“Pitching Drought”

Softball scholar said:

I think another problem in softball is that a lot of coaches ride the #1 pitcher way too much. Ive seen teams were team has 3-4 pitchers. But the #1 pitcher gets 75% of the innings. The other girls get discouraged and give up, and the #1 pitcher gets overwork and is susceptible to injuries and burn out. The pitch counts in baseball gives multiple pitchers more opportunities.

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Softball scholar said:

I think another problem in softball is that a lot of coaches ride the #1 pitcher way too much. Ive seen teams were team has 3-4 pitchers. But the #1 pitcher gets 75% of the innings. The other girls get discouraged and give up, and the #1 pitcher gets overwork and is susceptible to injuries and burn out. The pitch counts in baseball gives multiple pitchers more opportunities.

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Westwind said:

3. Bats are hot. I am getting old and I can probably fungo with one hand with the modern bats. You see 12 and 13 year olds hitting balls over 200 feet now. That wasn't happening ten years ago.

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MNDad said:

This is a huge problem for rec teams here, particularly when it comes to Daddyball. They let coaches give 99% of the innings to their DD’s and after they leave the program wonders why they don’t have any pitching.

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Awesome Sauce Malone said:

So stupid question time and stupid meaning I know the answer but Im trying to grasp the why portion of it

I know in baseball we've always taught everyone to pitch. Even the kids who will probably not step foot on a mound knows how to pitch "Just in case"

Me - (being a know nothing) sees my daughters athleticism and figures in softball its probably best served playing a position however I see her walking around pretending to pitch and shes starting to ask about it so Im figuring "what the hell"

My question is - is this something I should even bother pursuing? I understand pitching is always in need but from the sounds of it (and some of what I've had to deal in my hometown) Id be setting my self up for double the headache especially if my kids wants to pitch and play a position.

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BT3100 said:

I think allowing any kid who wants to pitch is a great idea. As they get older 12U and above it becomes increasingly difficult to compete at the higher levels without intense focus and work on pitching. DD practices 4-5 times per week for 10 months of the year. Had I know when she was 10 that the commitment was that great I probably would have steered her in a different direction. That said she loves it and I am happy for her. Just need to make sure that as your DD begins that it could lead to a larger commitment.

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Awesome Sauce Malone said:

I have the same thoughts as in if she wants to why not. hell it could turn out to be her thing you know. As it stands now she does not have that kind of time commitment. Id say we could get a good 2 days in with a possible 3rd. But at the same time shes never pitched before so she would just be learning. But the one thing she always asks me is if she can pitch to me so if there is the interest might as well ahve her learn something.

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Awesome Sauce Malone said:

I have the same thoughts as in if she wants to why not. hell it could turn out to be her thing you know. As it stands now she does not have that kind of time commitment. Id say we could get a good 2 days in with a possible 3rd. But at the same time shes never pitched before so she would just be learning. But the one thing she always asks me is if she can pitch to me so if there is the interest might as well ahve her learn something.

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