Becoming a pitcher only?

[Vertigo]

I don't think there is more likelihood of injury, just a massive impact for the team when P1 tears an ACL/MCL/PCL etc.

Yes - but same thing if your only SS or main catcher gets hurt, too.

 

[Agbracing]

Yes - but same thing if your only SS or main catcher gets hurt, too.

Not necessarily. While all those positions are highly trained pitching is almost like another sport. If you lose your best SS you can get by with a lesser player and have a chance. But if you have a stud pitcher that gets hurt then your chances of winning go way down. Last year my DD high school coach was making her run bases in preseason games. A guy that helped some with the program asked him why he was doing that and her coach said she shouldn’t think she is special and too good to run bases. The other guy asked him ok then which other girls on the team can pitch at 65+ mph and win state?

We had this discussion at a young age about DD being a pitch only. She wanted to keep hitting some in travel for her high school team. She ended up with a great instructor that turned her bat into a huge stick. She ended up being recruited as a two way player for college. So don’t give up to early on a girls bat if she has something special about her.

 

[PerpetualBeginner]

It feels like my 8yo is going this route right at 8 years old lol. That's all she wants to do. When we go to the batting cages due to rain, she just swings like she doesn't really care. She just says she just rather pitch.

Part of this is probably my fault because I do let her get away with more pitching practice than batting. Funny thing is, her form and swing are pretty bad, but her OBP is high and she's pretty quick. She, not on purpose, slaps her way on base.

Whenever I try to incorporate batting and pitching into one single 30 minute practice session, she just wants to pitch. She likes batting, just doesn't like to practice batting. With pitching, she enjoys both in game and practicing.

Her defense is also solid, but her batting...yeesh.

 

[Vertigo]

Not necessarily. While all those positions are highly trained pitching is almost like another sport. If you lose your best SS you can get by with a lesser player and have a chance. But if you have a stud pitcher that gets hurt then your chances of winning go way down.

At the D1 level I’d totally agree, however at D3 it can be very different. In our conference sometimes the SS is the game changer, especially if you have pitchers who can just keep the ball low. We don’t typically see those dominating strike out pitchers too frequently.

 

[BT3100]

When the player's pitching skills far outweigh their hitting skills it happens naturally. Most top level pitchers move to 18U teams at 15-16. They can compete as a pitcher but are now facing very highly skilled pitchers. That creates a mismatch. They can still hit in HS but usually travel is where their skills at the plate are not as strong as others who do not pitch. I've seen talented pitchers demand to hit on real gold level teams and the results are not usually great.

 

[Orange Socks]

The player at the top is their #1 pitcher and #1 Hitter(by 5 miles). D2 level. She always hit in TB and HS. She is also a physical presence on the field. She played on what I would call B level TB team, but could have played on an elite team, but chose not to for whatever reason. If she played on a high Level TB team, would she have been able to hit? Who knows?

 

[Rolling Hard]

If the pitcher is an athlete and one of the better hitters AND BASERUNNERS on the team she should hit. If a pitcher can't run bases and needs a runner every time she gets on base and there is zero chance of her hitting in college then she is simply stealing ABs from position players. TBS, having an organizational rule that states ALL pitchers are POs after 12U is not very smart. The reason orgs. do this is so they can carry 23 players on their 14U roster with 5 POs. Well, maybe it is $mart.

 

[RADcatcher]

TBS, having an organizational rule that states ALL pitchers are POs after 12U is not very smart. The reason orgs. do this is so they can carry 23 players on their 14U roster with 5 POs. Well, maybe it is $mart.

Add .02 cents
Dont let other people/coach/organizations
steer your own bus!

Two hands on your steering wheel!

 

[Vertigo]

The point is, not all great pitchers are going to play P5, D1, or even in college. Having a coach hold them back from hitting at a young age is just silly. If the player wants to hit and works at it, let her hit. If the pitcher can’t hit to save her life, that’s a different story. Some pitchers decide to stop pitching because they are very good hitters. Imagine if they were told to stop at 12U?

 

[RADcatcher]

This topic of pitcher only is just an individual person/coaching decision. Obviously it is not across the board that's the way it is type of thing.

Even while people are saying pitchers have to put in a lot of individual work at pitching. We know there are still pitchers who put in the work to be hitters, and hit.

The opportunity is there for the person who applies themselves!

Steer your own bus do what you want to do!