Pitching and Pitchers Discussion When team is dumped by pitcher

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What do you do when, after working towards nationals since last fall, half of your pitching staff (of two) says they aren't going? ?We all talk about commitment - and you can probably replace a position player - but it ain't easy finding a high caliber replacement pitcher at the last minute. ?To let the entire team down like that is... (sad, shameful, loathsome?). ?Don't pitcher's parents understand the impact of allowing their DD to beg off at the last minute?

 

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maybe be the family fell on hard times and can't afford to go. Did you get a reason why?

 

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This happened several years ago; our pitcher said she would rather go watch an older sib play at a different national. ?This is the time of year where families who knew their team's schedule decide to back out at the last minute. ?Lack of commitment to the team is the issue.

Financial seems like a flimsy excuse because on most teams I've been a part of, many other families on the team would be happy to take the player with them. ?If the player is truly committed, there is always a way to make it work.

 

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Our team also qualified for nationals. Our coaches said that unless the entire team aggreed to go then we would not go. Said we won as a team and will go to nationals as a team. So we did an a anonymous vote to see who said yes or no. That way there is no hard feelings towards a certain player or family. I think it worked out well. I guess there could still be alot of what ifs in this way of doing it, but I feel it was good so no girls feeling got hurt. Too many reasons why some can go and others cannot. Just my 2 cents.

 

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this is when location and gas prices are going to take a crunch on families...and IF a player gets picked up from another team during this time, they might end up spending the same amount of money going out of town, but play less because they are a sub/being borrowed...and good luck taking playing time from a player on an established club that has been there all year

 

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Financial seems like a flimsy excuse because on most teams I've been a part of, many other families on the team would be happy to take the player with them. ?If the player is truly committed, there is always a way to make it work.

I really can't believe that you say finances are a flimsy excuse. Things happen unexpectedly. As far as going with another family that all depends on the age. I am not sure at what age I would be comfortable sending my dd to spend a week out of state with another family that you may have only known for less than a year. And that is still not free. I understand that commitment is needed but at some point family needs to come first especially if the whole family is going to suffer to go to a week of softball.

If this happened a couple years ago let it go. Why bring up bad old feelings this late?

 

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It's best to have at least three pitchers on a team who can competently play other positions as well. That way when one can't keep their commitment, you can let them go and not lose the whole team. As soon as they tell you they are backing out, they should be released from the team to preserve a good team attitude.

 

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Three pitchers is huge for any team looking to go forward. You have to remember injuries, heat, sickness and in health (lol). You do have the rights to obtain a pickup players. There is a form on the ASA website, if you are looking at ASA Nationals. Not sure how NSA, USSSA, or Ponies work.

My team did initials fundraisers this winter which were geared specifically towards our goal of qualifing for Nationals/Eastern Nationals with ASA. We reached our goal for both Nationals and Eastern Nationals. What were are doing and have been doing since we solidified our goal is getting sponsorships and donations to help us defer the cost to the parents/players. At this point we have three out of the five nights of our hotel cost covered for 14 players and two coaches. Not bad, and we still have a couple of more weeks to finish with a hard push of car washes, etc. to meet our goal of covering all of the hotel cost.

Hard work yes, but it certainly takes a huge bite out of the financial issues. We also had to make the choice between Midland, TX and Salem, VA. With the cost associated with gas, we have elected to go to Salem, VA.

 

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Financial hardships are a reality.So is team commitment.This was recently our situation.

My DD team did not qualify for Nationals.If they had,our family would have done everything possible to assure team she was there with them.She was one of the teams pitchers.
Daughter was offered a chance to go with an older team within our organization to Nationals(DDs organization does take pride and care about the girls within it's program)but after all things considered the money was just too tight and the fact my DD was not a part of that team that earned the birth,we turned down the offer.

Knowing that going to Nationals is/should be a great experience for a player,what would you and your family decide on,knowing money is tight(but still able to make it work)and the fact your daughter had no hand in helping this team get to Nationals?

Thanks and good evening.

 

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We as in our team and parents worked very hard to get a birth to NSA Nationals.
We had one say they could not go, then another dropped off. I feel bad for the girls committed that worked hard to get that birth, that wanted badly to go and experience Nationals. Some may never get another chance in their lives. :-[

When we decided to take our daughter to her first travel ball tryout 2 years ago, we knew, as parents, it was going to cost us $$ so we saved. We worked OT to save. We knew the commitment level.

Now, I can fully understand hardships, that is very understandable.

But to just up and say at the end of the year, we aren't going, sorry. Even if you can afford it? IMOP That isn't setting a very good example of commitment for your child.
It is through hard work that you earn everything in life. A birth or win to get to Nationals is hard to get. Your committed to the "TEAM". :-[ If you cant afford or save up to go to Nationals, do NOT sign up on a travel team, period.

 

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I agree completely with beck63. If you make a commitment to a team - stick with it. How about if team qualifies for nationals and pitcher dumps team to go to nationals with a different team?

 

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So if you think $1,000 or so in travel expenses and one week of each of your parent's vacation time isn't worth going 4 games and out in the N$A nationals, you shouldn't even be allowed to play travel ball?

What am I missing here? Strictly in terms of softball and the ability to win against top teams, most teams have no business even considering a national tournament. The attitude that you MUST play in a nationals is why N$A thrives and will continue to thrive no matter what is being posted all over this board.

There are lots of people saying they will play ASA exclusively next year, but only a handful of teams can make ASA's no matter how many teams make the commitment to try. That means no nationals for most teams playing ASA. PONY berths are only harder to get than N$A because there are much fewer PONY qualifiers. I would expect that to be the biggest change next year - tournaments switching to PONY qualifiers instead of N$A. If that happens, all that is basically done is trading N$A for PONY, but PONY is much better in terms of value, at least in the number of guaranteed games at nationals. Maybe NAFA can get it right and provide a reasonable balance between cost and value/experience for the girls.

 

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I agree completely with beck63. If you make a commitment to a team - stick with it. How about if team qualifies for nationals and pitcher dumps team to go to nationals with a different team?

What about the coaches committment to the girls. You have a girl who has been on a team for 2 years. Works hard and has the skills. Plays her fair share until about 2-3 weeks before nationals and then rides the pine getting in the last inning of a run rule game? and is told that she needs to be a team player while the girl who had to sit one inning roles her eyes at the other girl and the parent grabs their stuff and goes to the car. Not going to nationals and spending over $1,000 is what that family is doing.

 

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I would like to thank the "coach" who decided to place the "I" back in team!

 

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Every team we have been involved with has had pitcher drama of some sort. I have come to expect it. It's the only thing I don't like about the game. Baseball you are somewhat protected because you must have 3-4 that can do the job because of pitch counts.

 

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I would like to thank the "coach" who decided to place the "I" back in team!

must be the pitcher's dad ;D

 

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Has anyone experienced the opposite: a coach or coaching staff dumping a pitcher that has committed to the team all season and has performed very well, only to find her playing time decreased consistently through the season until she rides the pine far more than any other player, so that coach 'favorites' can rule the diamond?