I strongly disagree with that. At lower levels the defense often falls asleep behind an ace pitcher. At higher levels e.g., NCAA DI Top 25, the defense makes awesome plays regardless whether Ricketts or the 4th reliever is in the circle. Maybe you're correct at middle levels, I dunno.
Hitting vs Pitching: which is more important to win?
- Thread starter corlay
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
I strongly disagree with that. At lower levels the defense often falls asleep behind an ace pitcher. At higher levels e.g., NCAA DI Top 25, the defense makes awesome plays regardless whether Ricketts or the 4th reliever is in the circle. Maybe you're correct at middle levels, I dunno.
I takes runs to win ball games. My DD is a dominant pitcher and I have yet to see her put a run on the board with her riseball. I have seen take a loss in several no hitters and more than a few times get into double digit K's and allow no earned runs only to come up short.
Also consider the value of a good catcher. ...
If a team hits great, there is not much that can prevent it from scoring a lot of runs over time. Maybe terrible base-running. That's about it.
But if a team pitches great, it can still be undermined by mediocre defense - especially behind the plate.
If the question is which is more valuable - scoring runs or preventing them - then I might say preventing them. But if it's scoring runs vs. pitching alone - then I lean toward scoring runs, which is almost entirely hitting, especially if you count ability to bunt and move runners.
If a team hits great, there is not much that can prevent it from scoring a lot of runs over time. Maybe terrible base-running. That's about it.
But if a team pitches great, it can still be undermined by mediocre defense - especially behind the plate.
If the question is which is more valuable - scoring runs or preventing them - then I might say preventing them. But if it's scoring runs vs. pitching alone - then I lean toward scoring runs, which is almost entirely hitting, especially if you count ability to bunt and move runners.
True statement for sure. Fall stats so far - 80% of outs when DD pitches are strikeouts. Team makes errors more often than not when ball is hit in play or the opposing team winds up bunting most batters against DD. At 10U we have a hard time throwing out fast runners on the bunt.
ArkFastpitch
Dont' I know you?
- Sep 20, 2013
- 351
- 18
IMHO great hitting puts pressure on even the most dominant pitcher and defenses. Law of averages says that the more opportunities a defense has to make a mistake the more likely they are to do so and usually mistakes begin to compound in pressure situations.
Good pitching is usually not enough to win a game. I've seen good pitchers lose a lot of games.
I've also seen good pitchers strike out the side.
Bad pitching, or bad fielding against good hitters, can lead to a team getting run ruled.
I've also seen good pitchers strike out the side.
Bad pitching, or bad fielding against good hitters, can lead to a team getting run ruled.
For 10U or for a 12U rec league I can believe this. DD #3 usually pitches about 2 innings for 12U rec leagues, and averages about 5 K per outing. She's gotten as many as 8 K in a 2 inning outing. Dropped third strikes and all that.
At the TB level, much harder to get the Ks against girls who really know how to hit. I've seen DD throw pitches that would be strikeouts in rec ball that were in-the-park HRs when top notch batters were at the plate.
I would say that it depends on the age level. And what would you consider above average in hitting? Team b/a of 200? 300? Higher? Vs. what would be above average in pitching. 45mph? 50? Or higher?
So I think at younger ages the advantage would go to hitting and as you get older it flips to pitching.
That's just my opinion, I could be way off.
So I think at younger ages the advantage would go to hitting and as you get older it flips to pitching.
That's just my opinion, I could be way off.
