"pickle" coverage

[default]

With your small rosters, I imagine a lot of your pitchers play another position when they're not pitching, especially at the younger ages. I don't think you can provide a universal reason for always having P give way to 1B.

If risk of injury is your reasoning, what if 1B is the #1 pitcher?

If skill is your reasoning, what if P is your starting SS/2B/3B?

I agree the P traditionally gives way to 1B, but there is no reason that holds true for all teams in all situations. If it doesn't hold true for your team in some situations, do you still have P always yield to 1B or do you coach some players to take charge or hold back depending on your rationale?

 

[default]

To me, first one who gets there should cover it. I definitely train my 1B that I expect them to get there and be the primary person after the catcher is out of the play, but if P gets there first, then I expect her to cover and probably will just hold my breath. I think it depends a little on the athleticism of the girls involved as well.

 

[default]

Thanks Trip. It appears things are working out in Chicago, which makes me smile. Hope we get to see you at some point this summer.

Rumor has it an All Star Team from Chicago is heading to Stingrays. I haven't been able to confirm that, but our Coach advised of the option as our team is taking that weekend off after coming back from Firecracker. If not, let me know if you need an outfielder for Stingrays and we'll be right over as dd hates taking weekends off in the summer. : )

 

[default]

If risk of injury is your reasoning, what if 1B is the #1 pitcher?

If skill is your reasoning, what if P is your starting SS/2B/3B?

LOL, have you been studying our roster? Putting aside the question of #1's and "starting" labels, it is true that our pitchers often play at the positions you mention. Given that, I suppose the rationale for using 1B in that pickle is somewhat weakened, though there is always the argument that restricting the number of times that a valued pitcher is exposed to tag plays still doesn't hurt.

 

[default]

About 15 years ago, the HS team I helped coach had a pitcher that was just simply awful in the field. She had a decent fastball and change and got her share of wins. She probably struck out 5 to 8 batters a game. Yet no matter how much we worked with her on defense she still was a circus without the clown music. Case in point, grounder back to the circle, she backhands it and.....fires it over the fence and hits an elderly man right square in the chest. (he was ok) The fence was 12 feet high. Once she covered home on a passed ball and took the toss from the catcher in the forehead. A pop up bounced off of the top of her head. She tried to make a throw to third to cut down the runner and the ball ended up in center field. And yet she won around 12 games that year!