Batting the best 9 in pool play

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Jun 11, 2013
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I'm not a huge fan of doing it, but we've played some tournaments where the top seed seeds in each pool go to gold, the next 2 go to sliver,etc. so sometimes you need to win pool games. Not saying this is one, but it could be.
 
Jun 20, 2015
848
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and when they get into the gold bracket and lose in 1st game versus silver/bronze/copper bracket and playing 3+ games against similar teams. Where's the better chance for total team improvement and growth????
 
May 23, 2018
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DD is on a first year 12U team registered B that rosters 11. We’ve been a part of this team since 8U. This past weekend played in a 12U Open tournament which the coach decides they are going to bat the best 9 for pool play. The reason given for this was that it’s a single elimination bracket with a lot of tough teams and we should treat pool like bracket. The team went out and performed terribly loosing 16-0,12-5,and 8-0. While having silent bats they backed it up with double digit errors. The atmosphere in the dugout and on the sidelines was toxic.

This has never been the coaches philosophy until now. Always batted the line up even on bracket day. The tryout letter stated the team reserved the right to bat 9 in bracket play but didn’t mention pool play.

My question is how many other coaches out there only bat 9 during pool play at the 12B level? Is this really a thing or should it still be about development?

Side note this tournament involved a costume contest on Saturday if that makes a difference.


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I am both an NSA umpire and a USA umpire. Not during the game of course, but I'll talk to coaches with a larger roster that it is in their best interest to play a lot of NSA ball. You can bat 13 players for up to 12 batting positions. They have something called the Twin Rule. It's great when you have on your roster a bigger girl that can crush the ball but can't run and a girl that has blazing speed. The Twin rule allows two players to be listed for one offensive spot. If the bigger girl gets on, just send in the jackrabbit to run for her. It keeps everyone engaged.
 
Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
It’s sounds contradictory, but at C level, we only have 2 pool games, so there can be even more pressure to win those to avoid a top team or 8am game on Sunday.

We only just started 12U play, and I’m already feeling skeptical about this almost-mythical concept of “development”.


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Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Unless there is a significant drop-off with batters 10-?, then batting nine offers little advantage compared with batting more. DD's team has beaten good teams soundly while sending 12 or even 13 to the plate. You never know who is going to step up. We don't always bat everyone for various reasons, but we only bat nine when:

1) we only have 9, or;
2) it's required by rule

If you don't play your "weaker" players, they won't get any better and/or you'll lose them. If you sit a strong hitter in favor of a weaker hitting "coach's kid", don't expect them to be around for long.
 

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