Pulling girls out on defense during the inning

[Strike2]

If the pitcher couldn't throw strikes, would it be OK to pull her mid-inning, or would that be humiliating? The answer from most anyone would be "no, sometimes you have to change pitchers".

Why is 1B or any other player on the field different? 1B is there to catch throws and make outs, and that is a position where mistakes are less tolerable. If it's a one-off, that needs to be ignored, but if there's an apparent lack of focus, effort, or composure, I don't think it's at all unreasonable to make a mid-inning switch.

 

[4 girl's dad]

It’s all in how you handle it. And sometimes the kid is still going to cry. Some kids are just that way.

Some kids cry and have a hard time getting their emotions in check.

Some kids cry, get it out and get over it quickly.

Some get upset but never cry and some take it in stride and roll on.

Know your players. Follow up with them after to give feed back.

I like the idea above about calling time and telling the Ump of your substitution and making a change. I also like calling time to make a position change in a huddle.

Good discussion.

 

[Cannonball]

There are scientifically proven Cognitive, anatomical, and physiological differences between males and females yet some folks want to coach them the same? Seems like that is ignoring the scientific facts and instead relying on their gut feelings but what do I know.

I can't speak for "scientifically proven" stuff. I'm just a dumb old coach who has coached both girls and boys for 32 years doing the same fundamentals, with the same intensity and with the same expectations. In fact, I could, but won't, post a copy of a poem written to me by a former female basketball player of mine that points out about how she wanted to cry ... and then, she discovered a whole new level of success in that sport. I didn't have a boy for a child. I had a girl. I coached her exactly the same as I coached the boys including as her TB and HS Coach. I guess I have been doing it wrong all of this time. Oh, I would assert that I didn't use my "gut feeling." I used the same "stuff" I used to take teams to state in basketball and baseball.

 

[Sparky Guy]

There is a way to circumvent making a change in the middle of an inning parental drama. It starts at the parent meeting at the start of the season. I have coached 10-14U for a long, long time with no child on the team. At the initial parent meeting I tell the parents and the players right up front. As coaches we ask them to play their best. If they make a mistake we learn from it. There is only one thing we DEMAND, that is 100% effort and focus at practice and games. We let them know if myself or one of coaches feels a player is not focused or is giving a poor effort they can/will be pulled from the game at ANY time.

If a player is being overwhelmed at a position I will make a change if need be.

One of the things I tell my players. "If you're going to make a mistake... Make a BIG one. That way everyone knows you're trying."

Luckily, I've only had to do it once. The dad came up to me after the game and said he was glad I did it. He saw his daughter was off somewhere other than the field and it cost the team. He told me a parent from the opposing team was sitting next to him and said "They wouldn't play for a coach who did that." He told the parent it was his DD and he was glad I did it. She wasn't focused.

 

[_MIA_]

I get the no effort thing and pulling them for that. It is just that I played baseball from the age of 7 till 22 and watched countless games and never once saw somebody get pulled (other than the pitcher) in the middle of an inning...EVER. Maybe everybody always gave a 100%...? It just seems wrong but I understand where people are coming from I guess.

 

[bmakj]

One of the things I tell my players. "If you're going to make a mistake... Make a BIG one. That way everyone knows you're trying."

I encourage them to "fail spectaculary (sic)", attempt the play you do not think you can make (ie diving catch in OF, etc.), if you fail, no one can say you did not give it your all, and when eventually make the play, no one but you remembers the # failures trying it previously, just the great you play you just made.

 

[eagle6]

Was an assistant coach when my DD was pulled in the middle of the inning. Several balls were hit her way, and she was having a bad day. It got in her head, with friends on the other team and she was at 3rd, right in front of their dugout. As a dad, i could see it was getting to her. Head coach pulled her in the middle of the inning. She cried, not because she was pulled, but because she was playing bad. He told her to get herself together, because she was going to make a good play for us. She went back in at first the next inning and made a good play. Hit and pitched great the rest of the day. Every case is different, but she NEEDED to come out at that time.

 

[Chris8]

There's a lot of good thoughts in this thread.

Couple things come to mind.

Marriad- excellent way to handle it- I've done it that way very effective.

Pulling a defensive player other than pitcher in the middle of the inning should be rare. But it also shouldn't be NEVER.

Couple situations we ran into at 12U
1) I pulled a OF in middle of inning. She was playing great but our pitcher was struggling. We knew we wanted to put her in to pitch next inning so subbed her out so she could get a little extra warm up time pitching since she would be leading off the next inning at bat. Parents were a little upset until they looked over and saw their player warming up to pitch..then all is good. Lesson: often parents don't know the whole situation and are quick to react.

2) Had to pull 2B in middle of inning. She had two errors at 1B covering 1B on a bunt. No big deal...but then as it happens every ball seemed to find her. Didn't matter what it was, GB, pop fly and nothing was getting fielded. In the second inning she was in full melt down mode, Tears, shaking. Called time brought group infield together. Told them 2B was going to come out to get some water and clear her head. I asked the team to pick her up with their play on the field. They did. She came out got some water, got settled down, we talked through the rest of the game with her sitting next to me on a bucket about how to compose yourself and handle these situations. She played 2B the next game no problems. Parents saw the meltdown and were thankful we gave her the break she needed to get right.

I believe you have to evaluate the situation as well there is no one size fits all. It "can" be humiliating to be taken out mid inning....it also "can" be humiliating to be left out there. It is situational.

to the OP....at the start of the season set the expectation that you won't have conversations about DD's game between games or right after the game. Set the expectation to talk at least 24 hours later. That gives everyone a chance to be rested and calm. When parent approached you at dugout....try to tell them... Mr. Parent I'd be happy to talk with you but right now is not the best time. Let's talk tomorrow after practice.

 

[Eric F]

I get the no effort thing and pulling them for that. It is just that I played baseball from the age of 7 till 22 and watched countless games and never once saw somebody get pulled (other than the pitcher) in the middle of an inning...EVER. Maybe everybody always gave a 100%...? It just seems wrong but I understand where people are coming from I guess.

Why is it okay to pull a pitcher in the middle of an inning if she is struggling, but not another player?

 

[_MIA_]

Why is it okay to pull a pitcher in the middle of an inning if she is struggling, but not another player?

It is the same thing...you are getting pulled for performance. But it is, and has always been, a part of the game so nobody bats an eyelid when it happens. Like I said I can never remember seeing it happen in any games I played in or have watched for any level of baseball. That said, if my kid was pulled for whatever reason I wouldn't have an issue with it. However I probably wouldn't do it to somebody else's kid if I were a coach..I guess I am a softie . I have seen it done multiple times in the last couple years in 10U so I guess I am in the minority here based upon the comments and what I have seen.Good thing I don't coach..

Edit: I should say that if the kid was having an actual breakdown out there (crying,shaking), as some have mentioned, I would probably do it in the way somebody mentioned call a conference and do it that way. In that case you would actually lessening the embarrassment for the kid by taking them out.