Unraveling Pitching Frustrations

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Dec 15, 2018
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We have strayed from the pitching convo, but I think it means that diving for a sinking line drive with runners on, or barehanding the slow roller, or throwing home on a rope from deep right after the runner has made her turn around third or 2b diving for the foul ball near the fence 100 feet up the line, not only takes tremendous skill, but a certain level of badassery/cockiness that you could even attempt those plays. Players who hesitate on that ball in no-man's land, or with where to throw, or who you've never seen go all out or dive for a ball...that's hard to coach into them after a certain point.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
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If by that, you mean the confidence to go stand in the circle for all to see you succeed for fail, I would agree. But I see a huge difference between a player that just goes out and does a great job without drama and, say, football players who do a pole dance in the end zone after scoring.

I am talking about Larry Bird telling his team give me the ball and get the hell out of the way, I am winning this game. Not sure how you got drama/celebrating excessively out of what I wrote other than you have an axe to grind and somehow wanted to grind it with my post... ;) There are a lot of players who celebrate in the first quarter who are no where to be found in the fourth quarter..
Just sayin'
Larry Bird doing a pole dance
.
.
.
weird image lol
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Conversation lead to accountability!

Which imo can be handled by the coaches communication about what ACTUALLY happens in games.
Addressing team/individual development.
*With positive support!

How that communication is delivered can be a Good helpful message or bad.

Additionally parents conversations, often on the drive home, after games.
Good or bad.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
We have strayed from the pitching convo, but I think it means that diving for a sinking line drive with runners on, or barehanding the slow roller, or throwing home on a rope from deep right after the runner has made her turn around third or 2b diving for the foul ball near the fence 100 feet up the line, not only takes tremendous skill, but a certain level of badassery/cockiness that you could even attempt those plays. Players who hesitate on that ball in no-man's land, or with where to throw, or who you've never seen go all out or dive for a ball...that's hard to coach into them after a certain point.
Yes..that was my point.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Thats why footnotes are necessary.
Or using a red pen ;)
on certain plays/hits.

Because some people only look at game changer :)
Yeah well, it is easy enough to see if you pay attention. That said, again, sometimes it is hard to coach what goes on upstairs. As an example. I work all the time with my kid on recognizing who is up and how that determines how you go about making a play. When I am hitting her grounders I even say slapper up or bruiser up, etc. Last game a slapper is up and a medium hard ball is hit to her right at SS. Only chance she has is to charge hard and throw on the run, a play she can make physically. Instead she squares it up and the runner is safe by 2 steps... 🤷‍♂️

I have plenty of other examples of where a more aggressive mentality would have served her better (and she is not the only one obviously..but she is the one I pay the most attention to :LOL: ) Now granted, she is 11, so hopefully the aggressiveness/decision-making improves as she gets older but there is no guarantee (at least in my mind..)
 
Last edited:

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Yeah well, it is easy enough to see if you pay attention. That said, again, sometimes it is hard to coach what goes on upstairs. As an example. I work all the time with my kid on recognizing who is up and how that determines how you go about making a play. When I am hitting her grounders I even say slapper up or bruiser up, etc. Last game a slapper is up and a medium hard ball is hit to her right at SS. Only chance she has is to charge hard and throw on the run, a play she can make physically. Instead she squares it up and the runner is safe by 2 steps... 🤷‍♂️

I have plenty of other examples of where a more aggressive mentality would have served her better (and she is not the only one obviously..but she is the one I pay the most attention to :LOL: ) Now granted, she is 11, so hopefully the aggressiveness/decision-making improves as she gets older but there is no guarantee (at least in my mind..)
*11.
On the opposite,
Have encountered players where i say
'have to learn how to control your super powers'
*overly assertive players

One in particular
Knicknamed
The Bionic Woman
would say to her things like,
'During this drill, turn down your bionics and get consistant.'

Everyone has something to work on and can Develop!
How that happens is a mixture.
Might be the hardest part for a coach is to recognize not all players/people respond the same. As you said
What goes on upstairs.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Yeah I know, I expect too much but physically she is capable of things which she doesn't display in games..perhaps she needs to realize this too..Her coach and I have had this discussion numerous times this year.

On the opposite,
Have encountered players where i say
'have to learn how to control your super powers'
*overly assertive players


Easier to turn it down then to turn it up imo
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Yeah I know, I expect too much but physically she is capable of things which she doesn't display in games..perhaps she needs to realize this too..Her coach and I have had this discussion numerous times this year.




Easier to turn it down then to turn it up imo
? Is that comming from a person who learned to turn it down?

11.
General feedback.
At this age while physically being able to do something...
It is the growth of the executive thinking brain that will develop making the connections of responding to situations/plays better.

Some people call this
Maturing.
Not certain thats actually what it is. ...lol
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
? Is that comming from a person who learned to turn it down?
My emotions? No. I thought we were talking about being aggressive on the field physically. To answer your question, yes I did have to do that in college. I played SS my whole career and basically was the type of player who charged a lot of balls (think Tony Fernandez for the Blue Jays back in the day...). I got moved to 2B and the first thing my coach told me was that I didn't need to do that as often playing 2B, so yes, I did learn that physically...
 

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