dd want to move to pitch only

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bmd

Jan 9, 2015
301
28
Please tell me when this is the best choice. For years my dd has put in work at ss and 3rd and pitch and hit. Now she just wants to pitch. She wants to go to a small college where I think the more versatile player the better chances she has. I need advice on how to handle! help me please
 

bmd

Jan 9, 2015
301
28
I think I may need to give more information. My daughter is 16 and in the 10th grade.


Please tell me when this is the best choice. For years my dd has put in work at ss and 3rd and pitch and hit. Now she just wants to pitch. She wants to go to a small college where I think the more versatile player the better chances she has. I need advice on how to handle! help me please
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I think I may need to give more information. My daughter is 16 and in the 10th grade.

Not uncommon. But you have left out the most important thing - WHAT is her reasoning for wanting to just pitch?

- Playing offense, defense and pitching is a large time suck - it is like playing 2 sports full time. It is not easy to do at a high level.
- If she wants to focus all her efforts on pitching, then that is good and it feels like something you can support. Concentrating on just one thing can accelerate progress.
- If it is she wants to free up time to do other things than just softball, that isn't the end of the world either.
- If she is good enough to reach her college goals, then what is your concern? There is nowhere near enough pitching out there, so it is not like she wont have options especially if she is interested in small schools.

Also - in the end, it is her game. So you have to decide how much YOU are struggling with this versus HOW much she is.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Your DD may understand the game more than you think.

She is not going to play 3B or SS and pitch in college. 3B and SS are full time jobs. There isn't enough hours in the day to be good at SS and pitching.

It is her talent, not yours. It is her time and sweat, not yours.

So, you gotta go with what she wants.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Your DD may understand the game more than you think.

She is not going to play 3B or SS and pitch in college. 3B and SS are full time jobs. There isn't enough hours in the day to be good at SS and pitching.

It is her talent, not yours. It is her time and sweat, not yours.

So, you gotta go with what she wants.

I agree with sluggers, especially concerning SS and 3b. However, pitchers at many levels and many schools can and will be used at other positions besides pitcher. That is if they are talented enough... In most cases it is the pitcher's hitting ability that is reviewed first. If a pitcher is a good enough hitter, they will be in the lineup regardless of if they are in the circle or not. I also know a few that will play 1b when they are not in the circle. But it is rare to see pitchers play at any other position. Not impossible, but rare...
 

bmd

Jan 9, 2015
301
28
She wants to focus on only pitching. last fall her travel ball coach rested her on less important games and used her in bracket games. She came out and looked fresh focused and had success. She was worn not out from playing ss or 3rd earlier in the day. She said it felt great and loved it. She said she "loves to watch the game and come in and put in work".

She throws mid to high 50s. She has a great change up, curve and working on rise. She wants "to train".


Not uncommon. But you have left out the most important thing - WHAT is her reasoning for wanting to just pitch?

- Playing offense, defense and pitching is a large time suck - it is like playing 2 sports full time. It is not easy to do at a high level.
- If she wants to focus all her efforts on pitching, then that is good and it feels like something you can support. Concentrating on just one thing can accelerate progress.
- If it is she wants to free up time to do other things than just softball, that isn't the end of the world either.
- If she is good enough to reach her college goals, then what is your concern? There is nowhere near enough pitching out there, so it is not like she wont have options especially if she is interested in small schools.

Also - in the end, it is her game. So you have to decide how much YOU are struggling with this versus HOW much she is.
 
Last edited:

bmd

Jan 9, 2015
301
28
Ocasio is her hero.


I agree with sluggers, especially concerning SS and 3b. However, pitchers at many levels and many schools can and will be used at other positions besides pitcher. That is if they are talented enough... In most cases it is the pitcher's hitting ability that is reviewed first. If a pitcher is a good enough hitter, they will be in the lineup regardless of if they are in the circle or not. I also know a few that will play 1b when they are not in the circle. But it is rare to see pitchers play at any other position. Not impossible, but rare...
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
She wants to focus on only pitching. last fall her travel ball coach rested her on less important games and used her in bracket games. She came out and looked fresh focused and had success. She was worn not out from playing ss or 3rd earlier in the day. She said it felt great and loved it. She said she "loves to watch the game and come in and put in work".

She throws mid to high 50s. She has a great change up, curve and working on rise. She wants "to train".


Sounds like she has thought it out and is good with her decision to just pitch. Mid-high 50's with a some semblance of a change and curve and a crappy rise is the profile of about 80% of college pitchers. Actually that probably puts you in at least the top half of college pitchers across all levels.

So what is the problem?
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
My DD is a huge Florida fan, so we have watched Ocasio a lot. Great player... And well above average athlete. She played a lot at other positions in addition to pitching. Barnhill by comparison, only pitches. Your DD can be successful with either option. If she feels strongly about only pitching, I would support her.

That said, my DD did not want to focus only on pitching. She loves to hit and wanted to play for a school where that would be possible. As she was going through the recruiting process, she started by looking at schools rosters and reviewing their stats to see if their pitchers had the opportunity to hit. If that wasn't possible, she moved on to the next school.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
To be "good" at a sport, an athlete has to love the game. This is tough for a parent to understand...but, there is no point in forcing your DD to play a game if she doesn't love it. And, there are three different games going on in a softball game.

Pitching is an entirely different game than playing a field position. It is very possible for a kid to love to pitch, and to hate playing the field. A rational, thinking person could say, "I love to play the pitching game. I do not like the fielding game." (I guess it is possible for a kid to hate the batting game...although I've never met that kid yet.)

My DD#3 had more talent for pitching than DD#1...but, DD#3 didn't like the pitching game. She preferred batting and playing the field. DD#1 loved to pitch and loved to bat, but as far as fielding ground balls...no thank you. Different people, different likes, different dislikes.

As a parent, you have to go with the child...because the amount of work it takes to be "good" in college is in the "bat s***t crazy" territory.

In most cases it is the pitcher's hitting ability that is reviewed first. If a pitcher is a good enough hitter, they will be in the lineup regardless of if they are in the circle or not. I also know a few that will play 1b when they are not in the circle. But it is rare to see pitchers play at any other position. Not impossible, but rare...

I agree...there are a few pitchers who DH in college. There are a very few pitchers that play 1B when not pitching.
 

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