What would you do?

Go see if there are any hotdogs left in the concession stand... the game may go extra innings!

Ya'll need to get your priorities right!

 

lol Guru.. you mean all these things dont go through your mind in the dug out?

 

Thanks everyone. I understand it is not black and white and there are a lot of factors involved in making the decision as bsd pointed out.

I personally agree with cheeze. Would have put her on to set up a force at any bag and busted the #5 hitter inside. This #4 is a well known (at least around here) hitter with a lot of power so regardless of how she had been doing up to that point, I don't think I would take the chance pitching to her with a base open.

 

people are prolly gonna rip me for this one

How was the #4 hitting?

Personally, Id rather throw to a 4 hitter than a 3 hitter any day and normally your #5 hitter is known as the 2nd leadoff. Dont get me wrong I wouldnt go at her with a strike out in mind but make her prove herself. I doubt up till then most other people have just put her on and Ill bet you that she is stepping in the box thinking that you arent gonna throw to her. Most of the cleanups I know are big time head cases and inconsistent but can hit the long ball....IF THEY WERENT THEN THEY WOULD BE IN THE #3 SPOT, wouldnt they? And this game is all about momentum if you intentionally walk her you may rial up the other team and thus shift the momentum in their favor.

I think its funny when coaches change pitchers in this situation. Unless you have a Cat on your bench.... it never seems to work out in the favor of the defense. Pitchers seem to have to get into a groove and I dont think bottom of the 7th with 2 outs is the time for Stella to find her groove.

 

What age group are we talking about here? And at what level?

12U (14U Rec) and lower, throw at the batter like any other batter. Older than that - I would NOT pull the pitcher, she needs to learn how to deal with this type of situation/game stress. If you walk the batter, I wouldn't do it intentionally (or at least don't make it LOOK intentional).

 

oh but I forgot to say

As a coach I would call a time out to slow things down cause hits are contagious and a time out will give the other team time to shut their mouths. It would also allow you as a coach to get in the next kids head cause now they are thinking 'what are they talking about?' 'are they gonna throw to me?' 'are they talking about my weaknesses?'.... and we all know that you cant think in the box!

I remember times when Parsons (who ive worked camps with) would call a time out and make a big spectacle of it and when she would come back to the dugout I would ask her what she said to them and she would say "Oh I told them what I ate for lunch".

 

This was a college game. Not going to say what division as I don't think it matters.

 

I've seen quite a few games where the pitcher was left in too long and lost. The batters see her for 7 innings and they usually know what to expect. Change pitchers and now the batter has to start over. Especially if your #3 batter has just hit a rope in the gap. Hitting is contagious. In a tie game, it is not the time to take a chance on losing by a run. Put in your closer; pitch around the #4 batter, make her hit your pitch.

As far as the pitcher learning to deal with it? Learning not to get in that situation in the first place is not a bad lesson, either. What's the bench for, anyway? What does that tell your closer?


By the way, what was the decision? And the result?

 

Wasn't sure about posting that phreak. Didn't want folks to base their decision on the end result and as I said before, I am in NO WAY second guessing the coaches, their decisions, or saying anything bad against the pitcher. Having said that...

Pitcher stayed in and #4 hit a walk off rocket that I don't think has landed yet. It was a great game and an exciting finish!

 

I feel somewhat exonerated. I think I'll go buy a lottery ticket!