I just went to a game in the quarter finals of a state tournament. On one team is a junior pitcher I train who is their starter. On the other team is a freshman pitcher I also just started training who is their number 2, (their number one is a senior). The freshman was put in center field because she is a talented, athletic player, (typical of most pitchers). In the top of the seventh the score was 1-0 in favor of the freshman's team. The lead off hitter for the other team hits a double and the coach immediately comes out and decides to pull her pitcher and put the freshman in. Mind you this is a single elimination tournament, and she has not warmed up since before the game started, 1 1/2 hrs ago. The coach says to her,"No pressure, just strike them out" and leaves the mound. She gets four warm ups and she is expected to save the game. Well I don't need to tell you the outcome of this. She gives up two runs before she gets out of the inning, her team does nothing in the bottom of the seventh and they are eliminated from the tournament. The freshman pitcher felt terrible that she let her team down. Her father and myself were furious that a coach would be that unthinking as to set her up to fail along with her team. I wanted to go over to the coach and give her my opinion as to her performance but thought better of it. Why would a coach who obviously played at the college level, not know that the number 2 should be on the sidelines warming up at the start of every inning that they are in the field. If she is a good hitter they could have used her as the designated player. I worst part of all this is I do know the coach and have trained some of her pitchers in the past. I am just not sure I should address this, seeing that I will be training the freshman next year and presumably for the remainder of her high school years. I do not want her to be affected because of anything I would say. What do you think of all this.
High school coach calamity
- Thread starter RMGC
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The coach is an idiot...but I've seen worse.
Easy...you tell the kid, "Look...you have to be ready. Don't expect this coach to give you warning. You have to take it on yourself to be ready to go in."
Honestly. It is none of your business.
I agree that the coach is maybe an idiot for not having his reliever warming up in some way if was felt she might be needed but you don't have a dog in this game. All you have is a couple of girls you know and teach pitching to.
Maybe it was a sudden thing - the coach went out and realized the pitcher was done and what option was there? Either way it was the HC's decision and not yours, the players, the players father or anyone else to make. Look at it as a compliment if you want - the HC trusted the girl enough to believe she was the right answer to getting out of the inning and giving the team a chance to win.
Now you know this is something that could happen to your client - you can talk to her about ways to prepare for it. Whether it is warming up with the backup catcher when the team is batting or just keeping the arm warm by snapping her motion into her glove she needs to be prepared. She is going to have to be prepared to go into the game when she is called on even in a bad situation.
I am sorry it didn't go well for your client. She can learn from what happened.
I agree that the coach is maybe an idiot for not having his reliever warming up in some way if was felt she might be needed but you don't have a dog in this game. All you have is a couple of girls you know and teach pitching to.
Maybe it was a sudden thing - the coach went out and realized the pitcher was done and what option was there? Either way it was the HC's decision and not yours, the players, the players father or anyone else to make. Look at it as a compliment if you want - the HC trusted the girl enough to believe she was the right answer to getting out of the inning and giving the team a chance to win.
Now you know this is something that could happen to your client - you can talk to her about ways to prepare for it. Whether it is warming up with the backup catcher when the team is batting or just keeping the arm warm by snapping her motion into her glove she needs to be prepared. She is going to have to be prepared to go into the game when she is called on even in a bad situation.
I am sorry it didn't go well for your client. She can learn from what happened.
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Believe it or not ... but what you describe was wonderful learning experience for the freshman.
Now use that experience to help prepare for next time. There is always a next time. Might not be on the field, but there is always a next time.
Coaches make mistakes. If in this girls 4 years of HS this is the only mistake the coach makes she is doing well.
The biggest issue I have is the potential for injury. the rest of it is the coach making a poor decision that will reflect on her and not on the player.
The biggest issue I have is the potential for injury. the rest of it is the coach making a poor decision that will reflect on her and not on the player.
I've seen some pitchers who only need 4 warm ups, and then some who need 400.
Before my DD tore her cuff it took her half a day to warm up. ( little sarcasm ) Not sure how or why, but now she can be loose in 5-10 pitches.
Your HS coach may be use to pitchers who need little warm up time, this should be a lesson to him and her to communicate their needs for the better of the individual and the team. He also needs to learn to stall for a few extra warm ups when bringing in a relief.
At first I agreed with marriard that it's none of your business. But having thought about it, I think you ought to tell this coach your thoughts on the event, which impacted someone that you are working with. If the coach is incompetent then you are helping her out. If the coach is a jerk, then what do you care if you offend her. The problem with this game is that there are too many people doing so many stupid things (many of which are discussed on this board) that somebody should tell them when they do something as stupid as was discussed here.
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Different approach from my perspective. When my kid pitched I never whined about her being brought in to pitch in a difficult or pressure situation. To the contrary, I welcomed every such opportunity. My kid ended up pitching in multiple national tournaments. Having been in situations very similar to that described ... I can honestly say that they all turned into positive experiences and that she grew from each one of them.
- Jul 26, 2010
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Pitcher rule #1: When asked to pitch, always respond with, "Put me in coach, I'm ready" (this rule ensures confidence for both coach and pitcher and gets the pitcher plenty of playing time).
Pitcher rule #2: Always be ready to pitch.
Never count on someone else to enable your own success. Always be responsible for your own success.
-W
Pitcher rule #2: Always be ready to pitch.
Never count on someone else to enable your own success. Always be responsible for your own success.
-W
