Pitcher Parent Psychosis

[RetiredCoach]

I have two DDs that pitch. You may well speculate as to the state of my mental health!

 

[Little Angels Softball]

I won't get too into details so you all don't recognize someone, but I have had a ton of crazy pitcher's parents over the years. I've seen it all from parents calling pitches to parents telling their DD to call their own pitches to parents who are upset about not enough circle time to parents who are upset about too much circle time to parents who have come right out and said, "Your other pitchers suck!"

I think my favorites have always been the parents of the girl who is a great ballplayer and good enough to make my team but who is a peripheral pitcher at best but they accept the offer to play on the team with the stipulation that their DD was not selected as a pitcher then they get all steamed because their DD isn't starting a game against a rival org in a qualifier, and I get to hear about it as the girls are taking the field.

"How is she supposed to get better if she doesn't get to pitch in important games?"

"I don't know. How are we going to qualify for Nationals if she does?"

 

[crystlemc]

It's a known fact all 10U pitcher parents are crazy. I also think all 1st yr 12u Pitcher parents are crazy, maybe slightly less so but still crazy. I am in that group now and I hope next year I will be in the clear for crazy town.

Sadly, until you are around 18u or older, you will not be in the clear. And it's not just pitcher's parents. I've seen some seriously crazy catcher's parents and a very delusional set of 3B parents...lol.

Disclaimer: My DD was a TB pitcher until a little over a year and a half ago. She now only pitches for her HS team. I would much rather see her in the outfield, but that's just me. When she was 10u and 1st year 12u, I was an absolute nightmare of a pitcher's parent. I believe I grew out of it after that, but then again, I'm not exactly objective...lol. Now, I just enjoy sitting back and watching her play for her HS team, and have zero opinion or input into anything. It's a thing of beauty!

 

[grcsftbll]

I love watching my kiddo pitch but I admit, it would be more relaxing if she just played SS and 1B. Also cheaper and way less time consuming. We could probably retire about 5 years earlier. lol

 

[JJsqueeze]

I'm more of a pitching parent neurotic. I guess you could have called it a psychosis in rec when i was not allowed to take my medication during games....but now that I can sip a cold one in the outfield I find the voices in my head are not quite as loud. Sure they still tell me how the coach NEVER calls the right pitch and how every hit is really an error and how the ump (all umps) constantly squeeze my kid, but I just mutter profanities under my breath and the voices go away.

GRC...you need to come to grips with the fact that if you have a 10 page thread on which team your 9 year old plays on then you are indeed a CPP.

 

[grcsftbll]

Past tense! Situational insanity. Better now. Really. Lol

 

[rdbass]

 

[BobInMadison]

For those of you who are NOT parents of pitchers ---

Just try to imagine what it is like to sit behind home plate, watching Every. Single. Pitch. your DD is throwing. Maybe she's on a hot streak, maybe not. Maybe she strikes out the side, maybe she's take out in the middle of the inning. AND --- whether the team wins or loses depends enormously on how well your DD is pitching. AND --- it is a bracket game. They go home if she pitches badly, and advance if she pitches well.

I can see why some pitcher parents go a little nuts. Seriously, my DD 3's PC asked me how I can watch a game from behind home plate. When his DD pitches, he MIGHT get as close as the outfield. More likely a hill overlooking the field. I don't know how I can take it. In one rec league game, when they switched pitchers, I walked over to the new pitcher's dad and informed him that it was HIS turn to go nuts. He understood.

 

[Eric F]

For those of you who are NOT parents of pitchers ---

Just try to imagine what it is like to sit behind home plate, watching Every. Single. Pitch. your DD is throwing. Maybe she's on a hot streak, maybe not. Maybe she strikes out the side, maybe she's take out in the middle of the inning. AND --- whether the team wins or loses depends enormously on how well your DD is pitching. AND --- it is a bracket game. They go home if she pitches badly, and advance if she pitches well.

I can see why some pitcher parents go a little nuts. Seriously, my DD 3's PC asked me how I can watch a game from behind home plate. When his DD pitches, he MIGHT get as close as the outfield. More likely a hill overlooking the field. I don't know how I can take it. In one rec league game, when they switched pitchers, I walked over to the new pitcher's dad and informed him that it was HIS turn to go nuts. He understood.

Typical pitcher's parent ^^^. They think it's all about their kid.

Sincerely,

- A Catcher's Dad




Situation...

1 out. Bases loaded on an E6, E5, and a bunt. Batter hits a ground ball to F5, who throws to F2 for the force at home - easy out. Thinking she still has a chance to get the batter at 1B (she didn't), F2 fires the ball to F3, except that it's wide, and goes deep into RF. 3 runs score. F2 replaced in the next inning. Final score: 4-1 loss.

That was yesterday. It was rough to watch.

 

[Dabears17]

I'm a pitcher's dad and thought I was pretty sane.... until my daughter didn't pitch until the 3rd game of pool play and didn't get the ball the first game of elimination (which we lost) in a tournament last fall. I think I mostly kept it together .

I make sure my pitchers and catchers know the most important position is catcher and catchers get at least 70pct of the credit for a pitcher's success.

I've also sent my DD to two NECC camps so she appreciates how hard her catchers work.

PS- Isn't by definition traveling 2400 miles to spend 24 hours at a pitching clinic (that your DD can't attend) insanity?