Guest Pitchers

Yappi

Yappi

Go Buckeyes
When a team brings in a guest pitcher, is it normal to come in for only the game they are pitching?

What if they are a marginal player and they come for the whole tournament, are they expected to bat and play the field in pool play games for games they are not supposed to pitch?

Another way to ask this question, is it normal to bring in a guest pitcher for only the game they are expected to pitch and not come for other games?
 
 
My daughter is a pitcher only, so she would never expect to bat and play in the field. Typically when she is asked to play for another team, we are there for the whole day or weekend, however long they need her. We have on a few occasions showed up and pitched a game then left, but usually when a coach ask her to play it's because they are short for the tournament and need her help throughout the weekend. Truthfully, I think it is up to the coach to let the player and her parents know what his/her plan is so there isn't any misunderstandings. If the coach communicates honestly, then most of the questions will be answered before the player shows up and then she can decide if it is worth her time to play as a sub.
 
NewOldBlood said:
My daughter is a pitcher only, so she would never expect to bat and play in the field. Typically when she is asked to play for another team, we are there for the whole day or weekend, however long they need her. We have on a few occasions showed up and pitched a game then left, but usually when a coach ask her to play it's because they are short for the tournament and need her help throughout the weekend. Truthfully, I think it is up to the coach to let the player and her parents know what his/her plan is so there isn't any misunderstandings. If the coach communicates honestly, then most of the questions will be answered before the player shows up and then she can decide if it is worth her time to play as a sub.
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This.

My daughter was also a pitcher and was asked to be a fill in for a team that had their 2nd pitcher attending a family event during pool play. Was told she would get some later innings pitching against the weakest team in the pool if her team was a head comfortably and that is what happened. She basically got to hang out with a friend in the dugout for a day and pitched a couple innings before heading home. FYI, this was a level above what her regular team played so it was a good experience for her. For me it was boring as the pool games were lopsided and it was deep in the season when everyone starts to get on each others nerves. She took a pass next time it was offered.
 
Yappi said:
When a team brings in a guest pitcher, is it normal to come in for only the game they are pitching?

What if they are a marginal player and they come for the whole tournament, are they expected to bat and play the field in pool play games for games they are not supposed to pitch?

Another way to ask this question, is it normal to bring in a guest pitcher for only the game they are expected to pitch and not come for other games?
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I never have understood why this is allowed. What’s the supposed reasoning behind allowing Guest Pitchers?
 
thavoice said:
To win.
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In my experience, that is not always the case. Does it happen that way, absolutely, but most teams intentionally carry a limited number of pitchers because it is impossible to manage pitching time and keep everyone happy (especially parents) when you have 4 or 5 kids that want the ball. I always like to see three, but if one gets hurt and has to miss a few weeks, it might be tough to get through a long weekend. My daughters travel team lost a pitcher one year in late June leaving only two on the roster. We had back to back weekends where we finished in the final 4 of ASA states and the all sanctioned world series in Columbus. My daughter ended up throwing over 1000 pitches both weekends and the other girl was not far behind. By August, my daughter had a partially torn labrum and had to sit for 6 weeks. We could have definitely used a guest pitcher. I would say 9 out of 10 times she subbed for other teams it was because they were short handed. Now she is pretty good and I'm sure that had something to do with the invite, but they also needed her. If you needed a sub, you most certainly would go after someone who could help you win, not someone who will help you lose.
 
NewOldBlood said:
In my experience, that is not always the case. Does it happen that way, absolutely, but most teams intentionally carry a limited number of pitchers because it is impossible to manage pitching time and keep everyone happy (especially parents) when you have 4 or 5 kids that want the ball. I always like to see three, but if one gets hurt and has to miss a few weeks, it might be tough to get through a long weekend. My daughters travel team lost a pitcher one year in late June leaving only two on the roster. We had back to back weekends where we finished in the final 4 of ASA states and the all sanctioned world series in Columbus. My daughter ended up throwing over 1000 pitches both weekends and the other girl was not far behind. By August, my daughter had a partially torn labrum and had to sit for 6 weeks. We could have definitely used a guest pitcher. I would say 9 out of 10 times she subbed for other teams it was because they were short handed. Now she is pretty good and I'm sure that had something to do with the invite, but they also needed her. If you needed a sub, you most certainly would go after someone who could help you win, not someone who will help you lose.
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Then that is the the problem of the team not getting enough pitching going in.
 
