grumbling, rant, or how do we approach the coach

[radness]

I guess just frustrated because of the rigidity. even in games he knows they are going to cruise, nothing changes. if you really believe in all 12, then shake it up a little now and then, just to see what happens. this also to me would make it easier to make changes if you think they need to be made later on as well, without causing all sorts of issues.

How long on this team same coach now?

 

[uncdrew]

and I have always said big offensive innings start in bottom of order.

Statistically they can start anywhere, but more likely at the top of the order.

 

[uncdrew]

Our current school team has the third highest BA hitting 9th. That is because our #9 has good power and is a doubles machine. If #9 gets on, #1 that follows her will gap you to death. If not, literally anything could happen. Giving your leadoff RBI capability can easily get you an extra run or more a game. Its a slick setup and works very well for us.

That's really not a good system at all. If you had that #9 hitter where she got more at bats each game, run production would be higher. Too many coaches try to get cute with it.

Why do MLB teams have the worst hitters at the end of the lineup? Because that's the right way to play the odds.

 

[uncdrew]

Your position in the batting lineup affects 2 things. Pride and # of AB's. Both of which are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. How many more AB's would she have if she were batting 5th in 25 games? Not enough to go to the coach about when you look at the big picture I can assure you. An extra 20 AB's will not be the difference in her lettering or not nor will it be the difference in her playing P5 softball versus D3.

Just sit back and enjoy the ride. It's over too fast to be worried about a few extra AB's.

If it's batting 7th vs. batting 5th, yeah it's not many. And with a smaller highschool schedule, it's not as magnified. I agree to just enjoy the ride on high school ball, as there's so much whackyness with politics and who you know, and coaches not knowing the game as well, etc.


But from #9 to #1 it's a ton. On our travel teams the #1 batter has 96 Plate Appearances and the #9 batter has 68. Who do you want getting 30 more at bats, almost 50% more? The better hitter, that's who. <-- assuming you want to win games.

 

[badmonkey]

Statistically they can start anywhere, but more likely at the top of the order.

I fully believe most "big innings" are because of the bottom part of the order. It's when those "easy outs" get on and set the table for the good hitters that big crooked numbers go on the board. At best you get a few if the lineup performs to the expectations of a traditional lineup.

 

[black17]

That's really not a good system at all. If you had that #9 hitter where she got more at bats each game, run production would be higher. Too many coaches try to get cute with it.

Why do MLB teams have the worst hitters at the end of the lineup? Because that's the right way to play the odds.

From anyone that doesn't know the dynamic of the team at all, I can certainly understand how you can come to that conclusion. However, we are ranked #1 in the state at the moment and our coach is already in the state sports HoF despite still actively coaching, so I'd say he gets the benefit of the doubt. I can also confirm, it works well for this team.

 

[uncdrew]

I fully believe most "big innings" are because of the bottom part of the order. It's when those "easy outs" get on and set the table for the good hitters that big crooked numbers go on the board. At best you get a few if the lineup performs to the expectations of a traditional lineup.

We all believe lots of things.

We see what we want to see. Big innings start anywhere in the order, but quite often with the best hitters leading off the inning. And the best hitters are often at the top of the order.

I'm sure we've all had a game we're losing and it's late in the game and we look at who is coming up and it's hitters 8 through 10. And usually that doesn't give us as much confidence as when it's the heart of the order or top of the order.

 

[uncdrew]

From anyone that doesn't know the dynamic of the team at all, I can certainly understand how you can come to that conclusion. However, we are ranked #1 in the state at the moment and our coach is already in the state sports HoF despite still actively coaching, so I'd say he gets the benefit of the doubt. I can also confirm, it works well for this team.

When girls are comfortable in their roles and comfortable in their spot in the order, good things happen.

And I'm guessing your #8, 9 and 10 batters are better than most. The average travel team has a ton of disparity between the best 4 batters and the worst 4 batters. And guess what, on those teams the best four batters are not batting in the bottom of the order.

 

[EdLovrich]

the #1 batter has 96 Plate Appearances and the #9 batter has 68.

I bet they have played 30 games or so.

The difference in these 2 numbers cannot be more than the number of games played, barring players being substituted for. Statistically, over a large number of seasons and a large number of teams (say ALL #1s and ALL #9s in the country at all levels) the number of PAs for the #9s should be (Number of PAs of #1s) - (the number of games played x .888)

EDIT: (assuming you are hitting straight 9, the number are slightly different with DP/Flex and would be comparing #1 and #10, but you get the idea)

 

[John 800]

This has changed tone from the original question a bit. Started with asking for advice on weather to ask the coach for a different role, evolved into people on the the internet discussing how girls they have never met should be coached.
let the coach coach and if she wants a different role in the lineup or the team talk to the coach, he will say yes no or maybe.