Your advice/suggestions would be appreciated!

[lyrex1973]

Thanks for your reply - very helpful. I should've been more clear - these are all elimination games and so we're trying to play our best players. The HC & my hubby actually e-mailed everyone far in advance on more than one occasioin to let them know about the sub and explain the situation and no one ever voiced any concern about it or said a word...that is...until they realized the sub was a pitcher and would be playing that position and their daughter would lose some playing time. That's why we were surprised - because it was the first we had heard that anyone had an issue. It should be noted that I really don't think the other parents have an issue and were all cheering for the sub and happy for our victory...even all the girls were thrilled with the one exception.

Even without the sub - we would've played my daughter the majority of the game since she would've been the 2nd best option and our best chance to win even though she's pretty weak at this point in time herself.

While you may not believe me - I truly would understand if my daughter tried out and didn't make a team or wasn't good enough to start (it happened last year) and so she played rec ball last year instead. She worked really hard and tried out again this year and truly earned her spot. When she tries out again she may or may not make the team since my hubby has decided coaching is just too much of a time committment - she may or may not be able to pitch in either case and she's fine and we're fine with that. It sounds like your kids were very good and I'm sure wouldn't have been on the team playing at that level unless they were! That's my only point - the best players should make the team, the best players should play. If my daughter earns her spot I'm right there with you in that I'll think she should play every minute of every game too : )

 

[01mom]

Obviously all kids want to play and we want them to play but this is a competitive team and we're trying to win. That means the better players play first, play the most. The backups play in practice, where they try to make themselves good enough to earn a place on the field in games. The team plays to win.

No one gets any better sitting the bench during games. Practice does not mimic the experience you get in games (coaches should make sure that ALL of the girls are getting lots of reps during practice). These girls are only 10u, don't make them hate the sport b/c they aren't superstars at 8, 9, or 10. These "backups" or weaker girls should be in the game getting as much experience as possible during pool play. I understand wanting to put your best on the field first during elimination, but there is no excuse for girls sitting or only playing 1 or 2 innings all day, especially at that age.

Edited to add: Even if there is no pool play, girls still need game experience and if you have enough girls for a game the "ringer" should not be invited to join your team for games.

 

[BrianMonk]

No one gets any better sitting the bench during games. Practice does not mimic the experience you get in games (coaches should make sure that ALL of the girls are getting lots of reps during practice). These girls are only 10u, don't make them hate the sport b/c they aren't superstars at 8, 9, or 10. These "backups" or weaker girls should be in the game getting as much experience as possible during pool play. I understand wanting to put your best on the field first during elimination, but there is no excuse for girls sitting or only playing 1 or 2 innings all day, especially at that age.

Edited to add: Even if there is no pool play, girls still need game experience and if you have enough girls for a game the "ringer" should not be invited to join your team for games.

OMG -

Read people....slow down, take a few breaths and read. Reading is not THAT hard. Is it?

The girls were ALL playing – this is about a position issue. PITCHER.

A #3 pitcher didn’t get to pitch a few innings during a tournament because they brought in another player (because they were short players), who happened to be a pitcher. The new pitcher happened to be the best pitcher on the team. So they pitched her.

Viola.

 

[nanotech14]

The HC and your Husband,knew what they were doing by bring in a better pitcher.If you need a extra player,why not bring in a utility player? I can see at the older levels,picking up another pitcher if you were playing in a big tournament, like a week long tournament.I can not side with you on this one.I have to agree with the other parents on this one.

 

[29dad]

Agree with Brian. Some serious reading comprehension issues on this forum in general and this thread in particular. Team definitely needed a pickup player otherwise they wouldn't have had enough players to play. What it boils down to - should you use a pickup player as a pitcher when you already have two pitchers? My gut says no. But I don't have nearly as much venom towards the OP as most do.

 

[Momo'sDad]

I agree with Nanotech. In TB, I don't believe that they recruited a pickup player without knowing that she was a better pitcher than the 2 pitchers already on the team. I have a hard time believing that they recruited her as an infielder with a good bat and she just so happened to be an amazing pitcher.

