How many walks in 12U ?

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May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
Wondering ...

How many walks is typical (good, bad) in a 12U game from a single pitcher.

I'm sure this varies from area to area ...

MY DD played in an All Star game 11/12 .. she walked 5 and struck out 12.
The walks were in the first two innings.
Most of the actual hits were to the right side of field. The team we played was the #2 10/11 in the State.

Would this be a typical pitching outing for a 12U player?
 
Jul 28, 2008
1,088
0
My number one pitcher averaged 1BB/3innings with 1.22K's/inning while my number two averaged 1BB/2-innings with 1.34K's/inning. My number three pitcher had 1BB/1.6innings with 1.69K's/inning.

These numbers can be a bit misleading at first glance, because my #3 pitcher got the easier teams while my #1 got the toughest teams. This is also in select softball. My #1 played LL ball this year and it was averaging well over 2K's/inning.
 
May 7, 2008
109
0
There are walks and there are walks. Is she walking the first batter of an inning? Is she losing the batter after getting ahead? Is she missing the corners by a mile? Is she having trouble with one particular pitch? Is she going 3 balls on lots of batters? Is she adjusting to the HP umps K zone? Is she giving in after she gets behind? IMHO, (and I have a 12U DD), 5-6 BB's in 6 innings is too many. When you play better teams...those free passes WILL come back to haunt her.

Keith
 
Wondering ...

How many walks is typical (good, bad) in a 12U game from a single pitcher.

I'm sure this varies from area to area ...

MY DD played in an All Star game 11/12 .. she walked 5 and struck out 12.
The walks were in the first two innings.
Most of the actual hits were to the right side of field. The team we played was the #2 10/11 in the State.

Would this be a typical pitching outing for a 12U player?

I would guess that in decent travel ball you would see about 5 walks per game at 12U. Rec ball probably 8--10 per game would be more normal.
If you have a 12U that is throwing 55MPH and walking 5 per game I wouldn't worry to much. If you have 12U throwing 45 MPH and walking more than 5 I'd worry...
 
Jun 2, 2008
62
0
I disagree, 5 walks per game is too many. I bet if you pull the stats, most of those runs score and you lose most of those games (providing quality of competition is equal).

I normally expect 1-3 walks from 10U or 12U, even less at 14U. Speed is not the factor. I will argue that a pitcher throwing 45 w/1-3 walks and hitting her marks with a good change-up is every bit as effective at 12U than a pitcher throwing 55mph w/5 walks and not hitting her marks (as evidenced by 5 walks). If your pitcher is throwing strikes, defense has to do their job. Put 5 extra runners on per game and it makes defense that much more difficult.

For what it's worth.
 
I disagree, 5 walks per game is too many. I bet if you pull the stats, most of those runs score and you lose most of those games (providing quality of competition is equal).

I normally expect 1-3 walks from 10U or 12U, even less at 14U. Speed is not the factor. I will argue that a pitcher throwing 45 w/1-3 walks and hitting her marks with a good change-up is every bit as effective at 12U than a pitcher throwing 55mph w/5 walks and not hitting her marks (as evidenced by 5 walks). If your pitcher is throwing strikes, defense has to do their job. Put 5 extra runners on per game and it makes defense that much more difficult.

For what it's worth.

Actually, I'm looking to the future------the 45 MPH pitcher will be beaten bloody as she moves up.

The 55 MPH pitcher is going to have 7-8 strikeouts and very few solidly hit balls. The 45 MPH pitcher will have one or two strikeouts and many solidly hit balls off her. Which defense will hold up under that?

If your pitcher is slowing down and aiming the ball in an attempt to throw strikes at the 10U/12U ages she will probably do that for ever----which will be a very short time for her. Hope she can hit and play another position.

As a recommendation, don't compromise your speed at the early ages------yes, she may walk a few more now, but I think you will enjoy the end product a lot more. Remember, "learning to pitch is not a sprint, it's a marathon."
 
May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
Walks in 12U

First two inning, strikes all close ... not wild.
Pitching rubber we was visibly wavey (put in right before the game)
Mound was sand / quicksand-ish and hard to get footing first two innings..once she got uses to the ground moving she was fine

Her defense weak (3 girls from the minors, three girls who never played before this season) (not slamming them as the were giving it their best and it is a team effort)
Granted, if the runners weren't on base, they could not have taken advantage of the errors.

I'm sure this will vary as I know that 12U here there are more than 1-3 walks in games...10U more like 5-10 depending)

Thanks!
 

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