what do you think of a coach who yells at a player for taking a BB?

[Cannonball]

I know a girl that was benched in college because, "she walks too much." Benched despite being, at that time #2 in home runs and #4 in BA. She sat 5 games before being allowed to pinch hit. Then she sat some more. I too was at a loss on what to tell her. I saw that recently she walked 4 times in a game. She must have been terrified.

 

[coach james]

Who said anything remotely close to your post... if coach says to sacrifice then you'd better. No coach ever says to swing at balls way out of the zone, But if coach says get on base, then who cares how that base was aquired. Like I said, it's hard to score from the dugout.

You have a knack for looking for every opportunity to discredit people's posts.... its getting old

Not looking to discredit any post. Just too often I see coaches and parents who seem to think that a positive outcome is the sole criteria for success.

Ahhh. Not in my dugout. If I call a specific play or instruction, she'd better execute. (Or make a reasonable attempt) However, in the op it said the batter was instructed to hit away, and when she took the free pass, she was then yelled at for not hitting. It would be different if I called a hit and run, and the batter took it because it was out of her zone, and now the runner is easily gunned down. Then I'm pissed. But if it's a nobody on scenario at the top of an inning, I'm saying to her.... "get on base, than means walking, wearing one, or finding a good pitch to drive" we can't score you from the bench!

 

[riseball]

I am not exactly sure why you think that would end up with an RBI being awarded to the hitter. In your scenario, the run would be attributed to a stolen base, passed ball or wild pitch, neither of which result in an RBI. The analogy does not apply.

An RBI is always due to the control of the hitter. One is not awarded for the batter simply being at the plate when something occurs. The run must be "batted in," hence the name, "RBI."

I also don't believe I have ever seen any definition of a "quality AB" that does not include "any RBI."

Granted I may be wrong about the RBI. Try to understand the big picture which is that a low threshold for quality does nothing but promote mediocrity. Again it is about the process not the outcome.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

Granted I may be wrong about the RBI. Try to understand the big picture which is that a low threshold for quality does nothing but promote mediocrity. Again it is about the process not the outcome.

Iv'e been learning to understand the big picture for over 15 years at the top level of A ball, and during that time I've come to know a thing or two about quality. I've also learned (and continue to learn) quite a bit about the process that creates quality.

I am not sure why you think I have a low threshold for quality just because I said all definitions of a "quality AB" I have seen include "any RBI." I guess it just may be that knack for trying to discredit other people's posts coming out again.

 

[obbay]

In the end - it turns out that the coach yelled at her for taking the pitch with two strikes. he felt the pitch wasn't a ball, she was lucky to get the call and could've/should've hit it. DD believes he was right that she could've hit it, doesn't know why she let it go and was lucky to get the call. feels miserable for not getting a hit the whole game and not doing her job. I tried to explain the success she had getting runs across the plate, but she didnt buy it.

He was letting her know what he thought from the 3B coaches box, yelling across the diamond at her. I thought he was classless, but didnt know why he would make such a big deal out of it.

from the responses here I see that as a parent I sometimes get blinded to the big picture, but understand now how a seemingly good job may not be the correct thing to do. He clearly has an issue with called strikes, and I have told DD that with 2 strikes your hitting zone should expand beyond the strike zone to include any pitch you can hit (fouling off as necessary) and she has been doing that. This time, she just made a mistake. accept it and move on.

Thanks for the excellent responses.

 

[Rally]

Quote Originally Posted by Little Angels Softball View Post
I am not exactly sure why you think that would end up with an RBI being awarded to the hitter. In your scenario, the run would be attributed to a stolen base, passed ball or wild pitch, neither of which result in an RBI. The analogy does not apply.

An RBI is always due to the control of the hitter. One is not awarded for the batter simply being at the plate when something occurs. The run must be "batted in," hence the name, "RBI."

I also don't believe I have ever seen any definition of a "quality AB" that does not include "any RBI."


Bases loaded walk or HBP also results in an RBI which I wouldn't consider "batted in" and there are several situations in which a quality at bat doesn't result in an RBI...... Sac bunt, hitting a ground ball behind a runner to advance them into scoring position with less than two outs, going deep into a count (especially for a lead off hitter) etc.

 

[chinamigarden]

I've seen coaches who will correct a player who makes a good play rather then someone who makes a bad one. It's a weird trying to keep them positive thing. Example. The pitcher fields the ball and gets the runner out at first, no one scores. Coach says you need to check that runner at third. Same play but the ball bounces off her glove every is safe and the runner on third scores. Coach says something like nice try, bad luck get the next one.

I've seen this a dozen times and I never understand it.

 

[#7sDad]

he would pull any batter who got two called strikes and would replace them with another player to finish the AB.

Waiting for a pitch you can drive is better than swinging at whatever strike comes your way. Having the confidence to take two hard to hit strikes is part of having a good AB.

Repeating Riseball's quote once again... Softball is a game of chess and you can't approach it with a checkers mindset.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

Quote Originally Posted by Little Angels Softball View Post
I am not exactly sure why you think that would end up with an RBI being awarded to the hitter. In your scenario, the run would be attributed to a stolen base, passed ball or wild pitch, neither of which result in an RBI. The analogy does not apply.

An RBI is always due to the control of the hitter. One is not awarded for the batter simply being at the plate when something occurs. The run must be "batted in," hence the name, "RBI."

I also don't believe I have ever seen any definition of a "quality AB" that does not include "any RBI."


Bases loaded walk or HBP also results in an RBI which I wouldn't consider "batted in" and there are several situations in which a quality at bat doesn't result in an RBI...... Sac bunt, hitting a ground ball behind a runner to advance them into scoring position with less than two outs, going deep into a count (especially for a lead off hitter) etc.

Agreed. Lots of ways to get a quality AB. "Any RBI" is just one of them that happens to appear on every list I've seen.

I hear ya on the bases-loaded walk or HBP. I guess they award the RBI because the hitter was smart enough not to swing at four pitches out of the zone with runners in scoring position or was smart enough not to get out of the way with same. Both still require discipline by the hitter and aren't entirely random events.

I even consider it a quality AB if a girl works it for 8 pitches or more, or if she can work it for 4 more pitches after getting 2 strikes on her.

 

[BobInMadison]

I cannot understand the hatred of walks. The ONLY problem with a walk is if there are runners on base who would NOT be advanced by a walk, and even then, if it's a runner at 3rd, the girl who walked will probably be stealing 2nd soon (unless 2 outs).

There is a pitcher DD #1 faced 4 times in 3 games in HS freshman team games. The first game P started, the other 2 relief.

Game #1, 1st AB: single, stole second, CS at third.
2nd AB: solo HR

Game #2: nobody on, BB, stole second, stole third, scores on PB (I am also a pitcher's dad. No such thing as a WP).

Game #3: DD #1 is second batter that inning, leadoff batter walks, steals second and third while DD #1 is batting. RBI single. Steals second, steals third, scores on PB.

Notice that two BB were involved. The first was as good as a HR, the second as good as a triple. Granted, in the highest levels stolen bases are harder to get, but getting a runner on base is NEVER a bad thing. Esp. if the next batter can HIT.