Not so bright!

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In my years of being around softball the girls game I've herd many of these bone head coaches most from strong Ohio summer teams answer the playing time question with the answer " whoever hits plays ". This to me is why this game is becoming so unwatchable because just about every game you see even when the big teams play are playing has at least 2 errors on average plays and another 2 to 3 errors on clutch plays! I know the answer why.... but I wanna hear yours first...........;&

 

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Because you can't win if you don't score.

 

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I am not sure I am following.

I know our 12U team only wins when they play error free (base running also). I have not seen many teams win that have 2-3 errors per game. It just doesn't happen in my experience. Maybe at the 14U and 16U there are this amount of errors.

I do know that last summer our 12U had to score 5+ runs per game because the D was just not consistent enough to win with anything less. But this team from the Fall and Winter stuff has proven that they usually can hold teams to 0 or 1 runs consistently. Now if they start the errors than it is 5-6 runs. But that is not the norm.......so far.


So assuming your comment is correct the reason I suspect is that the coaches play the girls that can hit????????? But that does not really make much sense as the better teams rarely give up more than a few runs a game. So obviously the "hitters" are not really pulling their weight......LOL. So why would you act like D is not the # 1 most important thing after pitching. Without the Pitching and D you can not win against the best teams.

 

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Because too much emphasis is put on hitting when softball is a game of outs and not enough is done with defensive skills training.

Do I win ? :lmao:

 

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Because you always hear that ?my little superstar hits 4-5 days a week, even in the off-season? but you never hear ?my little superstar takes ground balls and works on her arm-strength, fielding technique, and footwork 4-5 days a week?. Defense is not emphasized as much as hitting, not saying that all organizations work this way, but the proof is being played out every weekend. I am sure not across the board but I would guess majority of teams will take a big bat over a solid fielder any day. With the playing field becoming more even, defense needs to take a higher priority.

 

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What is the question? ;&

 

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Defense(I include pitching in that) wins Championships

 

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Defense is like hitting like pitching like anything else in the game, it has to be worked on away from the field. Its not only TB coaches that tell his team those who hit play it goes all they way up the ladder to college. Coaches expect their players to have the 5 tools as well though.

Hitting is one of the most difficult parts of softball...... to coin a phrase That Hitter always uses your trying to hit a round object with a round object and hit it square and solid.

Hitting for years has lagged behind pitching. Thats no longer the case. Fielding diddnt have to be as sharp. Most games were a pitchers catchers game. Batters are getting better hitting the ball harder. Now its time for the defense to play catchup to pitching and hitting. If you dont believe me look at the amount of bombs being hit this season in the first few games.

This is nothing more than growing pains from the game as one part of the system tries to play catch up with another. Give it time youll see defenses start to look more polished.



Tim

 

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This is nothing more than growing pains from the game as one part of the system tries to play catch up with another. Give it time youll see defenses start to look more polished.



Tim

I agree, but it will take discipline. Too many times coaches and organizations feel that as long as they are winning games by outscoring their opponents, they have done their job. There is more to it than that and they need to develop complete packages.

JMHO

 

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There are several reason that come to mind:

-You win games by scoring the most runs
-Defense doesn't win games it prevents losses
-A defense that is not challenged by hitting will play flawless
-Hitting is contagious
-You can only set your line-up for the first time through, after that it's about everybody being able to hit (I hope this makes sense, it does in my head. LoL)

 

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In my years of being around softball the girls game I've herd many of these bone head coaches most from strong Ohio summer teams answer the playing time question with the answer " whoever hits plays ". This to me is why this game is becoming so unwatchable because just about every game you see even when the big teams play are playing has at least 2 errors on average plays and another 2 to 3 errors on clutch plays! I know the answer why.... but I wanna hear yours first...........;&

someone's daughter in a slump?

 

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Well, there's definitely not that many errors (2-3 per play), but I do think that hitting tends to get over-emphasized and defense under. I personally like to watch a more well-played defensive game, but I think hitting is generally more "sexy" to players, parents and some coaches.

The way I look at the math though is that if one player hits .350 and another hits .250, that's only one more hit every 10 at bats, or about one every 3 games. If those two play the same position defensively and the .250 hitter can take away a hit per game from the other team (or make one less error), she is going to be much more valuable to my team. You don't win the game scoring runs ... you win scoring more runs than the other team.