Your coaches did not think the team was strong enough to compete in the playoffs without a better pitcher, so that's who they went out to find.

In regards to giving your team's parents foreknowledge, it is never real until it's real. They read or hear and it sounds great, but then when you get to game time, they're miffed because they think their DD should be in the circle during the playoff game instead of the new girl, even though the new girl is much, much better.

I am not saying it is wrong to use pickup players when you have someone out, but I am saying that it's wrong to completely ignore player development for an entire set of games during a weekend, especially when we're talking 10u or 12u.

I personally think the right thing to do is to go into battle with the one's who have been there with you, unless doing so would leave you shorthanded. In your example, if the player you missed was 1 of your 2 pitchers and you replaced her with a pitcher, it would be hard to find fault with that. A team needs no less than 2 pitchers during a weekend.

The parents of the now #3 pitcher do have a right to be upset, but hopefully they are not poisoning their daughter. She still needs to be prepared to go in and do whatever the coach decides the team needs her to do, whenever her number is called.

 

[CoogansBluff]

It's important to have a policy on pickup players that all parents understand from the start. If it's a team of players and parents new to travel ball, then it's wise to explain how a pickup player will be used each time you use one. Pickup players are powder kegs.

In most cases, I'm very much against having pickup players take away opportunities from my own players. I use them only if I won't have 10 players without one. I used only two this year. One played CF and batted 5th in place of the girl who regularly plays CF and bats 5th. The other batted last and played OF when she could've helped us hitting leadoff.

However, I do think you can make a case that using this 'ringer' pitcher was in the best interest of your team in this particular instance. For one, she was taking the place of a missing #1 pitcher, so no one should have played or pitched less than normal. In fact, if the 'ringer' meant winning 4 games instead of 1, then all your players would get to play more, not less. Secondly, a good pitcher can help the team win -- not for winning's sake, but for the morale of the team and the experience of winning if in fact you've struggled. That sounds like a rationalization, but during my first season as coach (10u), our team had a rough summer, and we were down to 7 players by July as families started taking vacations. We were going to pack it up, but we had a chance to get 3 pickups, one a very good pitcher. We won two tournaments. What that success did for those remaining girls is still with us 3 years later. They went from 'softball is fun, but we stink' to 'softball is fun, and we're actually pretty good'.

Another key thing that I would consider in your case is whether the #3 pitcher had been working hard and was serious about developing as a pitcher. If she'd been doing everything that was asked of her, I'd lean toward giving her the ball and doing the best you can. If not, if she just likes to pitch and feels entitled to it for no good reason, then there's more justification for riding the ace.

 

[01mom]

OMG -

Read people....slow down, take a few breaths and read. Reading is not THAT hard. Is it?

The girls were ALL playing – this is about a position issue. PITCHER.

A #3 pitcher didn’t get to pitch a few innings during a tournament because they brought in another player (because they were short players), who happened to be a pitcher. The new pitcher happened to be the best pitcher on the team. So they pitched her.

Viola.

I have a toddler attention span when it comes to reading long posts, so no way was I reading all that so I wasn't commenting on it. I was only commenting on what I quoted from her shorter post.

 

[PA SB Dad]

This is why I would ban 10u completely.

I have to disagree with SB on this one. I would only ban the 10U parents.

 

[chinamigarden]

Then put the extra kid in the empty slot, not in place of your own pitchers... So it only affected the pitchers...not like pitching isn't 80 percent of the game.

They are ten and should not be pulled for so-called better players. The reason ANY 10u kids stink is the lack of coaching. Teach them, don't pigeon hole them.

And I see where this is coming from: Daughter made the show after being deemed not so good, so now time to belittle those who are also deemed not good enough (at 9 or 10!!!!).

This is why I would ban 10u completely.

If you ban 10u what will all the 8u players do when they age up?