Bringing in a good pitcher to sub

[JAD]

This is the exact scenario I'm talking about. But no one around her has a rule to "redline" a player. (That I'm aware of)

What level TB is your DD playing? "Redlining" is something that the lower level tournament directors came up with to combat sandbagging by coaches, teams, parents and players.

 

[sluggers]

Your assumption that the team will play better is flawed. A better pitcher means the pitching is better. However, your *TEAM* will *NOT* play better. The mistakes will still be there. The SS still will let a ball go between her legs and the RF will still miss the cutoff. The end result is that your team will beat a few more lower level teams. But, your team will not be able to beat the top teams.

Really good teams hav really good players at every position. That is why they win. They don't win simply because they have a good pitcher. (One of the great ironies is that at the top of the sport, everyone raves about the pitchers, but all the teams have great pitchers. So, it isn't the difference between the pitchers that win the games. it is really the field players that win or lose games.)

But, to address your question, there are several problems with sub players (if you have a hurt player that is different).

1) The coach is "chasing" better players. There is really no end to it. A better pitcher will make your team better. So will a better catcher. So does a better SS. So does a better CF. So, why not replace the entire team? (Parents who usually advocate getting a sub think their DD is the best player on the planet, and thus can't be replaced--they are wrong, of course.)
2) The pitchers lose playing time. They are paying what everyone else is paying. So, why should they be short changed?
3) Pitchers are a pretty hot commodity...someone is always wanting them. If a coach were to have gone out and got another pitcher to pitch in front of my DD, we would have quit the team.

 

[Ryan2]

What level TB is your DD playing? "Redlining" is something that the lower level tournament directors came up with to combat sandbagging by coaches, teams, parents and players.

They are a 2nd year 10u B team

 

[FrozenRope]

Sluggers, I hope that hearing this you'd change your tune. At the 10U "B" level, a Good pitcher can be the equalizer. She doesn't make the rest of the team better, she just masks the flaws of her teammates. She will walk very few batters, she'll likely allow very few, if any outfield hits, so you don't have to worry about the right fielder.....and many of the balls put in play, she'll be able to field herself. I've seen this happen. My daughter played on a pretty bad 12U team as a 10 year old pitcher with all of 8 months under her belt and they stunk. But one tournamant they brought in a ringer becuse one of the pitchers couldn't make it. NIGHT and DAY with an ace in the circle. Balls weren't hit like they are in batting practice. Batters weren't issued free passes to run around the bases like monkeys on past balls. Just a different atmosphere when you upgrade in the circle.

 

[renegade]

Just what i saw this past weekend......coach brought in sub/guest pitcher to win the tour, teams regular starting pitcher was put at a different position or on bench.

 

[PEPPERS]

Slugger I respectfully disagree on one point you made, I've seen teams my DD pitches for play better when she pitches than the other pitchers and I've seen when she goes to a different team and there is some resentment there it work the other way. A good pitcher from my personal observation can make a team better when the team feels good about the pitcher and step up their game.

I've also seen a good catcher make a pitcher better and a team better JMO.

 

[IR a Pitching Dad]

We stay away from this situation unless there is an injury to or one of the regular pitchers has to miss a tournament.

 

[AndyS]

Your assumption that the team will play better is flawed. A better pitcher means the pitching is better. However, your *TEAM* will *NOT* play better. The mistakes will still be there. The SS still will let a ball go between her legs and the RF will still miss the cutoff.

I really disagree with this statement. Not only will a good pitcher strikeout more batters thereby reducing number of fielded balls they will induce fewer hard hit balls. Not only that I think just about everybody has witnessed how teams play when they have a top pitcher going versus one they have less confidence in. The reality I have witnessed is teams absolutely play better behind better pitchers. Right or wrong it happens all the time.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I tend to agree with Sluggers. Having/bringing in an ace might make the outcome better, but it really doesn't make the other 8 players..........play better. It's not going to make Sally go from hitting .150 to .500, if Susan ( SS ) averages 5 errors on 10 plays normally...... and only 1 error on 2 plays because of less hits with the ace, is she really playing better? Or does it have the illusion of better performance due to less opportunities to make mistakes?

Then the argument of playing better because of confidence in the ace. That always seemed a little backwards to me. You step up your game when your best pitcher is in? So you dial down your game when a lesser pitcher is in?

If a batter hits a return shot 80mph back at the 2B, she's either going to handle it or not. Who threw the ball is irrelevant. Now if the ace can keep the return hits slow ( grounders ) or short pop ups, and defensive plays are made, are they really playing better? Or are they routine plays that should be made anyway?

 

[Jojo]

My DD picked up many times and many times we picked up other pitchers.