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How much playing time should your utility players get?
How much playing time for utility players ? (The Softball Zone Radio Show Thread of the Week)
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Re: playing time for utility players?
Depends on how good they are. Some utility players are good and should play a lot. Others are not as good and maybe should sit the bench more. It also depends on how good the position players are.
Depends on how good they are. Some utility players are good and should play a lot. Others are not as good and maybe should sit the bench more. It also depends on how good the position players are.
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Re: playing time for utility players?
Moved from Archived Messages - TheBearMay
Moved from Archived Messages - TheBearMay
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Re: playing time for utility players?
The Softball Zone Radio Show - Thread of the Week, Listen tonight as we Discuss this Thread and many other topic.
Show Begin at 8:00 pm ...
The Softball Zone Radio Show - Thread of the Week, Listen tonight as we Discuss this Thread and many other topic.
Show Begin at 8:00 pm ...
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Interesting question - maybe I should wait until you discuss it on your show, but I will not be able to listen.
I think it depends on their age and if your utility player is a "true" utility player or not.
What I mean by a true utility player is they are very athletic and can truly do a very good job at just about any position you need them to play in for that game - possibly they even have a primary position and utility is their secondary position
Or are they labeled as a utility player because they just haven't found a good solid "home spot" to play in. Maybe a good player, but not quite as athletically talented as the starting position players and not quite finding their niche yet.
I think it depends on their age and if your utility player is a "true" utility player or not.
What I mean by a true utility player is they are very athletic and can truly do a very good job at just about any position you need them to play in for that game - possibly they even have a primary position and utility is their secondary position
Or are they labeled as a utility player because they just haven't found a good solid "home spot" to play in. Maybe a good player, but not quite as athletically talented as the starting position players and not quite finding their niche yet.
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I think its a great question. I was surprise that only one person / member reply to the question.
Now its two since you reply to the thread. By the way BIG thumb up to you.
Now its two since you reply to the thread. By the way BIG thumb up to you.
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A similar situation is happening with the Indians right now. There are a handful of players in the dugout who could be starters. (Insert manager/contract/matchup arguments here.) There is no easy answer - you have to keep your reserves from getting rusty - and disgruntled.
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I will look forward to discussing this subject more tonight, but a couple of quick thoughts ...
* I assume that we're talking about travel ball here, but I think we need to define what is meant by utility players. When we talk about the Indians, that's a whole different story ... first of all we're talking about a roster of 25 players and there we have true position utility players who are still paid lots of money to fill in when and where needed. To Lou's point, you do need to get them in often enough to keep from getting rusty, and that's about all you owe them and the team. On a travel team of 11-12 players, everyone should play "a lot".
* I assume the question might be better stated how often should your "bench" players play in youth travel ball ... and I am defining bench players here to mean those players who aren't usually in the starting lineup when you're in a championship game late on Sunday. It's not a matter of keeping them from getting rusty, it's a matter of developing them into better players, not to mention a matter of keeping them and their parents happy for the time and money they've committed to the team.
* It's very important in this scenario to use the pool game formats to get everyone starts, and to get most of your roster into every game possible. And it's also important that you at least find spot starts and sub opportunities to get them into elimination games as well. My general rule of thumb was that no travel position player (excluding strict pitchers here) should be playing less than 50% of a team's innings or getting less than 50% of the at bats as the top players. It's my role as a coach to ensure everyone is developing and getting playing time, while putting the team in a position to win most games.
It's a tough balancing act, and I will admit that it's extremely difficult to keep everyone, especially parents, happy. It's not that most parents expect equal playing time for all, but instead that it's their DD who should be in the lineup when you're playing championship/elimination games.
* I assume that we're talking about travel ball here, but I think we need to define what is meant by utility players. When we talk about the Indians, that's a whole different story ... first of all we're talking about a roster of 25 players and there we have true position utility players who are still paid lots of money to fill in when and where needed. To Lou's point, you do need to get them in often enough to keep from getting rusty, and that's about all you owe them and the team. On a travel team of 11-12 players, everyone should play "a lot".
* I assume the question might be better stated how often should your "bench" players play in youth travel ball ... and I am defining bench players here to mean those players who aren't usually in the starting lineup when you're in a championship game late on Sunday. It's not a matter of keeping them from getting rusty, it's a matter of developing them into better players, not to mention a matter of keeping them and their parents happy for the time and money they've committed to the team.
* It's very important in this scenario to use the pool game formats to get everyone starts, and to get most of your roster into every game possible. And it's also important that you at least find spot starts and sub opportunities to get them into elimination games as well. My general rule of thumb was that no travel position player (excluding strict pitchers here) should be playing less than 50% of a team's innings or getting less than 50% of the at bats as the top players. It's my role as a coach to ensure everyone is developing and getting playing time, while putting the team in a position to win most games.
It's a tough balancing act, and I will admit that it's extremely difficult to keep everyone, especially parents, happy. It's not that most parents expect equal playing time for all, but instead that it's their DD who should be in the lineup when you're playing championship/elimination games.
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I think people are confusing utility player with substitute players, Utility player is someone who can play multiple positions equally well. In my opinion and on our team the utility players are the better players. This past weekend alone Our first basegirl, played SS,RF,CF, and is an adequate catcher. So to answer the question our utility players get 100% playing time.
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Now with that being said. How much playing time and practices of substitute players get? Should they be practicing with the team on a regular basis, playing in practice games and traveling or just on call basis?
