ridiculous. I hate the "strike out" strategy - of course it goes against everything that youth sports are supposed to be.
The problem is that softball was developed as an un-timed game, and in tournament play it is timed - thus making it a strange sort of hybrid which doesn't work at all. ASA, USSSA, Triple Crown, PGF - these governing bodies need to come up with a rule-set which is specific to a timed game. Put limits on ALL of the little delays: a base runner calling time after she slides into a base, a batter calling time to tie her shoe, umpires calling time ground rule doubles (ball going under the fence, etc), coaches coming out to "converse" with an umpire and asking for help from the field umpire, etc etc etc.
Imagine if there was a strange "tournament" format for boxing where the contestants had to box with one arm behind their backs. They could sometimes use that second arm, but it was kind of against the rules and kind of frowned upon. It would be chaos.
The problem is that softball was developed as an un-timed game, and in tournament play it is timed - thus making it a strange sort of hybrid which doesn't work at all. ASA, USSSA, Triple Crown, PGF - these governing bodies need to come up with a rule-set which is specific to a timed game. Put limits on ALL of the little delays: a base runner calling time after she slides into a base, a batter calling time to tie her shoe, umpires calling time ground rule doubles (ball going under the fence, etc), coaches coming out to "converse" with an umpire and asking for help from the field umpire, etc etc etc.
Imagine if there was a strange "tournament" format for boxing where the contestants had to box with one arm behind their backs. They could sometimes use that second arm, but it was kind of against the rules and kind of frowned upon. It would be chaos.
- Feb 3, 2011
- 1,880
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Maybe your average, daddy-dreamer team ought to be run exactly how most seem to be run anyway, in which case, yes, there's supporting evidence for what you're putting forward.
But this particular team has designs on qualifying for PGF and/or ASA Nationals where there is no time limit in bracket play. I'm not saying that the coach made a conscious choice to get the game to the 7th inning. Obviously, if the batter gets a hit in that situation and the clock expires, it's not like he's going to say "Aw, sorry - I really hoped our girls would be able to play 7 today", but neither did he take away the opportunity for that batter to do her job in that position.
I'm not trying to speak for him, but speaking as a fellow coach, I greatly appreciate the value of allowing the players to play and hold the belief that this experience in a meaningless fall tournament may pay some benefit to them in future summer games on a much larger stage.
- Aug 12, 2014
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It's not just in tournaments - all the softball and baseball rec leagues here have timed regular season games.
- May 11, 2014
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the job of the batter is to attempt to reach base, or am i confused.
If you are referring to my post, it was clear to all that the third batter was instructed to swing at the next 3 pitches, no matter where they were in order to extend the game. DD was instructed to throw CU's, a pitch she just begun working on, in an attempt to draw a walk to end the game. The pitches weren't too far off, but in any other situation, the batter would have laid off them.
- May 11, 2014
- 275
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so failure was the desired outcome for both participants
jk couldnt resist
cant we just play the game without playing games
jk couldnt resist
cant we just play the game without playing games
I saw a team once (designated home) behind 1 run with 2 outs no runners on base in the bottom of thier lineup with time winding down in a "No new" timed game. The batter stepped up, took 1 pitch and then was instructed by her coach to walk back into the dugout for out #3 and started a new inning with a minute left. They ended up battling back and won the game and then championship in the next game
