- May 17, 2012
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Nobody is saying that pitchers can't hit, it's that they shouldn't hit at the college level.
At the college level sports is a business. You had better protect your assets.
Pitching & Hitting In College
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Nobody is saying that pitchers can't hit, it's that they shouldn't hit at the college level.
At the college level sports is a business. You had better protect your assets.
- Jan 31, 2011
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Of course there are pitchers that can hit. There are catchers that can run the bases as well as anyone on their team, too. It boils down to the head coach's philosophy. You're not going to change that. So, if your DD really wants to pitch and hit, find a coach/school that will accommodate it.
I do agree with protecting your assets at any level.
I do agree with protecting your assets at any level.
The reality of the situation is that ACE pitchers do not grow on trees and a lot of coaches would prefer not to risk injury to their most important player unless they are head and shoulders better than other batters on the team (Lauren Haeger). I hope my DD gets to hit and play some 1B in college, but I am not going to be heartbroken if it does not happen because it means there are 9 better batters on the team which hopefully means run production!
Like [MENTION=5663]JAD[/MENTION] said ACE pitchers need to be head and shoulders better than the others to crack the lineup. In the case of pitchers like Haeger (.348/.701 Senior year) and Fernandez (.383) they were stud hitters and needed to hit for their teams to be competitive. One could argue that if Jennie Finch was playing today hitting .301 she would probably not hit for most teams given her value in the circle.
While it is fun to debate this stuff, the bold above is the bottom line. The coach makes the decisions and is going to do so based on what is best for the program and ultimately their job. Currently in HS, DD is the top pitcher and one of the top 3 hitters on her team. I seriously doubt her HS coach will pull her out of the lineup anytime soon. She works hard on both skills and doesn't seem interested in giving either one up at the moment. If she is ever faced with that decision, it will be interesting to see how she reacts.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Depending on her age, it may be time to consider that question now; if she wants to play in college, her answer will/should have significant bearing on what schools she should be looking at.
Sarah Groenewegen hit .296 with seven doubles, 11 home runs and 41 RBI for Minnesota. That is a lot of productivity to put on the bench when she is not pitching.
- May 17, 2012
- 2,807
- 113
Nobody said she couldn't hit. What if she gets injured base running? Is it easier to replace her hitting or pitching?
If your job was in the line what's in your best interest.
Without her in the circle everyone's hitting at Minnesota is pretty much a moot point. SEASON OVER! Tennessee's season effectively ended when Gaffin broke her arm, and the Vol's are much deeper than the Gophers. I will never forget the look from the Gamecock coaching staff when my DD got hit in her throwing wrist at LSU. They saw their post season lives flash before their eyes.
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Like folks have said, philosophy is what matters. Coach Allister obviously disagrees with your philosophy and believes that the benefit of having Groenewegen hit outweighs the potential cost of a possible injury while hitting.
