Being best player on bad team, or bench player on good team?

[lostcreek1]

My DD doesn’t even want to hit anymore. But the pitching vs hitting skill set gap is huge. She’s proven to be an outstanding PGF pitcher playing a national schedule, but she’d probably be a 7-9 hitter on a local B-level USSSA team.

Pretty sure mine would be crushed if that ever happened. She likes hitting as much as she likes pitching.

 

[Orange Socks]

DD's former TB teammate turned college conference foe (Top D3 Team)was pitcher and her coach would allow her to hit. Senior year in college she gets to hit when she pitches. Does very well. Then the coach puts her in the everyday hitting lineup when she isn't pitching. Bats .373 and hits 8 HR's. I wonder if the coach kicks herself for not letting her hit in previous years???

 

[Vertigo]

Same thing for my dd - one team she was on didn’t let her hit much as a pitcher (15y/o). Luckily her last TB team wanted her in the lineup. She wound up leading her HS team in hitting, as well as being the top 1-2 hitter for her college team the past two seasons, and she still pitches. They will dh her or put her 1B when not in the circle. She turned down college offers who told her she would be a PO. Glad she stood her ground.

 

[MNDad]

Go find the best team where she will start but will likely be in the bottom half (and good coaching). Earn her way up from batting 8th and starting 75% of games in the field.

I usually agree with you and I think ultimately we’re on the same page. Finding a team where they’re in the bottom half means they’ll be one of the players rotating in and out.

My statement was “Pick the team where she’ll be challenged with the best talent and strongest coaching.”

Either way the goal is to challenge the kid and earn more playing time. Obviously a team too far above or below a kids talent level is a poor choice.