Is that the right move??

[jnw96]

Here is where we're at. The org. my DD plays with has 10 teams 16u - 8u with 2 10u teams. Her current team is 03 10u which she has an 03 DOB. The 03 team she played with this season had a couple 02 pitchers who got 99% of the mound time. The one game she got to pitch was way out of hand that we had no chance of winning so the coach let her pitch. This was a very good 02 team they were playing that hit the very well. She through strikes and they hit them. But she did get 1st K. I said all that for this. Next season we will have an 04 10u which will need a stud pitcher. Which my DD has the chance to be. Meaning she will get a lot of mound time (if she keeps working hard). On the other hand if she stays with the her current 03 10u team she will have to share mound time with another pitcher. I think playing with the 04 team will help her more and help the younger team. What are your thoughts?

 

[sb03dad]

I watched a pitcher with a 52 mph fastball sit the bench behind a couple 03 pitchers. One with wicked movement and the other with accurate placement. On any other team, she would have been the #1 pitcher, with plenty of mound time. She seems to be playing continuous catch up due to the lack of mound time.

Takeaway... go with the team that will give her the mound time. When she moves up to 12u at the end of next season, she will have the mound time experience. If you're trophy hunting at 10u stay with the 03 team. Getting the mound time is long term. Same goes for catchers, plate time is important. If you see you're going to be stuck at #3, keep your team options open.

 

[sluggers]

IMHO, the stuff about 02 or 03 is irrelevant.

Your DD has to learn to pitch in a game. The only way she can do that is to pitch in games. A pitcher needs to play on the best team she can while getting significant (40% or more) mound time.

So, she needs to find a different team.

 

[Eric F]

If you think she will benefit more from more playing time, even if it's at a lower level of competition, then that's probably a reasonable choice to make. You might want to get her opinion on the issue, too.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Tough call. I think it comes down to where she is in her development. if she has practiced enough to get decent/mechanics and she needs mental toughness and learning how to control herself in a game then I'd go for the younger team to get more time. If she is still learning the basics of how to pitch then practice is FAR more important than circle time and having a better team backing her up when she gets hit becomes more important. If you have some video of her you can post it and I'm sure you'll get some feedback.

That said, if it was my daughter I would probably throw her to the wolves and put her on the older team and say that if she wants to pitch she has to do the work and get good enough to where it's a no brainer that she is the starter.

 

[marriard]

If she wants to pitch and get better she needs to be the #1 or #2 on her current team or find a team where she will be.

Time in the circle is compulsory for development. Otherwise she likley wont catch up to the players who are getting the time they need to develop.

 

[jnw96]

I watched a pitcher with a 52 mph fastball sit the bench behind a couple 03 pitchers. One with wicked movement and the other with accurate placement. On any other team, she would have been the #1 pitcher, with plenty of mound time. She seems to be playing continuous catch up due to the lack of mound time.

Takeaway... go with the team that will give her the mound time. When she moves up to 12u at the end of next season, she will have the mound time experience. If you're trophy hunting at 10u stay with the 03 team. Getting the mound time is long term. Same goes for catchers, plate time is important. If you see you're going to be stuck at #3, keep your team options open.

Trophy hunting we are not, I'm looking long term for her.

 

[jnw96]

If you think she will benefit more from more playing time, even if it's at a lower level of competition, then that's probably a reasonable choice to make. You might want to get her opinion on the issue, too.

She always has the final say(within reason of course). She wants to pitch and even ask to pitch during practice. Very few times did that happen.

 

[jnw96]

Tough call. I think it comes down to where she is in her development. if she has practiced enough to get decent/mechanics and she needs mental toughness and learning how to control herself in a game then I'd go for the younger team to get more time. If she is still learning the basics of how to pitch then practice is FAR more important than circle time and having a better team backing her up when she gets hit becomes more important. If you have some video of her you can post it and I'm sure you'll get some feedback.

That said, if it was my daughter I would probably throw her to the wolves and put her on the older team and say that if she wants to pitch she has to do the work and get good enough to where it's a no brainer that she is the starter.

I'm not going to get into the issues with the current team. But what you and others would call a no brainer doesn't seem to happen currently.

 

[jnw96]

IMHO, the stuff about 02 or 03 is irrelevant.

Your DD has to learn to pitch in a game. The only way she can do that is to pitch in games. A pitcher needs to play on the best team she can while getting significant (40% or more) mound time.

So, she needs to find a different team.

Thanks Slugger..