Playing pick up players while team players sit

[Dirtybird]

For the last three tournaments our team has brought in a couple of pick up players when we've had players missing due to illness or injured. These players are put into positions to play and our normal team players are the ones sitting on the bench.

What are thoughts on this practice? The team players are as good if not better than the girls that are picked up.

 

[Alsmygal]

My daughter tried out for a team that had it in their written policy that if they ever had to use guest players, the guest players would get to play no matter what. Their reasoning was that if it weren't for the guest players being there, the team would more than likely not be playing that weekend.

 

[David Carter]

It is a double edged sword you MUST play your regulars after all they put in the blood, sweat, tears and (parents) money.

On the other hand, you MUST play the pick up players if they sit the bench after being asked specially to come "help you out" they won't be back and in about two weeks (after the grapevine gets working) you won't be able to call anyone because they will all know that you won't give them playing time.

So the answer has to be a somewhere in the middle, obvious exception is pitcher if you needed a pitcher and they came as a pick up they should get probably half the mound time or you should at least tell them up front you should what your pitching rotation plan is, maybe split the pool games and hot hand get bracket or whatever.

As a normal pick up player I would expect to be in the game at a minimum half the time or more. If you are a regular player I would expect to play over a pick up player, unless there is an obvious talent gap or maybe if coming to the end of the tournament its obvious I was slumping and the pick up player was hot.

I think the solution is probably rotate a couple regulars out and let the pick ups play but spread the wealth so no one player take the brunt of the sitting also if it is a 4 game guarantee don't be afraid to sit your pick up player for a couple innings of a couple games.

I am sure others might have a different philosophy but that my two cents........as an aside how many players show up? if you have 10 regulars are you still looking for pick up players and how many?

 

[CoogansBluff]

How pickup players are used is not the real issue, IMO. What is important is that there are no uncomfortable surprises at the tournament. The parents and players of the team should have an expectation about how the pickup will be used, and the pickup player should have an expectation of how she will be used. It is the responsibility of the head coach to communicate those expectations and stick to the plan.

In your case, has pickup player usage been a surprise? If so, the head coach is to blame. There is no right or wrong way to use a pickup player as long as everyone knows and agrees to what they were getting into.

 

[InsidePitch]

I was speaking to one perspective 18U coach and asked him if they picked up players when in CA and did he play them over the regular kids who had paid dollars and effort to be there. He did not hesitate. YES. We are about winning when we go to CA. That is how we recruit after the season and how we stay on the best fields to get our kids recruited. I guess you can't always be assured you are bringing a number one team to the tourney but an org that has been around a long time needs to sustain itself so I guess I agree with the practice in theory.

 

[sluggers]

It is a double edged sword you MUST play your regulars after all they put in the blood, sweat, tears and (parents) money.

On the other hand, you MUST play the pick up players if they sit the bench after being asked specially to come "help you out" they won't be back and in about two weeks (after the grapevine gets working) you won't be able to call anyone because they will all know that you won't give them playing time.

Exactly. The coach has to clearly communicate to the regulars as well as the pickup players.

 

[David Carter]

My bigger question I guess is why are you calling up pick up players if you have 11 or 12 and they all show up all the time you should not be calling a pick up player. If you only have 9 or 10 all the time hold tryouts for one or two more girls or only call pick up players that are looking for a team.

If some players have other commitments and they know months in advance why are you scheduling that tournament, unless it's a qualifier of some kind (but then you need to be careful and info pick up players they might lose eligibility).

If you are missing a few and only have 9 and don't want the whole team to forfeit after someone gets hurt in the first inning of game one bring on a pick up or two but I would not take more than 11 and come up with a rotation plan that is communicated to everyone.