When to remove an ineffective pitcher

[schwabach]

It may be the same difference but the one that throws 65mph will be more effective. The batter has less time to make up their mind and commit to the swing. They are less likely to recognize a change up with the faster pitcher.

When all other things are equal the one with the better speed has the advantage. I think the easiest way to figure out what matters the most is to consider what you would select if you had a real option. I would pick elite speed every time and I would work on the other areas. Speed can cover up for a lot of deficiencies in other areas because of the pressure it puts on batters.


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I rarely pulled kids for getting hit. I had a strict "2 walk rule" I used for everyone, including my DDs.

Once the kids realized that "no walks" was the key to staying in the game, they stopped walking batters.

Two walks total or in an inning. My daughter was variable when she pitched - sometimes no walks, usually 2-3. Once or twice walked the bases full and got out of her mess.

 

[sluggers]

Two walks total or in an inning. My daughter was variable when she pitched - sometimes no walks, usually 2-3. Once or twice walked the bases full and got out of her mess.

Two in a game...maybe three if it was the 5th.

The only thing that matters to a "good" pitcher is pitching. They respond to one thing and one thing only: Losing pitching time.

You start taking them out of the game for walks, and they'll have fewer walks.

 

[schwabach]

Two in a game...maybe three if it was the 5th.

The only thing that matters to a "good" pitcher is pitching. They respond to one thing and one thing only: Losing pitching time.

You start taking them out of the game for walks, and they'll have fewer walks.

You must have had a pretty good roster of pitchers.

And then there are pitchers like Alexis Osorio who, in one game I watched, came close to setting records for both walks and strike outs in one game.

 

[_MIA_]

And then there are pitchers like Alexis Osorio who, in one game I watched, came close to setting records for both walks and strike outs in one game.

She obviously never had @sluggers as a coach..

 

[El Oso]

And then there are pitchers like Alexis Osorio who, in one game I watched, came close to setting records for both walks and strike outs in one game.

There's definitely a fine line you have to walk because if you put too much emphasis on "NO WALKS" you get pitchers that aren't going to work the corners and they are going to get smashed because they are hitting too much plate and also not willing to throw chase pitches to get K's. I personally wouldn't put a hard and fast rule about walks on my pitchers because there is too much nuance involved. What if you have an ump that has a super tight zone that the pitcher has to adjust to? What if the landing area is like the surface of the moon? What if it's raining lightly and the ball stays slick?

 

[NJZoo]

In the given situation in extra innings, I would think that you wouldn't let your pitcher give up more than 2-3 runs before pulling them so you still have a chance to win the game. Although, whenever there are pitching questions I always take it with a "you have to be there" mindset. Is the pitcher getting squeezed, are they hard hit balls, is it errors, wild pitch or passed balls? On the surface, the stat line you mentioned is terrible. But numbers alone rarely tell the complete story in a sample size of 1 game (or inning).

 

[Folder18]

I also have 12u view of this, but with a team new to travel this season. Only have 2 starting pitchers with a 3rd who can do spot innings here and there. When you get those situations like OP described - where both the pitching is faltering and the defense is also letting you down - it's really a tough spot for us. In pool play we've both let the girls work their way out of it (pitcher mad, just getting hit and team making errors), and we've made changes (when pitcher is on verge of tears, affecting mechanics). The few times we've faced this and changed, it's usually around the 7-8 hitter mark (we lean toward 'let them learn' in pool play) and usually the simple change of pitcher ends the inning quickly, like a reset button. Haven't run into this in bracket play yet.

Now, with 6 capable pitchers at your disposal in an extra innings bracket game, I would have had a much shorter leash, personally. But I would take into account the pitch sequence and how runners are getting on. If the pitcher looks slower and is throwing meatballs that the first 3-4 hitters easily smashed for hits, or they generally have her timing down and swinging freely, I would have swapped. If the team was immediately breaking down behind the pitcher, and the pitcher is double frustrated both at herself and the whole situation, it would be a quick talking to the team but a fast pull if pitcher doesn't respond (1-2 batters later, maybe coupled with a defense modification too). If she gives up back-to-back walks where 8 of 8 or 9 pitches are clearly balls nowhere near the zone, I would have swapped.