tough coaching decision - time limit game

[riseball]

...The goal is to be in the lead from inning 1 and beyond so having a clock doesn't change that...

And all this time I thought the goal was just to have more runs at the end of the game than the other team. Did not know it mattered when you took the lead. Maybe games should only be 1 inning or sudden death so no clock would be required.

 

[Slappers]

That is the goal but to have the most at the end you have to score more than them cumulatively, so why not start in the 1st?

 

[canyonjoe]

I'm not a fan of stalling using tactics like changing a pitcher you wouldn't have, or changing a catcher with 2 minutes left or having wasteful pitching conferences,etc. I'm more Ok with in game strategies such as taking a couple of pitches or even stepping off to get another inning. We had a kids against us with 2 outs last year foul off 12 pitches before singling to use up a couple of minutes. She never wasted time, we just couldn't get her out.

Whenever we lose one of these type of games, I always have the philosophy that we both had the same number of chances and they were ahead so while it would have been nice to get another shot, we had our chances earlier in the game and didn't win. I had a local team last week just talking for 30 minutes after they lost 3-1 that they were robbed on the time. I asked one of the more logical parents what made him think that since they scored 1 run in 5 innings that they would have definitely scored 2 in the 6th had they gotten up.

I understand the need for time limits so we have to live with them. Try to get up early and keep building.

 

[riseball]

Granted the game was intended to be played without a clock. But the reality is the vast majority of softball games are played under an arbitrary, self imposed time limit. Like it or not timed games are the norm, not some type of recent aberration of tradition. If we are going to get hung up on nostalgia do we go back to wooden bats, grey hand made balls, goofy uniforms, and only allow men to play the game?

 

[Slappers]

I don't think anyone is saying they aren't the norm, we just all have varying opinions on dealing with it. The game is played the same way if it was 1, 3 or 10 innings or 30 minutes to 10 hours.

Nostalgia really has nothing to do with.

 

[Slappers]

You are having an off day my friend. Typically you shut me up with one post!!

 

[riseball]

Timed or not, 1:40, 1:15, :55, rain, cold, heat, no fences, temporary fences are all just playing conditions and require an adjustment in coaching strategy to be competitive. Under any of those conditions how you coach can be done with or without class and respect for the game. I just won't buy into the dogma that you blindly coach the same regardless of conditions.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Thank you 29dad and CoogansBluff for clarifying the difference between stalling and taking an out to extend the game.

Canyonjoe also made an excellent point about time being wasted throughout games. Coaches should be mindful of the time limit for the entire game, not just at the end of it.

Without a time limit, softball teams would routinely stretch 7-inning games into 2+ hour affairs. IME, teams should be able to comfortably finish 7 innings in 1:40 no new without being rushed. The higher level events have reasonable time limits so the better team usually wins.

 

[BrianMonk]

I don't think anyone is saying they aren't the norm, we just all have varying opinions on dealing with it. The game is played the same way if it was 1, 3 or 10 innings or 30 minutes to 10 hours.

Nostalgia really has nothing to do with.

The sport, fastpitch, may not have a time limit, but you're playing a modified game of that sport when you agree to enter these tournaments. The clock matters.

People can whine, cry, complain, moan, groan, dislike, show disgust, call it unfair, a travesty, never agree with, rant and rave to the TD and/or umpires and/or opposing coaches, what have you, but it's not going to change. It's a modified game from what you think it should be.

Perhaps some here should host no-time limit tournaments? Maybe teams will come from far and wide to enter?

 

[Slappers]

People can whine, cry, complain, moan, groan, dislike, show disgust, call it unfair, a travesty, never agree with, rant and rave to the TD and/or umpires and/or opposing coaches, what have you, but it's not going to change. It's a modified game from what you think it should be.

No one has posted saying they would do that? I'm simply saying I handle it differently than you in that I don't let the clock dictate what I do. What's the big deal?