 

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someone's daughter in a slump?

I don't care who you are .. but that made me almost fall out of my chair laughing... :lmao:

Thanks

 

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Just go look at the top HS hitters thread here on OFC - I 'think' it is all power hitters mentioned (I don't recall any other) - talked to a guy at a HS game last night about how 'good' slappers are really rare, good small ball teams even rarer and everyone is working with an instructor to learn to hit bombs...

Gopher-the-K can attest that our 12u team has been mostly defense and small ball, we are working on being better hitters but 3 years ago we knew we had to bunt, run and play great D to compete... those skills are learned quicker than hitting and last a career...

 

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I think the general feeling from top level coaches is that anyone on their team can play defense or they wouldn't have made the team. Once the team is formed if a player is tearing the cover off the ball she will play. If the author is talking about a team that doesn't have defensive skills at all positions then the inference is meaningless.

How I view it is that if I have 2 SS's that can both play D, and both of them are hitting well, I need to get them BOTH in the game. If I have a kid that is struggling in the field but is hitting the snot out of the ball you best believe she will be an EP or DH. If my best catcher is in a horrible hitting slump but helps us behind the plate, she's in the lineup. That is what coaches do - they figure out what is best for the team. We always tell the kids that they can help their teammates in a bunch of different ways - hitting, fielding, pitching or just being a good teammate. Results are very cyclical. But in a competition for playing time - the hitters will play if the D is the same.

 

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There are several reason that come to mind:

-You win games by scoring the most runs
-Defense doesn't win games it prevents losses
-A defense that is not challenged by hitting will play flawless
-Hitting is contagious
-You can only set your line-up for the first time through, after that it's about everybody being able to hit (I hope this makes sense, it does in my head. LoL)

That's right on the money 3dm.

Not sure exactly what you were getting at with the last point, but I absolutely agree with the rest.

 

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This is almost too comical. I just came from a lunch with a freind who was looking for some help to coach his 9 and 10 year olds. I encouraged him to tell his players to leave their bats at home for 2 or 3 practices. Over the years the best games I've been a part of, the scores were 2 to 1 type games. I'm sorry, but those games were all but dominated by quality defensive plays on the part of both teams. It's much easier to manufacture a run or two, but a poor defense can bury you.

 

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Defense is like hitting like pitching like anything else in the game, it has to be worked on away from the field. Its not only TB coaches that tell his team those who hit play it goes all they way up the ladder to college. Coaches expect their players to have the 5 tools as well though.

Hitting is one of the most difficult parts of softball...... to coin a phrase That Hitter always uses your trying to hit a round object with a round object and hit it square and solid.

Hitting for years has lagged behind pitching. Thats no longer the case. Fielding diddnt have to be as sharp. Most games were a pitchers catchers game. Batters are getting better hitting the ball harder. Now its time for the defense to play catchup to pitching and hitting. If you dont believe me look at the amount of bombs being hit this season in the first few games.

This is nothing more than growing pains from the game as one part of the system tries to play catch up with another. Give it time youll see defenses start to look more polished.



Tim

Worked on AWAY from the field. How many kids/parents on any given team feel that showing up at TEAM practice is enough? How many fielders - shortstops to outfield - put in as much time as today's pitchers and hitters? As you say Tim, there's quite a bit of catching up to do. Some are beginning to catch on that EVERY skill takes a LOT of work that can't be done in a team practice setting.

Kat - I think what was meant is that once the batting lineup is set, you can't willy-nilly juggle it depending on who's hitting today. Short of subs, you're stuck with that lineup.

 

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...Kat - I think what was meant is that once the batting lineup is set, you can't willy-nilly juggle it depending on who's hitting today. Short of subs, you're stuck with that lineup.

Yes Sammy, I believe you are correct. Thanks for the clarification. Once again, one of the smartest guyz on this site.

 

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I also believe what 3dm is saying that batters 1 through 9 are only in that position the first time through the line up. After the first time depending on how the game plays out number 1 might come up in the fourth spot in inning 3 . She was only the lead off batter for inning 1.