Trying to understand coach's decision...

[CMMom1740]

Did you let any passed balls by you? Doesn't sound like it from your description, but I've seen coaches pull tired/hot catchers when that starts to happen and there are base runners.

 

[softgabby]

In the situation you describe you better believe that I am going to run on the relief catcher on one of the first two pitches. Should have seen that one coming.

As soon as I got to the dugout, I knew the runner was going to run. I had gunned her down earlier in the game when she tried to steal.

 

[softgabby]

Did you let any passed balls by you? Doesn't sound like it from your description, but I've seen coaches pull tired/hot catchers when that starts to happen and there are base runners.

I did let a passed ball...but it was early in the game. I think it was in like the first or second inning. It was a drop ball that I just didn't properly block.

 

[Easton33]

I haven't seen many pitchouts in fastpitch softball..are they common?

I can only speak for me but if the count allows it, I pitch out 100% of the time that I have a strong idea runner is going. If she doesn't go we throw to the pick her at 1.

OP, was this a time limit game?

 

[djcarter1966]

I'm just going with really weird, you need one out leaving the pitcher in is questionable but if he is going with a dance with those that brung you philosophy why not just ride it out and see hat happens. Honestly it's for the tie but I'm not really worried about the runner...I have one goal in mind get the batter out.

I would just ask " hey coach last game of last tournament you pulled me for the last out; Did I do something wrong?"

 

[flipper14]

I'm trying to understand coach's decision during a tournament we played in over the weekend. Here's what happened.

We started this last tournament fairly early in the afternoon on Friday and we played in something like 6 games over the course of the weekend going 4-1 and winning the consolation bracket with this tournament being double elimination. I caught all our games with the exception 2 (I played third in one and the other I played DH for 5 innings and pitched the last two since our pitcher was sick from heat exhaustion).

The last game of the tournament, we play the number 1 seed. Were playing the best game we've played so far. We were kinda cruising along and were winning against the number 1 seed 6 - 4 going into the bottom of the 7th. HC DD1 got the first two batters on strike outs to bring her total to 8 in the game. She ends up walking the next batter in a 10 pitch at bat. I ask for time and walk to the circle to calm the pitcher down and tell her she's got this, let's get nasty. I never saw HC come out to make substitutions. He tells DD 2 to get her catchers gear on. I don't mean to bash my teammates or coaches on a public forum, but his DD 2 is not a very good catcher. She's a great right fielder but she kinda has accuracy issues. I don't think she needs to exactly hit her cutoff person when throwing the ball back in...but at least get the ball where they can catch it. Catcher #2 was sick from the heat and humidity from earlier. Coach tells me to head back to the dugout and that I did good. I really didn't feel tired but he still pulls me. The first pitch to the next batter, the runner on first tries to steal second. The catcher throws the second baseman high and the ball goes into center field and the runner advances to third on the error. The pitcher then walks the next batter on three more pitches. The next batter hits a walkoff 3 run homerun to win the game 7 - 6. I go out and shake all the girls and coaches hands on the other team but I'm still confused as to what coach was thinking.

If your a coach reading this could you give me a little insight on why a coach would pull a catcher in the middle of an inning?

Thanks.

I think you'll be best served by asking your coach. You can do it very simply and not in an accusatory tone. Something as simple as, "Coach, I just wanted to ask why you pulled me from the game the other day."

One of my biggest mistakes when I was a younger coach is that I assumed my players were mind readers and that they understood the decisions I was making. Often they didn't and it hurt communication. I found this to be even more of an issue coaching female athletes. As I matured as a coach I did a much better job explaining why I made the decisions I did. While the girls still didn't necessarily agree with my decision, they at least know why I made it.

 

[Axe]

Probably stalling

 

[Sweet Lou]

The only thing that makes any sense to me is he didn't want to pull the pitcher but thought she needed a break in the heat so changed catchers.

That might be stretching it though. If I did do something like that I'd make sure I told my catcher why and that it wasn't any thing she did just that I wanted to give pitcher a few minutes to catch breath.

 

[softgabby]

OP, was this a time limit game?

It was a time limit game as we wanted to be done by dark. When I was pulled from the game, it was probably 7:45-8:00 ish. It doesn't start getting hard to see here until about 9:00.

 

[softgabby]

I think you'll be best served by asking your coach. You can do it very simply and not in an accusatory tone. Something as simple as, "Coach, I just wanted to ask why you pulled me from the game the other day."

One of my biggest mistakes when I was a younger coach is that I assumed my players were mind readers and that they understood the decisions I was making. Often they didn't and it hurt communication. I found this to be even more of an issue coaching female athletes. As I matured as a coach I did a much better job explaining why I made the decisions I did. While the girls still didn't necessarily agree with my decision, they at least know why I made it.

Were supposed to be having practice tonight. I'll probably ask him if I get a chance.