I am coaching a first yr. 12u team this fall. I have been told by several coaches that when i start a pitcher in League Ball that I should never pull that pitcher even if she gets in a jam. Now we have played 9 tournaments this spring/summer and the time came where i felt i need to pull the pitcher so i did. We had a pretty successsful summer. I am just wondering what the consensus is about this issue. Do i let her stick it out no matter the outcome? Do i play it like tourney ball? Is their a better way to handle this and develop my pitchers without pulling them to quick or to late?
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DD is 12 Rec. pitcher, coming in the middle of the inning and being pulled are part the experience.
She might not like going pulled but she better wish the pitcher luck, run to her position and cheer her on.
Coming if the middle of an inning usually means she is going into not a great situation, again a good experience for her.
I would not pull them the first sign of trouble, maybe call it being slow to pull a P.
She might not like going pulled but she better wish the pitcher luck, run to her position and cheer her on.
Coming if the middle of an inning usually means she is going into not a great situation, again a good experience for her.
I would not pull them the first sign of trouble, maybe call it being slow to pull a P.
No one size fits all here. You have to get a "feel" for your pitchers. I've seen some warm up great and can't find the plate in a game, I've seen some warm up poor and K 1-2 batters an inning.
Pulling is the same way, I've had some that I know a few hits/walks/runs and they can maintain control mentally and physically. I've also had a few that fall apart. It's really a judgement call.
If she or the game is getting out of hand, I'd pull her. Doesn't matter if she is the Ace or #2-3, even ace pitchers have a bad game once in a while.
Pulling is the same way, I've had some that I know a few hits/walks/runs and they can maintain control mentally and physically. I've also had a few that fall apart. It's really a judgement call.
If she or the game is getting out of hand, I'd pull her. Doesn't matter if she is the Ace or #2-3, even ace pitchers have a bad game once in a while.
Not a HC or AC, but here is my gold metal advice... Two errors in one inning form anyone 1-9 demands a change. That should require them to do the work needed to regain starting status.
- Jul 26, 2010
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When I coached 12u, I gave them a long leash on saturday. I wanted them to learn how to get themselves out of a jam. I tried to give them full games on Saturday, and would generally only pull them after 3 walks in a row.
On Sunday, they got 2 walks per inning, which is really high (2 per game is plenty). I made exceptions for walks after full counts with a few foul balls.
At 14u, things get more tight. Pitchers should be better at this point. I pulled them if they were missing their spots, irregardless of the outcome. A pitcher that can't pitch the pitches called to the spots being called with at least 70% accuracy (%80 is better) isn't a pitcher, they're just a kid throwing a ball. I didn't have to pull often, but everyone has a bad day now and then. I made my rules clear at the start of the season. I also don't believe in "#1 pitchers". There's just "the best pitcher today".
-W
On Sunday, they got 2 walks per inning, which is really high (2 per game is plenty). I made exceptions for walks after full counts with a few foul balls.
At 14u, things get more tight. Pitchers should be better at this point. I pulled them if they were missing their spots, irregardless of the outcome. A pitcher that can't pitch the pitches called to the spots being called with at least 70% accuracy (%80 is better) isn't a pitcher, they're just a kid throwing a ball. I didn't have to pull often, but everyone has a bad day now and then. I made my rules clear at the start of the season. I also don't believe in "#1 pitchers". There's just "the best pitcher today".
-W
i never wanted my DD to be in the circle, after she had become ineffective. Pull her.
Pull the kid when she starts throwing poorly. Get her out of there, and let her regroup for next time.
This falls into the category of "kids react the way adults tell them to react." If a coach treats the pitcher like, "So what...you aren't throwing well today, you'll throw better tomorrow. Let's move on...", then the kid is great. If the coach treats the pither like she will need hours of therapy after she is pulled, the kid probably will need therapy.
Personally, I hate the whole fake drama of pulling a pitcher. The coach walks out to the mound like delivering the news that the pitcher's dog has been killed in a freak softball accident. Then, the pitcher walks off the mound with her head down as the parents try to cheer her up...geez...it is a softball game, not a funeral.
Come on...does a coach think the pitcher is so brain dead not to notice that she just walked the last five batters?
This falls into the category of "kids react the way adults tell them to react." If a coach treats the pitcher like, "So what...you aren't throwing well today, you'll throw better tomorrow. Let's move on...", then the kid is great. If the coach treats the pither like she will need hours of therapy after she is pulled, the kid probably will need therapy.
