I have been a parent in two teams now (I’ve volunteered to assist with this second team) where I have had the coaches and a couple of parents that swear by the idea of changing pitchers just to “mess up” the other batters. I don’t get it. Unless you’re changing mid-at bat, it can’t seem to matter much from trip through the lineup 1 with pitcher A and trip through the lineup 2 with pitcher B or am I completely missing something here? I have seen coaches pull pitchers, that are killing it, solely based on this idea. For reference I’m talking about 12U B level ball. My question is, am I missing something or are the coaches that believe in this wrong/overestimating what this does to batters?
Switching pitchers to mess up the other team
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- Jun 18, 2023
- 543
- 63
is pitcher B somehow significantly different? Like, if she through significant breaking stuff, I would get it. And seeing a pitcher a second, third, fourth time in a game does generally give an advantage, but at 12u? maybe not.
More likely is this is just a tactic to get both pitchers plenty of IP and this is just the way they've chosen to do it, whether or not they believe it's really adding much value in-game. And fwiw, there's no predictive value to a pitcher "killing it" one inning and being good the next.
More likely is this is just a tactic to get both pitchers plenty of IP and this is just the way they've chosen to do it, whether or not they believe it's really adding much value in-game. And fwiw, there's no predictive value to a pitcher "killing it" one inning and being good the next.
Good Topic Parent83
Being that pitchers have different beginnings/wind-ups/styles...
A New pitcher can
Create a new visual adjustment for the batter. That can also come with a timing adjustment.
Particularly at the beginning of the game, batters are getting a look at the pitcher. First batters may even strategize to see more pitches.
This can also be assessment of umpires strike zone.
When a new pitcher comes in that cycle has to start again!
*Plus a new pitcher can actually be replaced to better suit the Umpire strike zone.
__________________
Changing the pitcher can also change the pace of the game. Creates a break in action to try and defuse the other team's momentum. And Or regain composure.
Changing the pitcher can also be a way of controlling the game clock. Time tic's....
Here are some reasonings~
Being that pitchers have different beginnings/wind-ups/styles...
A New pitcher can
Create a new visual adjustment for the batter. That can also come with a timing adjustment.
Particularly at the beginning of the game, batters are getting a look at the pitcher. First batters may even strategize to see more pitches.
This can also be assessment of umpires strike zone.
When a new pitcher comes in that cycle has to start again!
*Plus a new pitcher can actually be replaced to better suit the Umpire strike zone.
__________________
Changing the pitcher can also change the pace of the game. Creates a break in action to try and defuse the other team's momentum. And Or regain composure.
Changing the pitcher can also be a way of controlling the game clock. Time tic's....
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- Jun 20, 2015
- 886
- 93
do it all the time and it definitively works. Assuming you know your pitchers, differences, pitcher strengths, etc.
Interesting. Care to share what team did that?
It was a Aces National team.
Did it work for offense or?
They beat a really good Top Gun team 4-3. I had just never seen it happen. Almost every other batter the first basemen and the pitcher switched. I don't if know if they always do this or not.
- May 17, 2012
- 2,846
- 113
The coaches aren't very bright; they have very little impact on the game itself. Coaches that think they are puppet masters playing chess and that if they make the right moves at the right time they can influence the outcome are delusional.
If you simply let the players make the batting lineup and substitutions there would be little difference in the outcome.
Now if you said that you wanted your starting pitcher to only pitch two times through the lineup and you were going to put a different pitcher in that can be a sound strategy. Either your pitcher is effective in that game or she isn't.
