How does your team handle pick up players?

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Apr 26, 2015
704
43
So...every time my daughter's team has picked up a player - that player is last in the batting order and is there to fill in as needed. DD's coach makes sure that the pick up gets adequate time, but does not generally play the pick up over one of his "real" players.

This weekend my daughter picked up with a team for an out of state tourney (we had never visited this particular state and flights and hotels were cheap so we figured why not). It was my understanding that there were 4 girls who were hurt (3 of whom would not be going to the tourney) and that DD would make #10. Come to find out - once we arrived - there were 14 girls at the tourney - all of whom were perfectly healthy to play. DD batted lead off all weekend and only sat for 2 innings all weekend. I have to admit I was a little embarrassed. Thankfully DD had a great weekend both at the plate and in the field - but I was just confused. This coach has been trying to woo DD to her team for months now. Maybe it was stupid of us to go - I don't know. (We got some college visits in and some sightseeing so it was a good weekend for us on several levels). I think now more than ever we know that is not the team for DD - even she felt awkward.

So...all that to ask...how does your team usually handle pick up players?
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
IMO, it varies depending on the situation and the type of player(s) we're talking about. With my DD's team, we've had pickup players who were there to serve primarily as courtesy runners and emergency subs, and others who were filling in at primary starting roles.
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
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It depends on why the pick up is there. When DD got hurt and couldn’t play they picked up a player who played her position and that player played all weekend. But on other occasions we picked up a pitcher or catcher because someone was hurt and they only played minimal time since there were other pitchers and catchers.
Were any of the other 14 girls pickup players?
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
This is a hard question with no good anwser.

DD has quest played and you might need her again so you need to treat her OK, she can not be sitting on bench all weekend just in case.

I do not know if I have seen a bad quest player, they are always good. Certainly better then some of our players.

We have had guest players a few times and they sometimes took DD's slot, I was furious. Said sometime to HC next practice, their DD was not effected of course.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
My DD is a pitcher and SS with a good bat, so whenever we've picked up, she's played a lot. She has batted last only once that I can remember. Usually she's somewhere in the middle. I would expect her playing time to go with her skill level, assuming no other expectations have been laid out. Once when she picked up they told us in advance they mostly needed her for pitching. So if she'd pitched and sat a lot that weekend that would have been fine. Coaches need to communicate these things to the pick ups and the players on the team. So much softball drama can be avoided w/ decent communication.

We haven't used a pick up in over a year, I don't think. We only get one for a specific need. Missing pitcher/catcher where our own can't make up the difference. Or we need a player to get to 9 and play. Other than that we make due with what we've got even if someone is missing. I know some teams like to pick up aces and sit their own but we don't have that on our team. That said, if a player volunteers to spend the day helping out our team, she's going to play. Personally I feel like when a pick up player is there, she should be treated like part of the team for the day. I've always taught my DD to be welcoming and friendly. They're not there to try to steal playing time from our players, they're there because we needed their help for the weekend. DD has picked up with teams that had that "pick ups are outsiders" mentality. She has been invited back and been offered spots on teams like that and has declined without a second thought. Nobody enjoys feeling like they're not welcome.
 
Feb 7, 2014
547
43
That said, if a player volunteers to spend the day helping out our team, she's going to play.

...this sounds logical.

As a parent I have found myself on both ends watching DD (sitting the bench or playing every inning and hitting at the top of the order). I don't find as much value on the bench!
 
Apr 26, 2015
704
43
Don't get me wrong - of course I was thrilled to have DD play - and very thankful she had a good weekend and was able to help the team. But with 14 girls at the tourney - all healthy and ready to play and DD the only pick up it was a little awkward. I had been told by the coach that one of the players had a broken finger...I asked the dad "how is X's finger? Coach told me she broke it last week." He looked at me like I had 2 heads. He said "no - she jammed it about 3 weeks ago but has been playing and practicing for weeks". The 2 girls who were too hurt to play didn't come at all. I know the coach likes DD (she is her HS coach) and has been trying to get her to come to her team for months now. We have told her in no uncertain terms that DD is happy where she is at for this season. She now wants DD to come to all of their out of state tourneys. Um - not happening. First we do not have a money tree and 2nd - you have 15 girls on your roster - use them! The ONLY reason we went was that we thought DD was making 10 for the weekend.

Again - I was thankful we didn't spend all that $$ to watch DD sit - but at the same time, some of the girls from the team hardly played. DD played CF (her usual position) over 2 other girls who normally rotate that position. One sat the bench almost all weekend (only saw her bat once) and the other played LF (booting another girl from that position). I know it's not our "fault" - I just felt funny about it.
 
Jan 5, 2018
385
63
PNW
So much softball drama can be avoided w/ decent communication.

THIS ^^^^^ is my "statement of the year" award so far. WELL SAID.

grcsftbll...love your perspective and this post. Many would have a much better time if they read this first and followed this example
 
Feb 17, 2014
551
28
I've seen this handled pretty much every way you can think of.

The key is to communicate what you are going to do and make sure you do things that way.

On DD's current team, both coaches have daughters a year younger and they are always our pickup players if we need them.
 

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