Thoughts on a crazy idea?

[Dusty]

Let's be real--what you are really doing is attempting to win a POOL game rather than develop your players.

SO:

If my DD was the #2 pitcher and you did this to her, this would be the last year she would ever play for you. It might be the last tournament she ever played for you.

Why? Because the #2 pitcher has worked her a** off all year pitching in the shadow of the #1 pitcher. The #2 finally has a chance to go out there against the best there is and show what she can do, and you are taking that opportunity away from her. The only way the #2 can convince you and the rest of the world that she is better than the #1 pitcher is to pitch against teams like this.

And, apparently, the #2 will never be able to prove it--because you won't let her. You are taking the internal competition element out of the game.

My DD was proud of her pitching, and she thought she was the best pitcher in the universe every time she went into the dugout. She didn't think there was a better pitcher than her in the entire United States--which is one of the reasons she ended up pitching D1. She would have taken this as a personal insult--even at 10YOA. As a Daddy, it would be like you coming up an p****g on my shoes.

My dd was the #5 pitcher last fall and is currently the #2 pitcher on her 10u travel team and I can tell you with absolute certainty that packing up my dd and going home was never an option. To my knowledge no parents on the team who were higher in the pecking order last fall and are now only pitching in pool play and friendlies are threatening to pull their kid from the team. If we did have one of those, I think we'd all be relieved to have gotten rid of the 10u crazy daddy and his circle princess.

That said, and pitcher's and their parents egos aside, if you put in a pitcher who's got no chance against a top team it may send the message to the entire team that you're throwing in the towel on the game. I might be inclined to approach a game like this with the idea of throwing a slower pitcher than my #1, but one who's poised enough and accurate enough to hit her spots and keep the ball low in the zone.

 

[mad hornet]

My dd was the #5 pitcher last fall and is currently the #2 pitcher on her 10u travel team and I can tell you with absolute certainty that packing up my dd and going home was never an option. To my knowledge no parents on the team who were higher in the pecking order last fall and are now only pitching in pool play and friendlies are threatening to pull their kid from the team. If we did have one of those, I think we'd all be relieved to have gotten rid of the 10u crazy daddy and his circle princess.

That said, and pitcher's and their parents egos aside, if you put in a pitcher who's got no chance against a top team it may send the message to the entire team that you're throwing in the towel on the game. I might be inclined to approach a game like this with the idea of throwing a slower pitcher than my #1, but one who's poised enough and accurate enough to hit her spots and keep the ball low in the zone.

Our #5 does have good accuracy. I would never approach a game with the idea of throwing in the towel before it even starts. Just looking for insight on a strategic move in slowing things down for this particular team. I got the idea from our 14U coach who did that with his middle school team agains their rival. According to him it worked very well. I can see there being a perception problem however.

 

[stephanie]

There is a school here whose pitcher is going D1. They are expected to win state. The team they have the hardest time beating is across town, whose pitcher is SO SLOW. The girls constantly say they have a really hard time adjusting to the difference in speed between what they hit off of in practice, and what that pitcher throws them in a game.
However, they do beat them. A better team is a better team.

 

[Coach JV]

5 pitchers is too many to keep happy

 

[Dusty]

5 pitchers is too many to keep happy

I would agree with that statement in general, I had a long talk w/dd about that before she joined the team but she really wanted to play for this team even if she didn't get to pitch much.

The thing we found, and I suspect it's true with other 10u teams as well, is that even if you have 5 talented 10u pitchers you may really only have 2 or three at a given moment. The #1 pitcher throws the hardest but started off last fall wild as could be and replaced in the first inning by my dd who was easily the slowest but had the most control. The #1 didn't see much action for a week or two but came back by the third tourney with just as much speed and a lot more control. Dd was in the mix somewhere between #2-#4 for awhile but when she got hit hard in a semifinal game against a good team she was put in the back of the rotation and never saw the circle again for the final two fall tourneys. She busted her butt over the winter and now throws as hard as anyone but the #1 pitcher and still has the most control and a good cu and drop to go with it.

The current #3-#5 pitchers all have talent and are in the mix and could end up pitching more but don't for a variety of reasons. One is our best shortstop and likes playing there more than pitching and another is our best catcher. The one that I think has the most natural talent is one of the younger players on our team and doesn't have the maturity or focus to pitch a complete game.

If a team had five equally talented, focused and hard working pitchers than keeping everyone happy would be a big problem but I doubt that's often the case at 10u, probably older ages as well. Our team is splitting the natural way at the end of the season anyway, one kid is moving, my dd is aging up with the #1 pitcher and the other two will remain at 10u.

 

[mad hornet]

5 pitchers is too many to keep happy

Three of the five also pitch in rec ball and are the ace of their rec team. Started out we had two pitchers. I picked up three other position players that could also pitch last fall. I explained to their dads at the try out that we were good on pitchers, don't really need more. They were cool because they knew dd could pitch rec ball.

Well then, my dd broke the thumb on her pitching hand and couldn't pitch. I get the other two a try and they really stepped up and earned a spot in the rotation. Now, one of our starting four has a broken wrist on her glove hand and has to sit a month. I'm really glad I've got those pitchers and no one is complaining.

Of course both of my first basemen want to play short, two outfielders want to play first, three other girls want to pitch.......

Welcome to 10U.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Mad Hornet, I feel what your trying to do. Ask 10 coaches on here, your going to get 10 different answers.

We played in a big 'state' championship last year. Had 14 very talented teams and 4 that should not have even showed up. I threw my # 4 and #5 pitcher in the pools. We lost both. But then rotated my #1A and #1B ( a righty and lefty ) during brackets. We went undefeated in bracket play.

My idea was.......to make the teams that didn't know us that well, from the other side of the state, to think we were nothing to worry about. And it worked good for the first 3 games of bracket play. The other teams thinking we were weak, started their #3-4 pitcher. Before they knew what hit them, they had dug themselves into a pretty good hole.

I'm always glad to see a coach thinking outside the box and strategize. Most just show up thinking the talent itself will get the job done. I've seen a lot of teams lose tournaments thinking they can muscle their way through.

 

[absdad]

The point I was trying to ask is: For a team that is used to seeing 47-55 mph from 35', do we have a better chance showing them 36?

Maybe for one inning, possibly two. When they get her timing down, then your outfielders will be working overtime. Could you start your #5 in there for the first half of the game, and then put #1 in for the second half? They would be working most of the game to get their timing down. Like you said, it's 10u, so i don't think the other team is going to adjust quick enough to make a difference.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Maybe for one inning, possibly two. When they get her timing down, then your outfielders will be working overtime. Could you start your #5 in there for the first half of the game, and then put #1 in for the second half? They would be working most of the game to get their timing down. Like you said, it's 10u, so i don't think the other team is going to adjust quick enough to make a difference.

When we were 10U, we lost a World Series ( championship game ) because their ace was out of gas. They put in a DD throwing about 35mph. We could not wait on the ball. We were hitting, but we were so far ahead every hit was off the end of the bat. Uggggg!!

 

[absdad]

circle princess.

Haven't heard that term before believe it or not. Will pass that along to my dd, she'll get a kick out of it.