Rough weekend...

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moe

Aug 14, 2013
310
16
Had our first of season tournament this past weekend. Home tourney.

Had a disappointing weekend. Our pitchers struggled and went and left pool play seeded last...leaving us to play # 1 seed sunday.

Here is the rub, During pool play, I play everyone. I bat everyone. Girls were just not getting it done. Come sunday, I DP/Flex and bat best 9, field best 9. And we put more runs up against the #1 seed than scored against all weekend (and any game they had after). AND were one of two teams that they did not run rule. We had strongest players in every position. Weak batters and fielders sat out. And we did VERY well.

Now...how do you all handle pool play? Keep developing players...or? When do you say enough is enough and just go out fielding best 9 to get it done? 16u B team...

I know we can win...we do most times we field this lineup...I want to stay the course. Build players. Build hitters....It seems to be working in many cases...but others...it is leaving huge holes...I can only have 1 right fielder...damn...frustrating.

Thanks all...
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Sounds a little early to bail on your philosophy as frustrating as it can be.

I have the opinion that at some point in the season I am going to need the 12th player, vacation, injury whatever.

(It annoys DW to no end that we always seem to have to play the best Team, she thinks it is unfair. :))
 
Last edited:
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
We're only 10U and our coaches tend to bat everybody all the time except in rare circumstances (we have 10 so it would just be one sitting out). How they do pool depends on how much pool matters. If it's just a warm up game that doesn't seed anything then the developing players are going to get the majority. If it seeds bracket and there's a place we want to seed, they'll play it a little more competitively. Our HC never ever bats 9 in pool games though, even when they matter. At least he never had so far. Our team is like yours, too. Depending on who's pitching and where everyone is positioned, we can either compete with the best teams around, or lose to teams that aren't even strong.
 
Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
We're 14U A and our coaches bat and play everyone in pool and then only the best 9/10 on Sunday. He gives each the opportunity to learn and improve, and to play on Sunday if they earn it. This weekend we went 1-2 in pool, then beat the #3 and #2 seeds and were beating the #1 seed in the championship up until the 5th inning (when the wheels fell off a little). They finished 2nd in the tourney and even the girls who sat seemed happy and supported their teammates, and I think they understand why they're sitting when they see how differently the team plays when the strongest line-up is in.

Don't give up on them and keep developing and encouraging ALL your players. The bottom 2 or 3 may work hard to become starters if they see they have a chance to still earn their way into playing time.
 
Feb 17, 2014
551
28
I am against batting 9 unless you're a super good team that is competing for something meaningful. A random NSA/USFA/USSSA/UFO/non-sanctioned tourney is not something meaningful. A PGF berth, I can see it maybe. Once you get that berth do you really stand a chance at winning PGF nationals? If you do, then bat 9 and play your best. If you're the Beverly Bandits or the Batbusters, I get it.

If you're not competing for something meaningful, then play everyone, bat your roster, give your pitchers equal mound time, etc. You should be developing everyone on your team not just a few. The Alaska Freeze Premier Gold should be playing everyone.

A couple weeks ago in OKC, every team DD played batted 9 with a 12-13 girl roster. Why? Its just a meaningless tournament in June. We batted 10, would have batted 11 had our catcher not get cleated and need 14 stitches, and beat them all.

Do the kids your benching pay less than the ones who are playing? If they're not playing then they shouldn't have to shell out the money.

Just what I think.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
We struggle at times this year but we are getting better and better every game.

We have 3 pitchers that are not equal, all have started and pretty dang close to the same amount of innings.

We might actually be pretty good by end of year.

We can lose a player and not miss a beat.
 

moe

Aug 14, 2013
310
16
[MENTION=2664]quincy[/MENTION], that is/was my goal. [MENTION=10314]spl[/MENTION]een, thank you for that perspective. That helped a lot to support my thoughts.
 
Aug 18, 2014
57
8
Our first year of travel ball my daughter played on a 14U team where the head of the organization apparently thought it was so important to win tournaments that she had her coaches sit two girls (including my daughter) constantly. I bet she didn't get 20 at bats all year. Needless to say she struggled and I had to hide in the parking lot to avoid confrontation. Most godawful experience of her career. 11 of the 13 girls didn't come back.

Two years later she plays on a 16U team with 11 players and every girl sits an inning or two. Coach is respectful of the players and the parents and yet we still seem to win. She has turned into one of the top players on the team and other teams have asked about her. I agree with spleen, you pay the money and put the time in you deserve to play. We take ourselves too seriously sometimes.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
We're 12U B, Saturday I bat everyone who shows unless there is an injury and try to do a fair amount of defensive rotations so no one sits "too much".

Sunday we bat the best 9 and Flex someone if we can.

If I have an opportunity to do so I try to get subs in somehow.

But hey we just play in the "random weekend tournament variety". If your goal is nationals, exposure, something else your mileage may vary.

For what it is worth moe I think you are doing it right.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
I believe development and improvement is achieved in practice and work at home... Game day is her opportunity to showcase her talents. So, when we're in pool play...everyone auditions for the chance to play in bracket. The bottom performing players from pool will serve as subs in bracket.
 

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