How many players are too many?

[Rolling Hard]

4 pitchers is about right for 16u. If you only have 3 and one quits just before tourney you're screwed come Sunday.

 

[Cougars]

Lower level teams or teams where pitchers want to play secondary positions or players don't have college aspirations that's a lot to manage.

Our team is in this group. I can't imagine trying to make 16 players happy.

Out of curiosity, I did a quick scan of Team Manger. In a handful of years, we've played about 220 games. I could be forgetting a few, but I don't remember ever receiving a lineup card that had more than 13 names on it, and even that is rare. I would guess that for tournaments, the average is 11. Sure, those teams could have players missing, and actual roster is larger, but it seems like 12 players is the "standard" roster size for the teams we play, regardless of age.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Pool play is important too. If you want to play in gold bracket you need to win your pool games.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Come to So Cal. Not uncommon to see 14u teams with 18 to 22 player come pgf.

 

[MPsoftballDad]

Come to So Cal. Not uncommon to see 14u teams with 18 to 22 player come pgf.

OK. How does that work. I’m sure you play more tournaments? I’m not against competition. I’m all for it. That’s one of the things I want answered from the new coach, but I do have concerns.

 

[clarity]

4 pitchers is obscene. If you've got 4 pitchers who are getting anywhere close to an equal amount of time, you are doing them, and your team, a huge disservice. There simply aren't enough innings to go around to continue development. Two is ideal. Two and an "inning eater" is tolerable, but no one is knowingly signing up to be the inning eater.

 

[Strike2]

My DD really wants to return to her team. Non parent coach is leaving but she really likes the new non parent coach. Problem is old coach only carried 3 pitchers. New coach wants to carry 4. New coach also wants to carry 13-14 girls, so field time will be limited when she doesn’t pitch. Thoughts?

For 14-18U, this isn't out of line. 13-14 with four pitchers will often work out to 10-12 players with 2-3 pitchers.

It also depends on what kind of tournaments you enter. If you enter those with 4+ pool games and then a double-elimination bracket in June/July when it's 90+ degrees, you'll be happy there are four pitchers. If you're only entering 4GG or less, someone will get shorted if everyone shows up.

DD's team was that size last year, and we played a bunch of games some weekends. Pitchers were all in the game rotation on an equal basis, but a couple were on the bench a bit more often when they weren't pitching. A couple of position players also sat a bit more, but there were some good reasons for that.

 

[Strike2]

OK. How does that work. I’m sure you play more tournaments? I’m not against competition. I’m all for it. That’s one of the things I want answered from the new coach, but I do have concerns.

Unless you're talking about a team with such a big name that people will pay just to ride the bench, it doesn't work. Any regular team will shed players down to the 11-14 level because there aren't enough playing opportunities when more than that are in the dugout.

 

[radness]

4 pitchers is obscene. If you've got 4 pitchers who are getting anywhere close to an equal amount of time, you are doing them, and your team, a huge disservice. There simply aren't enough innings to go around to continue development. Two is ideal. Two and an "inning eater" is tolerable, but no one is knowingly signing up to be the inning eater.

Hmmm dont think 4 is outrageous. 2 is under prepaired. 4 is doable with a purposful schedule. 3 maybe sweet spot. However thats 3 usable pitchers... NOT one being considered a back-up.

Example
There are events where teams can play 14 games in one week.

Come back next weekend and play 6 games in 2 days.

That is a load for only 2 pitchers and thats only within 14-16 days of summer.

 

[Rolling Hard]

We played 9 games in 2 days pgf 14U qualifier in Las Vegas. Needed all 4 pitchers.