Say sorry to the pitcher....what?

[WARRIORMIKE]

DD played in a tourney this weekend. First bracket game was a disaster. We lost we got killed. Defense made some errors. Pitching wasn't lights out. At the end of the game coach tells players to apologize to the pitcher for making errors. LOL I have never heard of such BS.

Does your dd pitch? IF not then that's why.

My philosophy is "don't apologize, we fix it!"

 

[softgabby]

I was reading through this post and maybe I'm missing the point of this...but...isn't this feeding into an entitlement mentality and turning the pitcher into a entitled snowflake who can blame everyone else if and when she has a failure? I mean errors happen. Over the weekend, we had a game where as a team we made 4 errors in one inning. No one whined or complained. The pitcher pitched well enough to try to keep us in the game...but it was a disaster. It just seems like feeding into a diva building mentality to me.

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[Classof2020]

When my dd pitches and doesn't perform well...I say you need to work harder.....when she pitches great and errors are made behind her.... I say it all part of the game and work harder so that fielders don't have the chance to make errors. My kid better not pout about anything on the way home. Its a team sport. I feel like if a pitcher is going to complain about other's mistakes they need to play on a better team...

I was agreeing that pitchers shouldn't be allowed to act like divas and was just trying to be funny. I do have to say though that I don't think it's bad parenting and letting your kid "pout" if you lose a close game and it bums you out and you're frustrated with a lot of errors when you've been doing your job and getting ground balls. I was exaggerating for effect when I said the 90 minute care ride home - she is competitive and gets annoyed and wants to rant a bit (only to me not to teammates or others) or maybe be quiet - and some rides are worse than others. Even after a win she may be like that if she feels like she hit poorly, or walked to many.

Let's hope this coach was super frustrated and said something unfortunate and realized it and learns from his/her mistake.

 

[FP26]

Pitchers parents need to do two things:
1) teach their child to control what they can control, the least important pitch of the game was the last one, and the most important pitch of the game is the next one.
2) teach their child the difference between an earned and unearned run.

And hopefully the parents in the bleachers understand this as well. Since I am typically in the dugout, I don't hear it. But my wife does, therefore I hear about it after the game Shortstop makes two consecutive errors leading to a run. Shortstops mom says to those sitting next to her "I can't understand why they are not pulling the pitcher". DW gets upset about it. DD and I just laugh it off. Yes, I am a pitcher's dad...

 

[Crystal Brown]

Last tournament dd guest played. 3rd base missed an fielding a ball hit right too her. DD turns to her signaling just brush it off. Next play, ss missed fielding a ball hit right too her. DD called a quick timeout. Next play ss made a great double play. DD turns to her signaling great play. SS smiles at recognition from her pitcher. No more errors were made and they win.
DD tells me on this car ride home, when the timeout was called, she talked about nothing...just joking around.
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[bmd]

Yes my dd pitches. She got put in the in the 2nd when we were down 0-8!!!! Errors didn't stop. But coach requested that the apology go specially to starting pitcher. I don't think it's appropriate even if the apology was supposed to go to my kid.

What did you mean "if not then thats why"

Does your dd pitch? IF not then that's why.

My philosophy is "don't apologize, we fix it!"

 

[bmd]

That's exact what I'm thinking!!!! You are wise beyond your years!

I was reading through this post and maybe I'm missing the point of this...but...isn't this feeding into an entitlement mentality and turning the pitcher into a entitled snowflake who can blame everyone else if and when she has a failure? I mean errors happen. Over the weekend, we had a game where as a team we made 4 errors in one inning. No one whined or complained. The pitcher pitched well enough to try to keep us in the game...but it was a disaster. It just seems like feeding into a diva building mentality to me.

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[sluggers]

Pitchers parents need to do two things:
2) teach their child the difference between an earned and unearned run.

I disagree with you.

1) The goal is to *win* games. It doesn't matter if a run is earned or unearned.
2) This teaches pitchers that winning and losing are out of the control of the pitcher. Good pitchers adapt to the team and pitch to the team's strengths.
3) Score keepers are awful in TB...especially if the Pitcher Daddy is keeping the score book.
4) If a child is such a daisy that she can't handle losing games when her fielders make mistakes, she shouldn't pitch. (If a kid doesn't want to get blamed for wins and losses, perhaps she shouldn't play the one position that is at the center of the entire game.)
5) The rules for what is an earned run are ridiculous. ("Yeah, I walked the bases loaded. But, the SS let the ball go through her legs, and those three runs scored...but *NOT MY FAULT*, it is the SS' fault.")

 

[RichK]

We've been trying to get our pitchers to "step up" and take a bigger load of responsibility for winning or losing. If we are to reach our potential as a team, they need to do that, we aren't going to outscore most teams. So we are talking and talking to them about it. Taking responsibility. More responsibility. Battling through bad situations. Don't look for excuses. Own mistake pitches. Shake off errors behind them. Challenge hitters. Take control of at bats and games.

Most pitchers are not built this way. And I know I may take some crap for this, but the blame can be placed on one of two places: 1) coaches who don't hold them accountable (which we are working to change). Often because they don't want to shake their confidence or tick them off and have them leave for another team and 2) parents, because, well, they are parents and want to be "supportive" of their kids AND ALSO because the sidelines of a travel game are a terribly lonely place for a parent when their kid isn't doing well.

In the huddle after games multiple times this fall I've said -- look, the pitcher always gets some applause in our huddle when they do well and win, so we're not going to treat them with kid-gloves when they don't do well. And we'll point out, in front of the team, their issues along with everything and everyone else. No excuses. Accountability. Tough(er) love. As Sluggers said, pitchers are the center of the game (and of the team, and of scholarship offers, etc). As both coaches AND parents, we should be training and developing ridiculously mentally tough pitchers -- it's the best thing we can do for them, IMO.

 

[Phathead]

Pitchers parents need to do two things:
1) teach their child to control what they can control, the least important pitch of the game was the last one, and the most important pitch of the game is the next one.

I saw this on a post a long time ago. Spent several weeks reenforcing this. I think it's the best advice, tip one can teach a pitcher.