Have to choose a team...again.

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Aug 12, 2018
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Like the perspective you shared in these comments.

How often this happens with pitchers that are tasked to do too much.
Compared with the benefit of having a true pitching roster to rely on together.

It does happen some pitchers compete on their own teams to be the starting pitcher or the pitcher for the big game. But the reality is too much pitching will wear out just about any pitcher.
Highly difficult to find a pitcher that can throw every game in a weekend tournament and still be as good at the end of the tournament as when they started.
Team sport! Takes a team!
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this as well UNC. While I can't speak to how frequently it happens, I do know that it has happened to us three times now...where there's more dependence on DD than would be optimal in our opinion. I mean I get the "a true pitcher want's the ball" argument, but there are shades of grey here to consider IMO. For instance, is the pitcher being challenged for innings or is she needing to pitch out of necessity? Is the athlete being developed as an overall athlete or is the rest of the team hopping on the pitchers coat tail? I don't mean to imply her old team wasn't doing its part, they were. I'm just trying to point out the balance of things are something to be considered .
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this as well UNC. While I can't speak to how frequently it happens, I do know that it has happened to us three times now...where there's more dependence on DD than would be optimal in our opinion. I mean I get the "a true pitcher want's the ball" argument, but there are shades of grey here to consider IMO. For instance, is the pitcher being challenged for innings or is she needing to pitch out of necessity? Is the athlete being developed as an overall athlete or is the rest of the team hopping on the pitchers coat tail? I don't mean to imply her old team wasn't doing its part, they were. I'm just trying to point out the balance of things are something to be considered .
' balance of things are something to be considered'


Pitchers being given the opportunity to work on their defensive skills helps balance out their role on the field so they are not just a limited pitcher only.
* very nice to have a defensive pitcher.
However unfortunately sometimes they get left out of that defensive Loop and even after one Years season 6 to 10 months can fall behind and if it continues it gets worse out of balance.
Losing balance of defensive ability in the circle compared to another pitcher that may be equally the same pitching level but is a better defensive player
Could be a reason people don't understand why another pitcher gets the pitching spot over the other.
Because many times people look at pitchers and evaluate their pitching not their overall game playing ability.

Could even throw in being a good hitter to that discussion.
Well-rounded player =more opportunity.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Tell you what, she's very happy with her decision, though a bit sad about the position it places her old team: 1 pitcher. She has no friends on her new team. There's one or two she's bumped into competitively in the past but no friends so to speak - a whole new horizon for her with this team.

I expect and hope she has a bunch of new friends in a few short months.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this as well UNC. While I can't speak to how frequently it happens, I do know that it has happened to us three times now...where there's more dependence on DD than would be optimal in our opinion. I mean I get the "a true pitcher want's the ball" argument, but there are shades of grey here to consider IMO. For instance, is the pitcher being challenged for innings or is she needing to pitch out of necessity? Is the athlete being developed as an overall athlete or is the rest of the team hopping on the pitchers coat tail? I don't mean to imply her old team wasn't doing its part, they were. I'm just trying to point out the balance of things are something to be considered .

Yeah, my DD would be sore (not hurt, sore) after weekend tournaments. It was troubling to us both. We expect to be tired, perhaps even banged up. But a sore arm is really a huge red flag for us. The #2 on our team would get roughed up a bit and then claim an injury and my DD would be put into a game that we hoped she would have off. It just happened too often and we needed to change.

Also, the coaches just left her in way, way, way too long. Against some better teams, in the last game of the weekend, my DD would be gassed and get hit pretty hard. We'd be down 0-6 or something in the third and she'd be at 200 pitches or something. Twice I had to walk to the dugout and ask them to take her out. They didn't care or bother with pitch counts.

Sadly, most everyone has learned that it's up to DD and Parents to protect her health. And to make a change when it's time to make a change. Sounds like y'all are on a path much like ours. And honestly, ours has been pretty awesome and gets better every year.

She fields her positions well, plays a lot of 1B when not pitching. We're on a team where it's a pretty fair and understood "best nine that day/week hit in bracket games". That does leave two girls on the bench, but they do get worked into the defense, they do hit in pool games, and they do hit in bracket games if/when the outcome is fairly safe. My DD and I both dread the idea of Pitcher Only (PO), but on our current team it's pretty clear that if you can be one of the top 9 batters, you'll bat all weekend long.
 

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