What would you do?

[klbii]

If you are coaching varsity and playing in a fairly competitive conference. You have three pitchers on the team (Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior). All three are nearly identical statistically in preseason scrimmages. The team is coming off a 2-7 (conference) and 4-21 (overall) record. The Sophomore and Junior were the team's primary pitchers a year ago.

How would you manage your pitching staff and playing time between the three?

Send the Freshmen back to JV to gain experience while freeing up more innings to the Sophomore and Junior to try improve on last season?

Keep all three on varsity and evenly split the innings to see if one emerges over the others?

Split the Freshman between Varsity and JV while giving the bulk of the Varsity innings to the Sophomore and Junior?

Let the most experienced pitcher (i.e. Junior) pitch the bulk of the innings and spot start the other two?

Other?

 

[cshilt]

Split the Freshman between Varsity and JV while giving the bulk of the Varsity innings to the Sophomore and Junior?

I like this option since you stated that, statistically, they are nearly identical. Our HS had a pretty good year last year using two pitchers primarily. One started, one came in usually in the last inning to close, then the next game the roles were reversed.

 

[tojo]

If the freshman is going to get more game experience on JV then I would have her split time between JV and varsity. If they are nearly identical, let the one that emerges to be the most effective be the ACE and the others should be motivated to work harder and smarter to get their time in the circle.

 

[Jojo]

Keep the freshman in JV, give her tons of time.
Give the Sr a little more time than the Jr, if they are equal it won't matter game wise but it may encourage the Jr to step it up for more time.

 

[sluggers]

You have to make it a competition between your players as to who is going to be out on the field. If there is no competition, you'll be lucky to win 4 games this year. The only thing these kids want is to be on the field. If you give it to them without making them earn it, they will play poorly.

Let's be honest--your sophomore and junior pitchers aren't very good. Favoring them over the freshman doesn't make any sense. If one of them had won 20 games last year, it would be different.

You asked, "What would I do?"

My answer: I would get them together, and say "The best pitcher pitches, the others sit."

I would start the junior. As soon as she walks her second player, I would pull her even if it is the first inning. Then I would put the sophomore out there. When she walks the second batter, I would pull her and put the freshman in. I would keep doing this until the light bulb goes on in their and their Daddies collective heads that, "Either they throw strikes, or they are not going to pitch."

 

[Amy in AZ.]

If the soph and junior only won 4 games last year, I am looking for new blood and will work with all of them, but will try the freshman. One of these girls needs to step up and improve. I would challenge them to work harder.

Does JV have anyone, if varsity keeps the freshman?

 

[tojo]

I hope the soph and junior have taken the iniative to get better after last years disappointing record and have worked to get better for this season.

 

[mudbug]

Wait a second, its school ball. You should obviously be concerned about making sure that the older ones play in enough games to get their letter!

 

[mkral]

School ball here is where kids get noticed more then travel ball. I know that is hard for some to wrap their heads around but that really is the case. So it is really important.

Our HS team made it to sub-state last year pitching a freshman. We had a senior and 2 junior pitchers but the freshmen showed up to pitch and she carried the load down the stretch and won districts for us. Our situation was not like yours though they were not all basically the same, our freshman was the best pitcher. Some of the parents did not think so but she really was. The team did not get behind her as well as they should have though and that cost them a state title shot. The team had some ill feelings having an underclassmen in the circle instead of "one of their own" and that really did cost them. So that is something you will need to think about as well. It will take 8 other kids to win games for you and they will have to play as a team in order to succeed.

I agree with Slugger completely make them know they can and will sit if they do not perform. It will make them better and will allow you to asses your situation better.
Good luck in your decision, it is a tough one.

 

[alexander58]

If there is little difference between the 3 keep the freshman on the JV. Let her get innings. Noone learns anything about playing sitting on the bench.