Bad Softball

[BT3100]

Seems like this happens every year. I noticed it more when DD was in the recruiting process. Since she commited we dont go to camps. This September she went to a few camps (D1 schools) where she played scrimmages. Both her and another pitcher from our organization dominated in these scrimmages. Struck out just about everyone and the coaches ignored them. Now DD went to support the org as she was invited to help and really wasn't interested in either school but the other pitcher was and didn't garner any interest. It was as if these two schools had Elish and Garcia in their barn. Part of it could be that the two pitchers weren't 6 feet tall. But they both threw hard, commanded the zone and sat dow batter after batter including their own commits.
Fast forward to today and I just peeked at their record. Two schools have a combined record of 3-17. These are fully funded D1 programs. Coaches need to open their eyes and stop searching for genetic traits that honestly have zero to do with success.
BTW both pitchers have commited to D1 schools and their future teams are doing quite well.

 

[3girls]

I agree, but I see quite a few pitchers in the 5’9” to 5’11”. There aren’t a ton below 5’7”, but there are some there. I think they probably play the odds on development when they have multiple recruits that are close in skill.

 

[BT3100]

I agree, but I see quite a few pitchers in the 5’9” to 5’11”. There aren’t a ton below 5’7”, but there are some there. I think they probably play the odds on development when they have multiple recruits that are close in skill.

Would have thought that Garcia would have opened their eyes. At 5' 6" she throws harder that Fouts

 

[Tango]

Lugo from UF has got be only 5.4 and they have a LH that pitched today that's not very tall. Crow hopped every pitch.

 

[MattM]

In life in general whether its sports, politics, or any evaluation or judgement of a situation, people bring their own baggage of preconceived ideas and only see what they want to see. If a coach feels for some reason that a player will never perform well and they make a good play or have a great game it was a fluke and they were lucky. If they feel a player has great potential and they perform poorly then it is excused as unlucky or they just need more time. Once they make these judgements its hard for them to change even as the evidence piles up that their original judgement was incorrect.

 

[BT3100]

In life in general whether its sports, politics, or any evaluation or judgement of a situation, people bring their own baggage of preconceived ideas and only see what they want to see. If a coach feels for some reason that a player will never perform well and they make a good play or have a great game it was a fluke and they were lucky. If they feel a player has great potential and they perform poorly then it is excused as unlucky or they just need more time. Once they make these judgements its hard for them to change even as the evidence piles up that their original judgement was incorrect.

You make some great points.
I just wonder how some of these coaches manage to make the same mistakes year after year and skate by. In the world of business if you don't constantly evolve you get left behind. Seems like coaching doesn't follow that paradigm.

 

[Top_Notch]

Could it be that the college program maybe thought the pitchers were too good and had no interest?

My DD pitched in showcase camp mock game and sat every batter down in order. She was the only pitcher to do so. Yet coach's selected kids for the 'All star showcase' and only took kids who hit (off the other pitchers). It's like good pitchers were a dime a dozen.

 

[Vertigo]

Could be. I guess we’ll (parents of recruits) just never really know what coaches want or are looking for. It’s such a crazy, nerve-wracking, fascinating process. I’m just glad that dd is close to a decision at this point. After ACT next month we’ll most likely know where she’ll land.

 

[Traps71]

Lugo from UF has got be only 5.4 and they have a LH that pitched today that's not very tall. Crow hopped every pitch.

Lugo is listed at 5'5" and Trlichek (sp?)--the Florida lefty that started against Auburn on Friday and pitched a shut out--is listed at 5'4". Florida is the #8 team in the country. Such women of average height are certainly the exception rather than the rule at high-level D1, but pitchers can pitch regardless of height. Kylie Bass, a Georgia lefty a couple years back, was a listed at 5'0" and threw in the upper 50s--was a junk baller that drove batters crazy with spin/movement.

 

[BT3100]

Lugo is listed at 5'5" and Trlichek (sp?)--the Florida lefty that started against Auburn on Friday and pitched a shut out--is listed at 5'4". Florida is the #8 team in the country. Such women of average height are certainly the exception rather than the rule at high-level D1, but pitchers can pitch regardless of height. Kylie Bass, a Georgia lefty a couple years back, was a listed at 5'0" and threw in the upper 50s--was a junk baller that drove batters crazy with spin/movement.

Best pitcher in the nation last year was Rachel Garcia, at 5' 6" she would have been ignored by many D1 programs at their camps