12U Rec. Pitching

[quincy]

Do not keep track of the players during the off season and we always have some new players on the Team.

DD is hoping to be able to pitch again and is working on it. I know 2 other pitchers that are going to be on the Team are too.

#2 P on the Team last year has not picked up a ball since Oct. and probably will not until April.

I think she is in trouble but doesn’t know it yet. She should be the #1 P but she needs a kick in the butt to get her and her parents going. Hopefully this is it. Unfortunately she might be in for a long season trying to catch up. For what it is worth it will somehow be the Managers fault she is not pitching.

 

[Sweet Lou]

I don't know about others but for me rec is the time to get every girl who wants to pitch a chance to pitch. They get one time free so to speak then after that all they need to do is one of two things to continue to get circle time.

1 - show they can throw strikes reasonably well in games.
2 - show they have been working outside of practice/games to get better.

The girl you descirbe would probably be in trouble in travel ball quincy but rec ball she's probably on par or even ahead of many because of her past experience. I know in our rec league many girls don't pick up a softball from the end of rec league until the start of practice the next year unless they are on the summer all star game.

There are a few who do work on in the offseason but they are the exception rather than the rule. At least at rec. It is totally different for TB here where most girls will continue hitting/pitching lessons year round.

Of course I've also found some of the rec coaches treat their team like a TB team and only give #1 & #2 P about 80% of the innings #3 about 15% of the innings and maybe another girl or two will get an inning here or there.

 

[quincy]

I found out after last year was over that 1 P was working with a pitching instructor, would have never guessed. I thought I could always tell when a player is working outside of practice.

DD and she are going to be working with each other for the next 6 weeks, it is going to be a good experience for both of them.

 

[Quake Softball]

I would change these factors, because just throwing strikes is detrimental to overall development and is not the only parameter of effectiveness on the mound (see below). It also does not matter what they do out of your purview, only that they show improvement. Being rec, I am relying on lenient terms:

1. Show proper form and she can make it through her stint (then the coach makes the stint to the appropriate time, 1-3 innings or whatever the rules allow). The player can demonstrate this in practice.
2. That each game is an improvement (same sort of scale you may apply to the other positions).

The coach then generally defines to the pitchers what is expected to maintain a stint, getting three outs in reasonable effort with her team, including pitching pitches that remain within easy reach of the catcher. The pitcher gets 1 walk for every strikeout and is allowed to walk 1 batter an inning. If the pitcher walks 3 in a row or hits 2 batters her stint is over, something like that.

Isn't it contradictory to say "because just throwing strikes is detrimental to overall development" and then put any limit on walks/inning? Especially, at REC level sometimes you just have to live through a LONG inning. It isn't always about winning and losing.

 

[PA SB Dad]

Isn't it contradictory to say "because just throwing strikes is detrimental to overall development" and then put any limit on walks/inning? Especially, at REC level sometimes you just have to live through a LONG inning. It isn't always about winning and losing.

I believe in the notion that the "just throw strikes" mentality is bad for young pitchers, ESPECIALLY in rec. Once they get used to the idea that they have to throw meatballs to get circle time, they'll have a hard time breaking free of the mentality. Once ingrained, they will no longer be pitching after 12U, even in rec, because they just won't get good enough.

On the other hand, limiting walks is necessary, even in rec - I think you have to balance sitting through some long tough innings, and knowing when you need to go out and get your young pitcher. The worst thing you can do is to leave your pitcher out there too long while she is struggling.

 

[Quake Softball]

I too don't subscribe to the "just throw strikes" mentality, nor do I subscribe to the "you only get X numbers of walks and then you are out of here" mentality. I just let the pitches go pitch. Sometimes it is a good inning and sometimes it isn't. Young pitchers need to learn how to battle through the rough innings. Of course, you don't leave them out there for an hour, but I prefer a long leash.

 

[starsnuffer]

Isn't it contradictory to say "because just throwing strikes is detrimental to overall development" and then put any limit on walks/inning? Especially, at REC level sometimes you just have to live through a LONG inning. It isn't always about winning and losing.

If the kid hasn't picked up a ball since last season, she's not a pitcher. She's a rec player that pitches. Throwing strikes is all that is to be expected of non-pitchers.

I always ask the kids at the first practice to "step forward if you pitch". "Take another step forward if you practiced pitching at least three times last week". The kids that are in front are the pitchers for the season, irregardless of who may or may not be "better".

-W