My daughter is in her sixth season of travel ball, and after five seasons of playing for .500 teams, she now plays for a team that has been very dominant. They've won 7 of their last 8 tournaments. Some would say (myself included, to some extent) that they need to find tougher tournaments, but they do play up in age division about half the time, and it is what it is.
But in any event, they are certainly a good team within the context of the level they are choosing to play.
So my question is this - What makes good teams good?
Is it pitching? Hitting? Does it change w/ age level? My memory of 10U was that it's usually the team with the best pitcher because there aren't many 10U lineups can handle a fast, accurate pitcher throwing an 11-inch ball at 35 feet.
Had a coach once tell me that when they get to 14U and above that it's about hitting up and down the lineup because there aren't that many truly dominant pitchers, and everybody can catch the ball, so it comes down to having 9 good hitters. I've found that to have a certain ring of truth to it now that I'm here in 14U.
For my daughter's current team, which is 14U, the key seems to be the lack of weaknesses. The best 3-4 players are very good obviously, but they're not superstars. It's 5-10 where the team separates itself. There are no easy outs in the batting order. Several can bunt. The fielders don't often make plays that makes you go WOW! In fact, the shortstop has limited range and would play 3B for many teams. But she and the team as a whole just don't make many errors. Almost never make a throwing error to 1B. Balls that should be caught in the OF are caught. Our pitchers are hit-able, but they don't beat themselves. It's just an air-tight team. It seems like every team we play has a handful of girls who could make our team, but they don't have 9 of them.
Is that the blueprint for winning? Or does it usually come down to the best pitcher?
Or is it like Yogi said - The game is 75 percent pitching and the other half is mental.
But in any event, they are certainly a good team within the context of the level they are choosing to play.
So my question is this - What makes good teams good?
Is it pitching? Hitting? Does it change w/ age level? My memory of 10U was that it's usually the team with the best pitcher because there aren't many 10U lineups can handle a fast, accurate pitcher throwing an 11-inch ball at 35 feet.
Had a coach once tell me that when they get to 14U and above that it's about hitting up and down the lineup because there aren't that many truly dominant pitchers, and everybody can catch the ball, so it comes down to having 9 good hitters. I've found that to have a certain ring of truth to it now that I'm here in 14U.
For my daughter's current team, which is 14U, the key seems to be the lack of weaknesses. The best 3-4 players are very good obviously, but they're not superstars. It's 5-10 where the team separates itself. There are no easy outs in the batting order. Several can bunt. The fielders don't often make plays that makes you go WOW! In fact, the shortstop has limited range and would play 3B for many teams. But she and the team as a whole just don't make many errors. Almost never make a throwing error to 1B. Balls that should be caught in the OF are caught. Our pitchers are hit-able, but they don't beat themselves. It's just an air-tight team. It seems like every team we play has a handful of girls who could make our team, but they don't have 9 of them.
Is that the blueprint for winning? Or does it usually come down to the best pitcher?
Or is it like Yogi said - The game is 75 percent pitching and the other half is mental.