Personally, I hate the whole fake drama of pulling a pitcher. The coach walks out to the mound like delivering the news that the pitcher's dog has been killed in a freak softball accident. Then, the pitcher walks off the mound with her head down as the parents try to cheer her up...geez...it is a softball game, not a funeral.
Come on...does a coach think the pitcher is so brain dead not to notice that she just walked the last five batters?
- Jul 26, 2010
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Here's the thing:
The coach puts the pitcher in the circle because he believes the pitcher can get the job done. This means that the pitcher has proven that she can pitch successfully either at a tryout, in practice, or previous games.
Now, if all of a sudden the pitcher in the game ceases to be able to pitch, and she is uninjured, then she must be suffering from a case of pitcher brain damage. Pitcher brain damage is what happens when the pitcher lets themselves get in the way of their pitching. For whatever reason, they start thinking about pitching, the brain becomes damaged, and their ability to pitch goes downhill rapidly.
A coach will go out to the circle to try to "settle" the pitcher. This is generally an attempt to cure brain damage within the span of 30 seconds or so. The coach tries this by either distracting the pitcher from whatever is on her mind, or employing a wide array of emotional treatments that range from compassion, encouragement, belittlement, and downright infuriating (some pitchers just pitch better pissed off).
If the attempt to cure the brain damage fails and the pitcher continues to struggle with the symptoms in the circle, it is the coaches job to remove the pitcher from the game so she can seek treatment.
My best advice to a pitcher is to leave whatever thoughts you have in the car and stand in the circle clear-headed and focused. You already know how to pitch. Let yourself pitch. No amount of "trying to fix it" is going to help. That was what practice was for and the time for that has passed. The second you start worrying about how to pitch is the second your ability to pitch will suffer. Don't let outside influences get to you. It isn't the dirt, the sun, your parents, your teammates, the bruise on your shin, the umpire, the coach, school, or whatever. It's just you. Now stop thinking and pitch.
-W
The coach puts the pitcher in the circle because he believes the pitcher can get the job done. This means that the pitcher has proven that she can pitch successfully either at a tryout, in practice, or previous games.
Now, if all of a sudden the pitcher in the game ceases to be able to pitch, and she is uninjured, then she must be suffering from a case of pitcher brain damage. Pitcher brain damage is what happens when the pitcher lets themselves get in the way of their pitching. For whatever reason, they start thinking about pitching, the brain becomes damaged, and their ability to pitch goes downhill rapidly.
A coach will go out to the circle to try to "settle" the pitcher. This is generally an attempt to cure brain damage within the span of 30 seconds or so. The coach tries this by either distracting the pitcher from whatever is on her mind, or employing a wide array of emotional treatments that range from compassion, encouragement, belittlement, and downright infuriating (some pitchers just pitch better pissed off).
If the attempt to cure the brain damage fails and the pitcher continues to struggle with the symptoms in the circle, it is the coaches job to remove the pitcher from the game so she can seek treatment.
My best advice to a pitcher is to leave whatever thoughts you have in the car and stand in the circle clear-headed and focused. You already know how to pitch. Let yourself pitch. No amount of "trying to fix it" is going to help. That was what practice was for and the time for that has passed. The second you start worrying about how to pitch is the second your ability to pitch will suffer. Don't let outside influences get to you. It isn't the dirt, the sun, your parents, your teammates, the bruise on your shin, the umpire, the coach, school, or whatever. It's just you. Now stop thinking and pitch.
-W
Quick story on mental side. DD12 pitching rec game. made it to last inning and struggling with walks at bottom of their line up walks runners to 1st and 2nd tight game. Swapped her with first baseman. Won game, on way home asked her if understood why I pulled her. Answer was "yep I was sucking and fixing to see top of order and we needed win" for league placment. I was more proud for the simple fact she understood there is more to game than hitting and throwing.
This past summer, DD pitched almost an entire game, until the last inning. We had 2 outs and was ahead by a run. Two batter hit singles off of her...putting runners at 1st and 2nd. We still needed that last out and since they had just hit twice off of her, the coach brought in another pitcher to get that last out. She did and we won
After the game, my DD was mad at herself because she couldn't finish the entire game. I told her that is what team mates (especially pitchers) do for each other. She did what she could and her friend/team mate had her back.
I think that made her feel better.
The coach could have taken a gamble and left her in and she might have gotten the next out......or the batter could have hit another single (or worse) and either tied or won the game. I agreed with the coach.
