Would you take this girl?

[sluggers]

I would definitely take her for a 12UB team, ifshe is willing to work. 12U is for developing players...and she can certainly develop into a very good player.

a) Hitting...she almost certainly has a mechanical problem. If she is willing to work, the problem can be eliminated.
b) Pitching...the other 12U pitchers do *NOT* have several other pitches. (Somewhere out there, there may be some 12U kid that can throw four different pitches, but in my 40 years of being around this game, I just haven't seen her yet.)
c) Base running...She has to get her head screwed on right about base running. Don't think about speed...your DD isn't going to grow wings. She should think about perfect form in running the bases.

Several coaches on this board could make her a very good player.

 

[mogsoftball]

If she is a good pitcher she will get a spot and only play when she is pitching. When she hits and gets on base the coach will bring in a courtesy runner. I have seen in a bunch of times.

 

[BobInMadison]

The big questions are:
How many open spots are there, and who else tried out.

I've known of B teams in the same organization where one of the teams might have trouble finding a spot for that girl, and the other team would be weak enough that girl might not want to play for the team.

 

[CoogansBluff]

If she is a good pitcher she will get a spot and only play when she is pitching. When she hits and gets on base the coach will bring in a courtesy runner. I have seen in a bunch of times.

That's often the case, and that's certainly the future for her if the hitting doesn't pick up, but at 12U-B, it depends on the coaching philosophy.

When I had a first-year 12U team, I had a pitcher who fit this description. She had no more than 5 hits all season, and was the slowest player on the team. But, she and another girl were equally effective as my #1 and #2 pitchers. So, she was very valuable, and I felt she had potential as a hitter and kept giving her opportunities (development was the priority), but for some reason, she never got the hang of the hitting part. But I don't regret taking her on the team.

 

[JAD]

In our area there are different levels of TB and the local message boards are filled with teams looking for pitching, so I am sure someone will want her. "Pitch-n-sit" is also very common at the older age groups.

 

[chinamigarden]

I have to admit I probably spend more time thinking about if my daughter will get picked up for the (B) travel team this summer than she does. She does love playing but i think I love watching her play even more.

So while we wait and see if she'll make it I'd like to get some opinions about about speed and overall athletic ability versus pitching and power.

My daughter is not very athletic. She's the slowest runner on the team and the only sport she's any good at is softball. She won't slide and I'm actually OK with that because I'm afraid she would hurt herself. She's an average to maybe below average fielder. Her hitting for average is about middle of the pack. However the two things she has going for her are her hitting for power. She hit's harder than anyone else on the team when she does hit it. If she could just decrease her strike out rate by a little she would be a tremendous hitter because she hits so hard when she does hit. She's also arguably the best pitcher trying out. Some may argue that she only has two pitches (drop and off speed drop) while others have more pitches but I know that's not that important. Her stats this year shows shes the most effective pitcher and she's the fastest in the league with a cruising speed of about 48 MPH.

Supposing my analysis of her is correct would you pick up a girl like that? Would you choose another pitcher maybe not quite as effective but who is also fast and is a better defender?

**Edit
This is for a 12UB team.

At the risk of sounding like a jerk. Probably not.

unless I have more spots open then players trying out.

Rather then pile on I will leave it with the fact that at the 12u level everyone needs to know how to slide.

Someone else probably would take her strictly for pitching and would have someone else bat for her. To me at that age, thats not fun for the player. I always wanted pitchers who could play other positions as it makes the team deeper and helps the pitcher learn the game better.

Work on that sliding thing, and keep your fear of her getting hurt to yourself, that might be causing her reluctance.

 

[dgh31]

At the risk of sounding like a jerk. Probably not.

unless I have more spots open then players trying out.

Rather then pile on I will leave it with the fact that at the 12u level everyone needs to know how to slide.

Someone else probably would take her strictly for pitching and would have someone else bat for her. To me at that age, thats not fun for the player. I always wanted pitchers who could play other positions as it makes the team deeper and helps the pitcher learn the game better.

Work on that sliding thing, and keep your fear of her getting hurt to yourself, that might be causing her reluctance.

I figured there were going to be those that would take her and those that wouldn't. That's why I posted. Wanted to hear people's honest opinions. Was also curious what percentage would and wouldn't. I realize that each coach has their own outlook on the game and what they want out of each player. Thanks.

 

[Eric F]

c) Base running...She has to get her head screwed on right about base running. Don't think about speed...your DD isn't going to grow wings. She should think about perfect form in running the bases.

This ^^^ is a very good point. Also, significant speed increases take a LOT of work, and if she's trying to get good at playing softball, she's not going to have the time to get good at running. Refining running fundamentals, however, is the most immediate thing she can do to make an improvement.

My DD has not been blessed with running speed, however, she has proven herself as an effective base-runner (once she gets to 1B) because she has good timing, quick reactions, makes good decisions, and is a savvy slider. In contrast, I see fast girls who don't use their brain, or are late leaving the base, and get out more often than one would generally expect.

 

[marriard]

It would help if you owned a pole barn.... Sorry... someone had to say it...
(dgh - sorry long time online softball joke here from a less.. ah.. friendly softball forum... learn more here: HeyBucket.com • DD Being Forced to Change her Number, The Pole Barn Thread)

Seriously, if she can pitch strikes in 12U consistently there is going to be a place for her, and if she is willing to work on the hitting and the sliding (and the running) there will be a place in the batting line up for her as well.

If I was coaching a 12UB travel team, she would absolutely be seriously considered. Pitchers are in huge demand

 

[YOCOACH]

At 12U I would need to see her attitude in a practice setting where she doesn't know she's being observed. If I saw a girl giving 110% every play, every pitch, every at bat and showed me she had the "heart" and attitude to work at getting better, I'd have no problem taking her. I can teach her how to hit, slide, run bases, whatever but I can't teach "Heart."