"Defense Wins Games".........?

[sluggers]

If the other team scores 0 runs, then who won the game? If your team scores 10 runs, who won the game?

Of the two questions, there is only one that can be answered without qualification. So, it is a simple world: Don't let the other team score a run, and you'll win every game.

I think that was proven in the Olympics this year--a high powered offense doesn't guarantee anything.

 

[savagesoftball4]

This is why the game is so addicting.. Each person can have a philosophy and is never completely right or wrong.

I don't really have an opinion on which is more important, but having fewer runs scored sure raises the blood pressure!!

I've had games (even parts of seasons) where our pitching was great and our hitters, after getting the first 2-3 runs coasted the rest of the game, or the flipside the pitchers aren't doing so great and the fielders save her rear and make some great plays or your line up easy has 8-10 runs a game.

Is it mental focus? Is it physical mechanics? Is it just becasue we are girls?? Who knows!

 

[CoachKevin]

I'm on the defense side. Typically the team with the fewest mistakes generally wins. Kind of like walking the lead-off batter, what is it, like 80% of the time that lead-off walk ends up scoring.

 

[mudbug]

1. air tight defense
2. superb pitching
3. great hitting

 

[Coach JV]

This question has been answered in a variety of ways on this forum.
The most fundamentally sound team on both sides of the ball wins more.
Good pitching and catching are my main keys to victory. If your pitching is weak,
the best defense is useless. Mistakes can be made.

Please reference UF Gator women in college world series last summer....
the CF bobbled a ball that lost the game

 

[SnocatzDad]

Please reference UF Gator women in college world series last summer....
the CF bobbled a ball that lost the game

The rebuttal to that argument is that many better defending teams who couldn't hit like Florida were already done for the year at that point. If it takes the WCWS to bring out your flaws, you must have a pretty successful philosophy. There are terrible fielding great hitting outfielders in MLB making millions of dollars, someone must think it's takes a balance of both offense and defense to win or those guys would never take the field.

 

[Greg]

I agree you must work on both sides of the ball.

I also agree that the defense can win or lose games for you. Take two evenly matched teams. Typically the team that doesn't make mistakes on defense wins.

I counted up our games this year, and we lost 10 games strictly due to errors. Giving teams 4,5,6 outs per inning will cost you.

That is the same problem we have, of the games weve lost this year we average giving the opponents 5 outs..

 

[stephanie]

Personally , I find it easier to turn a bunch of reasonably talented athletes into a solid defense than & I do turning the same bunch into great hitters or pitchers...... In my book, give me a good hitting & pitching team & I can teach them defense enough to win games.

I couldn't agree more!!!
Good pitchers have something that can't be taught...mental toughness.
A good hitting team takes time to develop.
But any t-ball team can learn to catch and throw...

 

[shockcoach]

I tell my players, "if we hold our opponents to 0 runs, we've got a pretty good shot at winning!" With that being said, I am working on hitting more this year than last without letting up on our fielding.

 

[obbay]

After my original post, I learned that the quote comes from Bear Bryant who said something like "Offense wins games, defense wins championships"

I think he actually said "Offense fills stadiums, defense wins games" but I like the first one better.