Time limits and "gamesmanship"

coachjwb

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Double ... there is no clock in collegiate softball ... they ALWAYS play 7 innings unless the mercy rule comes into effect when a team is down by 8 runs or more after 5 or 6.

While I understand that making a 3rd out to take the game to an extra inning can sometimes work, and I respect the heck out of Lee and some others who have done it, I just don't think I could ever bring myself to do that. One rationale I can think of to support it though is that it does cause the game to end up one inning closer to being regulation!
 
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DoubleTheFun

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I would like to hear from some college coaches (Joe, where are you?) about what level of clock management strategies are acceptable at the collegiate level. I think we all know what we have seen from some "Bush League" Coaches (LOL)
Here's my opinion, #3 and # 6 are ordinary.
#3: Your catcher might be setting up a batter with a pitch call or trying to allow the pitcher to regain composure (All part of the game provided it is not overtly done to kill the clock).
#6: It is called plate discipline and also an acceptable clock management strategy since you can only watch so many of them go by before you are rung up. Also there are ways for the pitcher to combat this if it is overt.
The rest are questionable in my mind and should be immediately recognized by the better umps who can stop the clock if they judge it to be excessive.

Jeff,
Allow me to rephrase the question ( I am aware that college games aren't timed) so I suppose it really isn't clock management but rather what strategies are used for timeouts and conferences during innings and how those are used to reset or change game strategy. I realize it is different than the "delay tactics" discussed but they still consume time in a game.
 

fastjay

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I did #7 last weekend and failed miserably. 2 outs no one on and 2 strikes on my hitter with 26 seconds to go. I told her to swing and miss. afterward I explained why to her and mom. I'd do it again in a heaetbeat. not sure I'd do it going into a fresh inning but I was pretty sure we weren't gonna score the necessary runs with none on, 2 out and 2 strikes.
 

coachjwb

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Fastjay ... just curious ... how did that discussion go over with the player and especially the mom?
 

17smom

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I don't know how the conversation went in Fastjay's case - but I have to say that I think it is great he took the time to explain to both the girl and the parent. I don't think that I would like to see this done in showcases, but I can see where, given in other situations - like the one Lee mentioned at a Nationals tournament (though slightly different since it was a runner leaving early) - that it would be an effort to try to give the team a better chance at scoring more runs. You do have a better chance starting with 0 outs vs having 2 outs - though I also have to admit that I love a 2 out rally! Of course, it does carry a risk because you are letting the other team have another at bat as well. Sometimes it backfires - as Lee pointed out. But I think it is an honest attempt to help the team as a whole in that situation.

I think that if it were an important tournament (not showcase) situation and the coach asked this of my DD, I would be understanding of why the coach chose to do this. It might not be my favorite thing in the world, but I would understand the reasoning. As a good teammate, sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself for the betterment of the team - we ask the girls to sacrifice bunt for the same reason and happily celebrate them doing so. I under this is different than a sac bunt, but they are both a strategy where we ask a girl to sacrifice herself for the team and both carry some risk.
 

fastjay

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I really didn't tell mom, just made sure she was listening while I told the player. once she processed my reasoning, she got it and we've since joked about it. more importantly, I told the team as a group pointing out the sacrifice she made to give us another crack at it.
 
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