What player is more valuable to a team.

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I have two DD that pitch and I have one that can catch and they both say it does not matter to them how good we are, if there are not nine players on the field that want to play then neither one is more valuable. It is a team effort and without the entire team we are not going to win anyway. I like their answer as well. It takes the entire team to win and the entire team to lose.

 

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Heres the curve ball and not mentioned. Mom because if she is not happy nobody is happy, she makes dads life miserable and hense it goes down hill from there to the coachs, players, officials, and even the girl at the concession stand with the walking tacos. So my vote would be her, and she can impact the teams performance even before the first game of the weekend.

 

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Good point!!!

 

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Heres the deal. and I am suprised no one hit on this. If the stud hitter wins the game on one swing 1-0 then wasnt it the pitcher from her team that kept the other team from scoring. There again if the winning team doesnt have a great pitcher I promise you that team does not win one to nothing. I try to develop the mental approach with my dd that if her team gets her one run they can win, if they get her two runs its game over. She respects the stud hitters but does not fear them at all.

 

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Heres the curve ball and not mentioned. Mom because if she is not happy nobody is happy, she makes dads life miserable and hense it goes down hill from there to the coachs, players, officials, and even the girl at the concession stand with the walking tacos. So my vote would be her, and she can impact the teams performance even before the first game of the weekend.

Okay... that's so funny! And also true!:yahoo:

 

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Last time I checked there is on I in team. Every players is valueable at somepoint in time. Pitchers can have off days and will need the back up the TEAM can give her.
If you teach that there is only one person important in the field the pitcher that is important, then what are you saying to the other 8 players????

 

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How valuable was Roger Clemens or Randy Johnson or Bob Gibson in their prime? Take one of them and make them 4 to 5 times more valuable to their team and then you have a stud softball pitcher's value since the softball pitcher can throw most every game, whereas the baseball pitchers can go once every five games or so.

And other than a really small high school, any team with a stud pitcher will have a solid catcher. I don't see many total stud pitchers by high school age racking up 30 strikeouts a game because nobody can catch a third strike.

When I coached high school ball, I saw many teams that were very average teams that would go 22-5 or the like simply because of a pitcher. No position player will take a team from a .500 team to 22-5.

Joe,

You are right again.win Yep, 18ks a game hides all the averageness in a hurry. Seen a team with studd that had a fantastic year one year, but then the next season with almost all the same players, the same team became average. The only difference was there was a second and third pitcher requiring innings. Those pitchers were good, but not power "K" pitchers, but the type that will get you dozens of ground balls.

This team went from winning or placing 2nd in every tourney as a 1st year team in age group to a 2nd year age group team not making it past 9am on Sunday most weeks.

Great pitching hides all kinds of things, not mention poor coaching too. : )

 

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Joe has a very good point. I'll add to that by saying that it's extremely rare to have more than three very good hitters on any HS team - and I mean hitters who can hit above average pitching. A pitcher with average 55 mph speed and control will own all but those three hitters. A 60 mph top travel team pitcher will own the whole team. Now, if a HS coach could have the stud hitter bat for everyone it might be a different outcome...

Top level showcase travel ball is WAY different than high school. Many top travel teams at 18u are very similar to a freshman lineup on a college team. Every hitter can hit, slap, bunt or somehow put the ball into play. 60+ pitching will eventually be put into play, and you better have some quick stud fielders to clean it up, or it's a long day.

So... for high school, MVP is almost always a pitcher (as shown by the ridiculous sports page stats), but for more realistic showcase travel ball, every game might have a different MVP - and it could be ANY offensive or defensive player. It's who steps up in any given game.

 

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Joe has a very good point. I'll add to that by saying that it's extremely rare to have more than three very good hitters on any HS team - and I mean hitters who can hit above average pitching. A pitcher with average 55 mph speed and control will own all but those three hitters. A 60 mph top travel team pitcher will own the whole team. Now, if a HS coach could have the stud hitter bat for everyone it might be a different outcome...

Top level showcase travel ball is WAY different than high school. Many top travel teams at 18u are very similar to a freshman lineup on a college team. Every hitter can hit, slap, bunt or somehow put the ball into play. 60+ pitching will eventually be put into play, and you better have some quick stud fielders to clean it up, or it's a long day.

