Coop pitched a fantastic games on Saturday. I as a guest parent watched the game from the backstop. I didn't know who the batter was and I observed pitches outside of the plate and wondered why Coop didn't pitch any balls inside. I would of never guessed she was INTENTIONALLY walking the hitter until 1st base coach acted out of sorts after her last at bat. I don't understand how you can fault any pitcher who threw a shutout. From my perspective Coop was trying to nibble at the outside corner.
Ask a college coach if they want their pitcher to challenge the best hitter with 1-0 lead or 0-0 tied game? Just as batter wants to show her talents to a college coach, Pitcher wants to show her smarts and she can carry out a game plan when scouting report is given. I applaud Coop and Heats coach for carrying out the game plan. Carol job is to showcase her team and no one else.
If youll read my posts, no where did I slight the pitcher,,,,, she pitched a great game, I also never asked or implied that carol should showcase any other player....... .
My comment was and Is if you are there as a pitcher to showcase your skills, what better chance than to try it against a good batter....... 12 straight balls, and 2 outs and you couldent tell it was intentional?...... The coach did what she had to do to in a game, at her kids age her thought process was it was better to get a win for her teams moral, and I dont fault her how she handled it.
Again my thought process is at our age if im trying to show a potential coach how good I am, why shy away from a challenge........ Thats like telling my batter to swing at a lousy pitch just to show off how good her hitting form is.
Or telling my batter that if she strikes out against a stud pitcher its ok the college coach watching understands.......... trust me they may understand but they are not impressed and that is the entire reason we take our kids to these type of events is to possibly impress and attract college coaches, if you are a 16 or a first year 18. It was the pitchers decision to walk her not the coaches I dont fault either one. does it aggervate me to some point. sure it does, wouldent it you if your best hitter was taken out of a game? Believe it or not I love the success of any good player be it pitcher, hitter , fielder and am not bashful about tellling a player nice job on the opposing team if they make a great play. Ask yourself this, what will that young lady years down the road wish she had done, take a crack at a good hitter in front of a college coach and maybe have been successful?....... or take the road she did and play it safe........ as well as she pitched im thinking it will be the first.......
