Would You Rather?

[Little Angels Softball]

For me, there is no higher form of fastpitch softball than a couple of well-coached teams of 12U or 14U girls playing a low-scoring, one-run ballgame. We're talking good pitching, flawless defense with girls making great play after great play ... outfielders throwing girls out at the plate, shortstops backhanding balls in the hole and throwing a girl out by half a step, catchers laying out for small popups, diving catches in right field, bunt defense that looks like a well-oiled machine, aggressive base running, girls caught stealing, girls stealing a base, slappers slapping, hitters hitting.

These kind of games almost always come down to a single error or a BB as the deciding factor. Super-stressful for 7 innings, any little mistake will lose the game and both teams know it. That is performing under intense pressure. It is games like this that make everyone involved in them better than they were before the first pitch was thrown. Yes please!

 

[JJsqueeze]

I'll take the 2-1 game in every situation except in a bracket. I can handle the high scoring error filled game if it means staying alive.

 

[NorthMS]

My gut reaction was I'd take a win, then I realized my DD pitches. If she was in the circle, I wouldn't want 20 runs put up.

 

[texas4life]

I would take either I mean lets be honest a 21-20 game and a 2-1 game can both take the same amount of innings to end so not an issue here. I can handle both because either way it means one side of your team is truly on fire for that game. Either you pitcher and D is shutting down everything that comes its way and only one error is gonna allow you to lose 2-1. Or your girls are hitting with big bats being able to put up 21 points I mean scoring runs never gets old and if you pull that win off it means your girls accepted the challenge of going toe to toe with another big bat team.

 

[PA SB Dad]

Thanks for all of the interesting responses. I have to admit, I am in LAS' camp. As a coach, a 2-1 game means there was great pitching and defense, and the teams had to work hard to manufacture runs. Those are fun games to watch or coach in. At the end of the game, there is very little that needs to be addressed or fixed moving on to the next game. It could be an error, walk, or giving up a timely hit that does you in, and it's usually not something that takes a great deal of time to address and fix the next time around.

On the other hand, I have never seen or been involved in a 21-20 game (or any game with the scores going into the teens), in which you can objectively say there was nothing but great hitting. If your pitcher is serving up pitches that are regularly being squared up and hit into the gaps, is she really pitching well? Are you really playing good defense giving up that many runs? You don't see good teams playing in games with scores like that because they are GOOD teams, especially from a pitching and defensive perspective. From a coaches perspective, I wouldn't know where to start in terms of addressing and fixing problems that occurred in a game like that. I would just have to throw it out from my memory and start fresh the next game. It would be one of those games I try to forget, rather than one that I want to remember.

Give me a well-played, tightly contested game any day, win or lose.

 

[Indiana]

"I choose death!" "No, you can't choose death" - lol (having spend countless hours playing "would you rather" as a kid)

I like the 2-1 version, for everyone's reasons above. That said, though, when DD was in 14U her team had a come from behind 17-13 win in single elimination bracket play. They were down 13-5, when they just went on a hitting tear. That was fun to watch.

 

[3bmama]

My kid pitches. We'll take the 2-1. I'M also with Bob on the length of the game with a score that high. Cut in half to 11-10, and I'd take that-if my kid wasn't pitching

 

[BobInMadison]

Games I have seen that were extremely high scoring were usually rec league games, with either bad pitching, bad D or both.
Some have been walk fests. Boring.

On occasion a high scoring game can be satisfying. The last game of fall ball last year DD #1's team needed a win to tie for first. The league has a 5 run limit per inning 12 u or younger. Last game went 5 innings. Each team used its ace 2 innings. DD gave up no runs, the other team's ace gave up 2. All other pitchers gave up 5 runs per inning.
Final score won 17-15, tied for first place. Made the post game end of season pizza party really sweet.

 

[softballphreak]

The Winning thread got me thinking. This is something I have stressed to my team for many years. Would you rather win a game 21-20 or lose a game 2-1? I'll reserve my comments until later.

Playing the same team I would much rather win 21-20.

 

[nicelag]

As a coach, a 2-1 game means there was great pitching and defense, and the teams had to work hard to manufacture runs. Give me a well-played, tightly contested game any day, win or lose.

2-1 loss can mean a pitchers duel, but not necessarily good defense. DD pitched a no hitter and had to win a championship game 3-2 in ITB. Make the plays we are suppose to make and i'm good either way.