So... for high school, MVP is almost always a pitcher (as shown by the ridiculous sports page stats), but for more realistic showcase travel ball, every game might have a different MVP - and it could be ANY offensive or defensive player. It's who steps up in any given game.

I agree totally.

I will also add that you can not even think of playing high level ball without a good/great pitcher and catcher. I think the catching position is often over looked or under-valued.

Also, how can a player that may impact play 3 times a game verse a player that impacts the game ever single defense play compare. Seriously, how is this even a discussion. And I do not have a single pitcher in my stable of girls (3). I have a catcher, 3rd, and 9U (who knows if she even will play next year). And they all are good hitters. And yet without a pitcher a team is done.

Now I will say that if you can not manufactor 2-3 runs per game it will be very difficult to win much. So obviously you need hitting. Another thing you will notice. Most elite level travel teams will sell out for the pitcher and then believe they can train up the rest of the team.

 

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There is also that one player, be it catcher, pitcher, SS that holds the team together. There is always that one person that will never let the team give up. The one kid who will tell the team Ill do my job and you do yours and we will come out ok. Every sucessfull team has that person!

 

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have to go with pitcher like lady said can always dh

 

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IMO to answer the actual question...for me it would be the pitcher. But if your asking about the overall team most valuble player in regards to starting a team it would be a toss up for me between a Catcher or Pitcher. A stud catcher can make a solid pitcher look like a stud. A stud pitcher can make a decent catcher look bad lol, by that I mean speed and movement and the pass balls or drops that would come with that

 

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The one that give's 100%

 

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The pitcher.

Who touches the ball more than anyone else? Answer: the pitcher.

The time is coming when most colleges will be fielded by walk on players and the only players WITH a scholarship will be pitchers. If the girls continue to learn this game at the rate they have over the past 10 years, there will be enough fielders and power hitters for everyone.

 

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The pitcher.

Who touches the ball more than anyone else? Answer: the pitcher.

The time is coming when most colleges will be fielded by walk on players and the only players WITH a scholarship will be pitchers. If the girls continue to learn this game at the rate they have over the past 10 years, there will be enough fielders and power hitters for everyone.

That's a bit much. 95 kids receive schollarships at ND for football every year. Not just the QB. Same for Basketball, everyone on the floor has a Schollarhship.

Anyone thinking a Pitcher will be the only softball players of the future receiving schollarships doesn't understand how many play college ball for the education/financial opportunities it affords. Take a look at how many schollarship athletes stop playing each year. They no longer LOVE the game and understand THEIR LIFE is the priority not the game. Not too many kids are short focused enough to play for free.

I guess in your world, these college pitchers will receive signing bonus' too. LOL!

 

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The pitcher.

Who touches the ball more than anyone else? Answer: the pitcher.

The time is coming when most colleges will be fielded by walk on players and the only players WITH a scholarship will be pitchers. If the girls continue to learn this game at the rate they have over the past 10 years, there will be enough fielders and power hitters for everyone.

Ok who gave the inmates a keyboard?

 

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Ironically, my future sees Fastpitch having a robotic pitcher. Yes, the great equalizer that will value the 8 other positions. More money to give the 8 other players that are required to play the game.

The NEW Pitcher is really a Gameboy/Xbox, Wii Hero selecting pitches, location, speed in which the Pitching Machine will throw. (No more girls getting hit in the face by Rocket Techs, College Insurance would love the idea).

Imagine, every team has the same ability to throw a No-No.

Every Team can face GREAT pitching EVERY GAME.

Every player would have to learn how to hit

Every Fielder would have to learn how to field.

Now that would be exciting Softball.

Better Pitching across the board, Better Fielding, Better hitting. Better Softball

Softball would probably steel some S-O-##-O-R , Basketball, and other athletes with the new challenges the sport would require as more action, more touches, more kids wanting to participate.

 

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Seriously???

 

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Welcome back TT your vast knowledge is very usefull in this forum. Happy New Year!

 

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The pitcher.

Who touches the ball more than anyone else? Answer: the pitcher.

The time is coming when most colleges will be fielded by walk on players and the only players WITH a scholarship will be pitchers. If the girls continue to learn this game at the rate they have over the past 10 years, there will be enough fielders and power hitters for everyone.

I actually think it is the exact opposite.

I think you are going to see pitching normalize for the most part. And the value of a great catcher or hitter will increase.