SMARTY22 said:
That’s pathetic. Pick better players/pitchers to start with.
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The problem is that in girls softball unlike baseball, a girl can throw two or three games a day because of (a) run rules or (b) games timing out. So a really good team may only have 1 super duper great pitcher, another good pitcher and maybe a third decent pitcher for mop up duty and to pitch against weak teams. In fastpitch, you must have a good pitcher to be competitive and you are not going to attract great pitching if you are sharing the mound with two or three other elite pitchers. Throw in family events, vacations, or untimely injuries and really good teams become uncompetitive. Also, unlike any other sport or position that I can think of, a good fastpitch pitcher must work on their craft all the time, all year around and most team coaches know nothing about it, I always found it to be a black art and I have seem high school teams ride a great pitcher to state championships will a really average supporting cast around them.
 
BASESWIMPARENT said:
The problem is that in girls softball unlike baseball, a girl can throw two or three games a day because of (a) run rules or (b) games timing out. So a really good team may only have 1 super duper great pitcher, another good pitcher and maybe a third decent pitcher for mop up duty and to pitch against weak teams. In fastpitch, you must have a good pitcher to be competitive and you are not going to attract great pitching if you are sharing the mound with two or three other elite pitchers. Throw in family events, vacations, or untimely injuries and really good teams become uncompetitive. Also, unlike any other sport or position that I can think of, a good fastpitch pitcher must work on their craft all the time, all year around and most team coaches know nothing about it, I always found it to be a black art and I have seem high school teams ride a great pitcher to state championships will a really average supporting cast around them.
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Yeah, we get all of that.

But still, bringing in guest pitchers, or other players, (ringers) is bush league no matter what level or sport. Your team is your team. Yeah, at times there are injuries and the such, but the whole vigilante pitchers approach in softball, to me, goes completely against the front of the jersey, TEAM, mentality, and solely becomes and individual, AAU style event which many dispise.
 
thavoice said:
Yeah, we get all of that.

But still, bringing in guest pitchers, or other players, (ringers) is bush league no matter what level or sport. Your team is your team. Yeah, at times there are injuries and the such, but the whole vigilante pitchers approach in softball, to me, goes completely against the front of the jersey, TEAM, mentality, and solely becomes and individual, AAU style event which many dispise.
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Agreed. I understand guest pitchers for games of little significance. You want to play on Wednesday but your pitcher has a volleyball game. Find someone else to fill the role so the rest of the team can play. What I don't like is going to a tournament and seeing a team's starting pitcher sitting the bench while the stud pitcher from another team is on the mound.

I would really like to see organized tournaments take an approach where you must turn in a roster before April 1st and only those players can play in those tournaments. These could be expanded rosters where you add some players from lower level teams that regularly sub for you. But players could only be on one roster. You should never have to face the same stud pitcher pitching for two top level teams.
 
Yappi said:
Agreed. I understand guest pitchers for games of little significance. You want to play on Wednesday but your pitcher has a volleyball game. Find someone else to fill the role so the rest of the team can play. What I don't like is going to a tournament and seeing a team's starting pitcher sitting the bench while the stud pitcher from another team is on the mound.

I would really like to see organized tournaments take an approach where you must turn in a roster before April 1st and only those players can play in those tournaments. These could be expanded rosters where you add some players from lower level teams that regularly sub for you. But players could only be on one roster. You should never have to face the same stud pitcher pitching for two top level teams.
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Not a bad idea. I I think you can only be one roster for that particular tourney. As far as vigilante pitchers go, I really did not see a lot of that when my daughter played. But on the other hand, a good softball pitcher can absolutely dominate a tourney. Also, club reputations are on the line but that is a totally different post.
 
I'm ok with Guest pitchers on the condition that they agree to attend the entire tourney and don't just show up for a single game.
 
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