Is it ever OK to purposefullly lose a game to get a more favorable bracket?

[Greenmonsters]

Seriously? 99.999999% of users on this site talk about their daughters or girls so I figured saying girls there instead of kids was acceptable.



Another point I made in my post.



Most of these girls play on the same travel teams but may go to different high schools so I would expect them to know their tendencies.....which is essence what my post was about.

I also don't think that being able to read the spin of the ball is all that important. Just hit the dang thing no matter what pitch it is. How many girls see a curve ball and think to themselves "well that has enough spin to curve 15" instead of 6"" and make the adjustment. I doubt very few.

No they aren't thinking about spin. Not because they don't read it, but because they don't have time. If they were not reading spin and were just trying to "hit the dang ball", the reality is that they'd be swinging and missing most of the time. And that doesn't happen with high level hitters.

 

[WileyWombat]

Man, these threads have a tendency to wander. But, that makes it fun to read.

Now back on the main topic

I would never coach to lose. I could pick that game to develop that #4 pitcher. (It'll make a least one set of parents happy). Maybe it's time for my bench RF to get a shot at LF. Sure would be nice if my 2nd base knew more about playing short.

Then coach to win and be happy with what every the results are.

W

 

[Slappers]

High level hitters miss the ball most of the time. That's why they get three chances.

I can never seem to communicate effectively on this forum but I do it so well at work. I don't understand.

 

[Greenmonsters]

High level hitters miss the ball most of the time. That's why they get three chances.

I can never seem to communicate effectively on this forum but I do it so well at work. I don't understand.

LOL - work pays the bills so its more important to be effective there than here. And, although its true that high-level hitters don't reach base safely most of the time, its not because they are swinging and missing!

 

[CoogansBluff]

I think there's a good parallel to baseball here. Rookie call ups generally have an advantage v. a pitcher they see the first few times. And then there's the typical sophomore year slump. IMO, hitters initially have the advantage, then the pitchers catch up as they get to know the hitters and then with greater familiarity, things settle out subsequently as both sides adjust in response to adjustments.

I'm interested to know if this theory would hold up under a statistical analysis. Not saying I disagree, just that I find the question interesting and would like to know. I also can think of pitchers who had sophomore slumps. Best example would be Hideo Nomo. He led the league in strikeouts as a rookie. Had an odd delivery. Here are his ERA's his first five years in the league, in order - 2.54, 3.19, 4.25, 4.92, 5.05.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Seriously? 99.999999% of users on this site talk about their daughters or girls so I figured saying girls there instead of kids was acceptable.



Another point I made in my post.



Most of these girls play on the same travel teams but may go to different high schools so I would expect them to know their tendencies.....which is essence what my post was about.

I also don't think that being able to read the spin of the ball is all that important. Just hit the dang thing no matter what pitch it is. How many girls see a curve ball and think to themselves "well that has enough spin to curve 15" instead of 6"" and make the adjustment. I doubt very few.

It's all good, I misunderstood the nature of your post. I think mostly we agree from your followup posts.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I'm interested to know if this theory would hold up under a statistical analysis. Not saying I disagree, just that I find the question interesting and would like to know. I also can think of pitchers who had sophomore slumps. Best example would be Hideo Nomo. He led the league in strikeouts as a rookie. Had an odd delivery. Here are his ERA's his first five years in the league, in order - 2.54, 3.19, 4.25, 4.92, 5.05.

I actually did think about that before posting, but was hoping I didn't get called on it. Why do you want to get facts involved? Just accept it at face value because everyone else does.

However, I will stick by hitters adjusting quicker than pitchers in the very short run!

 

[SoCal_Dad]

MLB is unique because there is so much scouting info and video on the pitchers and hitters. Many call-ups struggle their first games as they get over the jitters of being at the Show. After that, players with MLB talent do well as they are unknown and they benefit from all the info on their opponents. That being said, pitchers benefit more than hitters because the team can tailor the way they call pitches to each hitter.

FWIW, one of the HS softball powers in our league tapes games of all the other teams in the league and makes sure they have tape of all the pitchers before they play them.

 

[Greenmonsters]

MLB is unique because there is so much scouting info and video on the pitchers and hitters. Many call-ups struggle their first games as they get over the jitters of being at the Show. After that, players with MLB talent do well as they are unknown and they benefit from all the info on their opponents. That being said, pitchers benefit more than hitters because the team can tailor the way they call pitches to each hitter.

FWIW, one of the HS softball powers in our league tapes games of all the other teams in the league and makes sure they have tape of all the pitchers before they play them.

Not all those hitters have those jitters. And, assuming they don't, they get the book on the pitcher faster (i.e., before the first at bats) than the pitcher's team can get an accurate book on the hitter. On the pro level, with today's sophisticated scouting systems and speed of information transfer the book on the call up gets there a lot quicker than it used to. Even if each have the "book" on the other, both parties still have to execute with one inevitably failing each and every time.

WRT softball, no doubt the video tape tips the scale in favor of whoever's reviewing it.

 

[John T]

OK Guys and Gals how about this...team DD (16 yrs) is playing for is in position to win their pool at a USSSA 18U "State B Tournament" The coach is helping coach a second team in a lower age group that is also playing in the tournament. If DD'S team wins there will be a conflict in times where both HIS teams are playing. If we win we will face a team that "Has our number" and if we loose we will face a team we match up favorably against.

Coach decides in the late innings to put my daughter in to pitch. She pitched in HS but not for the TB team (I think he thought she was a step below who he was throwing) and this is late in the TB season. He does not tell her what he wanted her to do because he assumes she is going to give up some runs. She proceeds to get the first two batters out and kind of forces his hand. He goes out to the mound and has her walk in a run and we loose the game...

He gets to coach the other team and ours and we end up loosing anyway.

Needless to say we will not be playing for that team again this summer, even though I think he expects us to.