Removing a player from the field

[qsort]

Last summer during pool play of a 12U "C" tournament, one of my infielders made two errors (physical, not mental) in one inning on routine plays. The assistant coach insists that I should call time out and immediately remove that girl from the field. I waited until the end of the inning before making a change.

The team was pure 11U and the season was recognized by the coaching staff to be "developmental" in preparation for the 2nd year of 12U. The girl in question had been on the team for several seasons.

I can imagine certain situations where it's appropriate to remove a girl from the field. Is this one of them?

 

[CoogansBluff]

Last summer during pool play of a 12U "C" tournament, one of my infielders made two errors (physical, not mental) in one inning on routine plays. The assistant coach insists that I should call time out and immediately remove that girl from the field. I waited until the end of the inning before making a change.

The team was pure 11U and the season was recognized by the coaching staff to be "developmental" in preparation for the 2nd year of 12U. The girl in question had been on the team for several seasons.

I can imagine certain situations where it's appropriate to remove a girl from the field. Is this one of them?

You handled it correctly, IMO.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I wouldn't do it but if you are going to do it have the sub walk out with you to the mound. Have your normal conference with your infielders and then remove the player (have her walk off with you).

I saw one moron just make a straight change of the third baseman after one error (it was a one nothing game in the sixth inning).

That was a long walk from third base to the dugout for the player. (It was 12u).

 

[PA SB Dad]

I think you did the right thing. There is no reason to take a non-pitcher out in the middle of the inning.

 

[coachkurtis]

Pulled a first base player in the final tournament of the year which was for first in province. Swapped her with first base player in dug out. If I had a some one in out field that played first also I would have switch them and left her out there. Parent was not happy with me but I wouldnt have changed a thing. Funny how not one peep comes from parents when the team hasnt lost a game in 30 or so tries but yet the second they lose some parents feel the need to pipe up.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Pulled a first base player in the final tournament of the year which was for first in province. Swapped her with first base player in dug out. If I had a some one in out field that played first also I would have switch them and left her out there. Parent was not happy with me but I wouldnt have changed a thing. Funny how not one peep comes from parents when the team hasnt lost a game in 30 or so tries but yet the second they lose some parents feel the need to pipe up.

So if this player was such a defensive liability that you had to replace her mid-inning, why didn't you make the substitution between innings??? IMO, sounds like you made a mistake and compounded it by embarrassing a player in the course of fixing the problem you created.

FWIW, winning 30 or so games in a row doesn't justify anything.

 

[shelbysdad]

Sometimes you just need to call a conference and ask the player what's up? I once had situation in a 10u league tourney where my regular first base looked fine the first two innings and then started booting routine plays. I called time in the middle of the 3rd and we had an infield conference on the mound and I asked her what was up. She then told me she was up till 4am at a sleepover. Duh. She was a zombie. I calmly told her she was hurting the team and she agreed. Swap out no problem. Most parents know no sleepovers or swimming night before or day of games but not all. If you treat them like big girls they get it.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Okay.... A year ago last fall I had a girl who didn't really want to be there. I had her playing in right field. She would frequently be watching the game on the next field over as the our pitcher pitched the ball. I had already warned her once. Well, when I saw it again, I did call a time out and replaced her. I told her why she was being taken out. She denied she did it. Good grief! I know what I saw. I asked her, "Are you denying you did it? Are you saying I didn't see what I saw?" Well, that caught her. In the end, she was playing just because her parents wanted her to. At the end of the season, she was off the team.

 

[Rocketech1]

I don't think you play a position well if you are scared you are going to get pulled during an inning if you commit an error. They are going to make some errors, especially if you are an aggressive fielder. Pulling a player during an inning (unless its a pitcher) is bad coaching. No need to ridicule a player like that, she already feels bad enough that she made a couple of errors. A better move would be to call time, talk to the defense, "flush" the error and regroup.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Last summer during pool play of a 12U "C" tournament, one of my infielders made two errors (physical, not mental) in one inning on routine plays. The assistant coach insists that I should call time out and immediately remove that girl from the field. I waited until the end of the inning before making a change.

The team was pure 11U and the season was recognized by the coaching staff to be "developmental" in preparation for the 2nd year of 12U. The girl in question had been on the team for several seasons.

I can imagine certain situations where it's appropriate to remove a girl from the field. Is this one of them?

Would you make the same decision on removing a pitcher, to wait? My friends, why do we feel position players are above replacement mid inning?