12u Pitching Dilemma

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May 6, 2016
3
1
We have a pretty poor 12u rec team with 3 fairly new [1 year experience) pitchers, and several players that have played very little softball. Pitcher 1 (P1) has good form and velocity, but struggles with control. Hitters rarely can put a ball in play off P1. P2 and P3 have poor form, often worse command issues but are hittable because they have little velocity.

When P1 [my DD] pitches, we'll get 6-run ruled often due to walks, stolen bases (stealing home), HBP, or dropped 3rd strikes...Our catcher is not the greatest at covering balls in the dirt and isn't the best at hustling to get WP. She'll have to throw 3k's to get out of the inning (which happens only about 50% of innings she pitches). Very rarely will a pitch of hers get hit in fair territory. She needs to get 3 strikes before 4 balls to get an out.

When P2/P3 pitch, there is a much greater chance of their strikes getting hit (assuming the other team swings their bats), which means they may only need 1 strike before 4 balls to get a chance at an out. They can put us in a better chance some-times and make the game a little more fun to watch because there actually is the potential of seeing a hit ball.

IMO, P1 is our best pitcher and I want to keep giving her chances, but I fear some parents may be getting restless with the long innings of nothing but the pitcher and catcher doing anything.

Most of the teams we've faced so far have slower more accurate pitchers... I've tried talking to P1 about taking something off speed-wise to "get the strike" but I think 11 year old brains [at least hers] apparently can't comprehend what that means because that usually turns into even more of a disaster control-wise.

Slow-mo video of P1 from a practice earlier this year for reference. https://goo.gl/photos/dmwuRS6X9hzF41VJ6

Advice?
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
1. Command;
2. Movement;
3. Ability to field position (bunts and balls hit through the circle);
4. Velocity.

When pitchers tryout those are the criteria in order that I am looking for. If a pitcher can do the first three things it doesn't matter how fast she throws we will win a lot of games.
 
May 20, 2016
433
63
It happens in Rec ball. My DD pitches 10U and has had 2 balls all year put back in play. Both by the same girl who is probably the best hitter in our county. It is terrible for the girls in the field but inning are pretty quick and the girls prefer hitting to fielding anyway.

I wouldn't advise telling a pitcher to slow down and aim though. Just let it rip. Takes thousands of pitches before accuracy comes to them.

Though when tiny girls come to the plate i ask my DD to slow it down a little to not scare a girl off from playing if she plunks them.
 
May 4, 2016
70
18
East Coast
1. Command;
2. Movement;
3. Ability to field position (bunts and balls hit through the circle);
4. Velocity.

When pitchers tryout those are the criteria in order that I am looking for. If a pitcher can do the first three things it doesn't matter how fast she throws we will win a lot of games.

Really? I agree for a third or fourth year pitcher with a strong defense behind her, but for a brand new girl (first year pitcher), I was always told the opposite.

My mentors said get the young kid with high velocity. Command, movement, and defense can be taught and require lots of reps to master. However, velocity can't really be taught...
 
Apr 17, 2012
806
18
Wi
Ill take the kids throwing strikes over a kid w little control any day. Your not really even playing the game with walk after walk. We have a girl w speed w no control. Here was her stat line 2 1/3 innings 5 walks 4 hit batters and 2 wild pitches gave up 6 runs w maybe 2 balls in play. Innings took forever. Lost 6-4 to a really bad team. Got timed out in a drop dead situation. Walk fests are a complete downer to morale
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Ill take the kids throwing strikes over a kid w little control any day. Your not really even playing the game with walk after walk. We have a girl w speed w no control. Here was her stat line 2 1/3 innings 5 walks 4 hit batters and 2 wild pitches gave up 6 runs w maybe 2 balls in play. Innings took forever. Lost 6-4 to a really bad team. Got timed out in a drop dead situation. Walk fests are a complete downer to morale

Yep. Control rules.

At the rec level, control means not walking batters. That, alone, can be the difference between winning and losing. Besides, if the pitches are getting hit, your fielders get to develop their skills.

At the TB level, control means keeping the pitch on the edges of the plate, and minimizing the big, game-changing hits. Unless your speed is exceptional for the age group, fast pitches down the middle travel a long way in the opposite direction.
 
Oct 30, 2014
292
18
Seattle
When P1 [my DD] pitches, we'll get 6-run ruled often due to walks, stolen bases (stealing home), HBP, or dropped 3rd strikes...

When P2/P3 pitch, there is a much greater chance of their strikes getting hit (assuming the other team swings their bats), which means they may only need 1 strike before 4 balls to get a chance at an out. They can put us in a better chance some-times and make the game a little more fun to watch because there actually is the potential of seeing a hit ball.

IMO, P1 is our best pitcher and I want to keep giving her chances, but I fear some parents may be getting restless with the long innings of nothing but the pitcher and catcher doing anything.

The pitchers job is to get outs. Based on what you said above P1 is not your best pitcher.
 
Feb 20, 2015
643
0
illinois
"we'll get 6-run ruled often due to walks" Ouch....So let's see. Three walks to load the bases. Fourth walk scores the first run. So we are talking about 10 walks an inning if I did that correctly. REC league is there to teach people how to play. This is not teaching anyone anything, other than how to be bored.
 

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