My first post - please be polite...lol. My 10 U DD is the number one pitcher on her travel team. On the last tournament- only four teams remained for single elimination. She pitched lights out in the semifinals, easily advancing. Then she did not get the nod to pitch in the finals later that day. She asked me if she should be concerned, I told her - you got them there. My quest is should she be concerned that she did not pitch in the final? They ended up losing in the final. Please advise. Thanks! !!
To pitch or not to pitch
- Thread starter Huskers44
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Depends if it is a pattern and multiple other factors.
Our experience with our first travel team was that my DD or another pitcher would have a good day and the team would get to the finals. Then either one of the two would start the game and be "replaced" or the new "pitching coaches" DD would get the start or inserted into the game to get the credit for the win. After this happened a couple of times with the PC DD walking the bases loaded and the other pitcher put back in the game to try to rescue the team, both sets of the starting pitchers decided it was time to find a different team. The kicker for us was when the PC who never caught the pitchers told me he didn't understand my daughters pitches because they moved the wrong way. I asked what do you mean. He said "I call a screw and it goes the wrong direction" and giving a motion of going away from a right handed batter. I said turn around and look at her as she was warming up. He looked at me and said "She's not left handed". He was serious. This was after him being the PC for 8 weeks. Go figure.
Our experience with our first travel team was that my DD or another pitcher would have a good day and the team would get to the finals. Then either one of the two would start the game and be "replaced" or the new "pitching coaches" DD would get the start or inserted into the game to get the credit for the win. After this happened a couple of times with the PC DD walking the bases loaded and the other pitcher put back in the game to try to rescue the team, both sets of the starting pitchers decided it was time to find a different team. The kicker for us was when the PC who never caught the pitchers told me he didn't understand my daughters pitches because they moved the wrong way. I asked what do you mean. He said "I call a screw and it goes the wrong direction" and giving a motion of going away from a right handed batter. I said turn around and look at her as she was warming up. He looked at me and said "She's not left handed". He was serious. This was after him being the PC for 8 weeks. Go figure.
Could be a number of things. Some teams like to give the ball to one pitcher and ride her as long as they can. Our team uses multiple pitchers. If we were scheduled to play two games in one day, it is doubtful that the same pitcher would work in both.
I would thank a coach not to pitch a 10 yo twice in a day. You are fortunate.
The days when a team would have one pitcher and they would ride that pitcher to death are (thankfully) coming to an end.
There were two games on the final day. Your DD got game 1. Another pitcher got game 2.
Honestly, I don't understand.
There were two games on the final day. Your DD got game 1. Another pitcher got game 2.
Honestly, I don't understand.
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Maybe I need to rephrase my question. The semifinals of this tournament was single elimination. Do most coaches throw their number one pitcher first to get to the finals or take their chances and save your number one for the finals. That is my question. We were the number two seed of the final four teams in the tournament. I am just trying to understand the tournament coaching mindset
Your coach did great and your DD did awesome. Really, your goal should be for your daughter to be a great 12U pitcher and then, a great 14U pitcher. These 10U games are just for the experience.
- Jun 24, 2013
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I agree on the whole, not riding a horse into the grave. I would have done the same. I have seen too many coaches ride their "ace" into the finals and get upset with her when she is tired, losing the game and not performing like she did earlier in the day. Well "DUH!" she is wore out. She ain't gonna throw like she did when she was fresh.
Like others have stated, it really depends on your bullpen, how you strategize your pitchers across a tournament. Some will use their ace to get to the money game, perhaps because there is too much of a drop in talent between #1 and #2. ( we ran this this type in 10u )
From 12u up, we were lucky/blessed to have a #1A and #1B, instead of #1 and #2. They were close in talent, but the 1A had an edge being a left handed pitcher, batters don't see them often. Probably 95% of the tourneys from then on, 1B got us there, 1A would come in a couple of innings ( here and there ) as relief and to keep loose. 1A would pitch the money game.
Each pitching strategy is unique to the available resources, it's not a one size fits all.
From 12u up, we were lucky/blessed to have a #1A and #1B, instead of #1 and #2. They were close in talent, but the 1A had an edge being a left handed pitcher, batters don't see them often. Probably 95% of the tourneys from then on, 1B got us there, 1A would come in a couple of innings ( here and there ) as relief and to keep loose. 1A would pitch the money game.
Each pitching strategy is unique to the available resources, it's not a one size fits all.
