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?
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?