- May 29, 2015
- 3,810
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Playing your little brother: That isn't what is happening. It isn't your job to teach the other team or to let them win. I get what you are saying, but it is a flawed analogy. We aren't talking about a sibling who doesn't understand what is actually happening. I'm saying if you know the game is going to be like that, don't go in guns-a-blazing with your A-squad at the start. Give them the day off. No, I don't think you can technically schedule a varsity vs. JV game, but you can play the players.
I wasn't saying saving pitching or lack of focus are reasons to kill a game ... I'm saying they are signs that there are bigger issues afoot that may need addressed. I agree that games like these can be learning experiences, but they frequently are not and more damage is being done.
For almost every one of these strategies, there is a down side. Who gets anything out of stepping off? I agree there is not a positive benefit for anybody (except pitchers, which is more important in baseball with pitch counts), but it limits the negative repercussions.
You see running station-to-station as a way to hold up your players and slow down the game. I see this as more damaging to the down-players. While you are telling them "YOU need to get outs" you are taking away opportunities to do so and reinforcing that my already bad catcher no longer needs to provide any effort. She is now just going to drop her mask, lollygag back to the backstop, toss the ball underhand towards (not to) the pitcher, and pout her way back to pick up her mask. I know you can't fix that, but you are promoting it.
I do like the switch hitting strategy IF it is something that you have been working on in practice, even if only a little. My concern if you haven't been working on it is that you are essentially horsing around and are going to get one of your players hurt. Like you said, the learning aspect is the key. The player needs to know "I am working on this, not playing around."
Bunting every at bat is something I have seen but rarely have I seen it work to level out the game. If they haven't gotten an out after the first few, it is evident that they aren't going to on the next ten. It turns into the same thing I mentioned with the catcher ... F5 just walks up to the ball, picks it up, and flicks it to the pitcher.
Maybe that is the breaking point ... when it is obvious the players no longer care and are no longer trying, the game needs to be ended before somebody gets hurt.
To the point I bolded in red, I think you have something. There isn't a simple answer, just what opinion you have. As we were leaving the snow-and-snot-fest yesterday, a parent walking out near us made a pretty good suggestion: if it is like this after 2 or 3 innings, kill the game. Start fresh and play another couple of innings. Not saying wipe out the game, but go ahead and end it for the record and then allow the players to reset, the coaches to readjust their lineups, and then play some innings that might actually provide some valuable reps. That's not a bad idea, IMO.
I'm not saying any of these things are ALL the time, just sharing observations from my lifetime of experience.
