Playing time

[notthisagain]

Ok now your kidding.

[notthisagain]

Curve what age bracket and how do you disperse your playing time then?

[curveballerguy124]

I am at 1st year 14U and how I disperse my players during tournament time is based on stats mostly game changer but a lot of my own notes. We play 4 game friendlies leading up to tourny's so they all get playing time and AB's with each pitcher getting a full game. Middles tend to get more playing time then most only because I have a few.

So for me stat's decide about 75% of my game day line-up the other 25% is effort, attitude, heart, basically the kid that shows me something......

[jonriv]

I am at 1st year 14U and how I disperse my players during tournament time is based on stats mostly game changer but a lot of my own notes. We play 4 game friendlies leading up to tourny's so they all get playing time and AB's with each pitcher getting a full game. Middles tend to get more playing time then most only because I have a few.

So for me stat's decide about 75% of my game day line-up the other 25% is effort, attitude, heart, basically the kid that shows me something......

Just curious what kind of sample group(ie games) of stats do you need for it to be useful in making a decision? Are they weighted(based on competition, point in game). I too am a stats junkie and find a data based decisions tend to be the most consistent, but I also know their limitations. I have also seen parents use stats as a weapon to why their Susie should get more playing time because of all the hits she got(against weaker competition). Just wanted to know your methodology and how you deal with such parents

[DirtyRiders]

I am at 1st year 14U and how I disperse my players during tournament time is based on stats mostly game changer but a lot of my own notes. We play 4 game friendlies leading up to tourny's so they all get playing time and AB's with each pitcher getting a full game. Middles tend to get more playing time then most only because I have a few.

So for me stat's decide about 75% of my game day line-up the other 25% is effort, attitude, heart, basically the kid that shows me something......

Just curious what kind of sample group(ie games) of stats do you need for it to be useful in making a decision? Are they weighted(based on competition, point in game). I too am a stats junkie and find a data based decisions tend to be the most consistent, but I also know their limitations. I have also seen parents use stats as a weapon to why their Susie should get more playing time because of all the hits she got(against weaker competition). Just wanted to know your methodology and how you deal with such parents

This is a good point. We were on a team where a Mom screamed how her kid was #1 on the team in RBI, but when you broke down the stats against top teams in friendlies and in pool play compared to bracket play she was 10th. I agree that Stats is a pretty good gauge, but the eye doesn’t lie. I would bet that if asked most parents and even coaches would be way off on certain stats if they watched the game as opposed to looking at the stats. We have a kid that looks more like an IF than maybe anybody but if you look at GameChanger leads the team in errors. We also have kids that seem like the hit the ball hard and have good at bats a lot but on GameChanger are batting under .200. Plus who is doing GameChanger? Is it Susies mom?

[jonriv]

Curveball, which stats do you use?

[curveballerguy124]

Honestly I use the stat's more for hitting and OBP, if your hitting and getting on base your gonna find your way onto the lineup. The rest of the stats I take with a grain of salt because I've seen too much LOL.....

Now like I said I don't use them 100% when making my line-up because I have seen more often then not a kid who is hammering the ball but not getting on. If a kid is hitting hard and aggressively I'm gonna give her a shot regardless of stats. Also if I have some kids that are exceptional at putting down bunts but struggle at the plate and we are playing a team with slow corners. Well then I will put them in the line-up to create situations and shake things up.

Stats are a good guideline a good starting point when doing game day line-ups. It also creates opportunity for a player to be exceptional and give them the goal of cracking the line-up. Also here is a kicker I encourage my pitchers to be hitters!!!! How's that for crazy?!?! If my pitchers can hit and hit well then I can use my flex and DP in other more productive ways.

So to sum it up, my methodology is I want the kids that are hitting hard and aggressively in the line-up. At times I will even give up a little defensively to have an offense that will make a pitcher work hard pitch after pitch to get outs against us.

[eclipse09]

Honestly I use the stat's more for hitting and OBP, if your hitting and getting on base your gonna find your way onto the lineup. The rest of the stats I take with a grain of salt because I've seen too much LOL.....

Now like I said I don't use them 100% when making my line-up because I have seen more often then not a kid who is hammering the ball but not getting on. If a kid is hitting hard and aggressively I'm gonna give her a shot regardless of stats. Also if I have some kids that are exceptional at putting down bunts but struggle at the plate and we are playing a team with slow corners. Well then I will put them in the line-up to create situations and shake things up.

Stats are a good guideline a good starting point when doing game day line-ups. It also creates opportunity for a player to be exceptional and give them the goal of cracking the line-up. Also here is a kicker I encourage my pitchers to be hitters!!!! How's that for crazy?!?! If my pitchers can hit and hit well then I can use my flex and DP in other more productive ways.

So to sum it up, my methodology is I want the kids that are hitting hard and aggressively in the line-up. At times I will even give up a little defensively to have an offense that will make a pitcher work hard pitch after pitch to get outs against us.

That is awesome cbg124!! My kid always wanted to be good pitcher and hitter. Ended up saving her when she got an arm injury, but was still able to hit.

[poorsport88]

My daughter just went threw this in 12u. Her fielding is a little behind. But she is right there with the bat. But the coach would only give her like 1 AB in a 3 game friendly. So i said something and he cut my kid from the team. It crushed her because she has been putting in so much extra work to catch up. She has never worked for anything like that until now. I just dont understand the coaching behind that. I coached her in rec ball for 2 years. Never treated a kid like that.

[Sam]

My teams were never a danger to win a National Championship, but I tried to teach my kids how to play the game correctly and understand the game. I generally played the kids 2 of 3 friendlies, batted the entire team during friendlies and played my best players during tournaments. I tried to get everyone PT during tournaments as well.

The whole "play whoever is busting their ass at practice" thing is fine for equally competing players. Lots of players who fail to give their all at practice have their positions locked in by sheer talent over their competition. Your #1 pitcher may miss practice and never miss a start.....your #4 pitcher may miss a practice and get cut.

Another issue is players who excel during games and not necessarily in practice. Happens a lot.

I think my kids learned a little when they played for me....though they may disagree.....