I never accused her of being smart

[southpaw coach]

So we're doing a little intrasquad scrimmaging yesterday and I notice that the girl I had pitching wasn't throwing at full capacity. Far from it actually. I was standing behind her calling balls and strikes and I said "when did you start throwing that Rainbow pitch?"

My daughter who is 11 and also pitches hears me say this and immediately says "Oh, I want to learn the Rainbow pitch!"

 

[sluggers]

Teach her that one, and she'll know 7 pitches.

 

[obbay]

In our rec league a few years ago, we had one girl who threw something that looked like a slowpitch arc. Kids had a heckuva time hitting off her. then we played in a tournament and in one game against a seasoned opponent, the coach had her go in to relieve our starter. I'll never forget the panicky batters looking at their coach and the coach calmly talking them thru it. They figured it out after a little bit but it was funny while it lasted!

 

[absdad]

Obbay.. i remember a game we had a year or so back. We were playing a team that had a pitcher like you describe. They were a weaker team playing up, but they were working us over. The girl nearly pitched a no hitter. Our girls eventually figured it out, but those rainbow pitches are like the worst change-up.

 

[InsidePitch]

LOL, we had an opposite situation. We were playing a big second year 12U team and we were a small 1st year. We had a good pitcher who was in the 48-49mph range and they lit her up. After a few innings the coach put in another girl to spare the first some grief. This girl couldn't pitch above 40 and she struck out the side twice until they figured out the timing. It was really funny to see these big girls so far in front of the slow pitch.

 

[Lozza]

We call them lollipops here ;-) I've played A grade and won games by my coach throwing in a pitcher like that. People flat out don't know what to do!

 

[CPSBDad]

Same for us at ASA state. Number one pitcher couldn't strike out anyone. She's about to have a full meltdown and coach pulls her. Puts in number three and the opposing team had a hard time hitting her "change up" It was funny to see this A team struggle with our number three's pitches.

 

[joemcq51]

When I was just a little guy, my Dad was coaching a womens "A" team. His number one pitcher was gonna miss the first game of a tournament against a womens "major" team. He started a pitcher who just used the slingshot and got the ball on the corners. Actually led the game through the first 3 innings. Ended with the run rule, but it was fun to watch for a few innings. Would have been a huge upset.

 

[InTheCrowd]

Ha ha... I'm envisioning my DD using the tomahawk swing to hit the lollipop pitch...

 

[FPMark]

I was at the USFA World series a couple years ago watching the final days games. The team in the losers bracket had a pitcher that could absolutly throw smoke, but she never started any game I saw. They had another pitcher who threw 'rainbow pitches' that started. Nobody could hit her. After the first time through the line up, they brought in the 'fire ball' pitcher. Don't know how they got in the losers bracket, but they won it all, and didn't give up many hits, let alone runs.