Scared pitcher

[eclipse09]

I'm so frustrated with her stubbornness that I told her if she doesn't pitch I'll pull her from the team.

Sorry, but that might be the most messed up thing I have ever read on Heybucket.
If you try to force her to p[lay, she will most likely hate softball and hate you.
My advice is slow down and don't push her.
If she wants to play, she will, but it has to be her choice, same with pitching.

Trust me, your kid not being a pitcher isn't the worst thing that could happen. Having a daughter that pitches at the upper levels is a very stressful existence.

Spot on Arto! My oldest is a very good hitter, utility player and pitcher, but ended up on a 14u team that only wanted her to pitch. She rested in between games and didn't play as much. She just recently got back her swing and fielding abilities thanks to being on a new team that played her as needed even though she pitched as well. She hated softball for a year when only pitching and was close to quitting. Luckily she decided to go to another team and now loves it. Hits and plays the field and pitches sparingly. Thank god!!

[eddiez577]

Take her back down to rec and let her build her confidence in the circle back up. Kind of like the majors do it with rehab injuries and minor leagues.

[Sam]

The "facing your fears" argument is total BS. She's a kid. She got hurt pitching. She doesn't want to get hurt again. How are you going to feel if you put her back out there with your threats and she gets hurt again.....only this time it isn't something she can walk off.....its bad.....lifetime bad. You wil be the POS that made it happen and you'll live with that the rest of your life.

You need to back off and watch games from the outfield.

[curveballerguy124]

Come backers are part of the game, no more different then a hard hit ball to a infielder, the difference is infielders see more hard hit balls at them then most pitchers do.... If she was taught correctly comebackers shouldnt be a problem to begin with but that is another topic!! Listen I understand that fear I pitch against men that can swing a bat very well, most with a lot of power, and truth be told I am more scared when I play third base then when I am pitching. As a pitcher you have control over what happens (for the most part) you know when that ball is gonna get drilled your way if you know what your doing and if you were taught correctly its not an issue. The problem is too many kids are taught to be throwers and not pitchers and too many coaches dont know how to protect their young pitchers from getting hurt. She's gun shy now because she got hit hard and thats understandable but she needs to know why that happened just like an infielder needs to know why a ball hit them when they were fielding .....But if she is now done with that position then let it go but explain to her that there is a risk at any position she plays, even in the outfield! Good luck buddy its tough but dont pull a dick move and make her do something she's not confortable with...thats my .02

[Sam]

Come backers are part of the game, no more different then a hard hit ball to a infielder, the difference is infielders see more hard hit balls at them then most pitchers do.... If she was taught correctly comebackers shouldnt be a problem to begin with but that is another topic!! Listen I understand that fear I pitch against men that can swing a bat very well, most with a lot of power, and truth be told I am more scared when I play third base then when I am pitching. As a pitcher you have control over what happens (for the most part) you know when that ball is gonna get drilled your way if you know what your doing and if you were taught correctly its not an issue. The problem is too many kids are taught to be throwers and not pitchers and too many coaches dont know how to protect their young pitchers from getting hurt. She's gun shy now because she got hit hard and thats understandable but she needs to know why that happened just like an infielder needs to know why a ball hit them when they were fielding .....But if she is now done with that position then let it go but explain to her that there is a risk at any position she plays, even in the outfield! Good luck buddy its tough but dont pull a dick move and make her do something she's not confortable with...thats my .02

This is total bullshit. The pitcher is 37 feet from a batted ball. A ball hit at 80mph travels 117/second, so the pitcher has 0.32 seconds to react. An infielder has 0.51-0.64 seconds to react to the same ball. Thats 1/3 less time to react. Please don't give me the "pitchers arent taught to field" crap. I've had great IFs who were smashed by balls when they pitched.

This is an issue. Pitchers look like hockey goalies now. The game isn't safe and it will cause less and less girls to want to pitch or even want to play.

[as the world turns]

Come backers are part of the game, no more different then a hard hit ball to a infielder, the difference is infielders see more hard hit balls at them then most pitchers do.... If she was taught correctly comebackers shouldnt be a problem to begin with but that is another topic!! Listen I understand that fear I pitch against men that can swing a bat very well, most with a lot of power, and truth be told I am more scared when I play third base then when I am pitching. As a pitcher you have control over what happens (for the most part) you know when that ball is gonna get drilled your way if you know what your doing and if you were taught correctly its not an issue. The problem is too many kids are taught to be throwers and not pitchers and too many coaches dont know how to protect their young pitchers from getting hurt. She's gun shy now because she got hit hard and thats understandable but she needs to know why that happened just like an infielder needs to know why a ball hit them when they were fielding .....But if she is now done with that position then let it go but explain to her that there is a risk at any position she plays, even in the outfield! Good luck buddy its tough but dont pull a dick move and make her do something she's not confortable with...thats my .02

This is total bullshit. The pitcher is 37 feet from a batted ball. A ball hit at 80mph travels 117/second, so the pitcher has 0.32 seconds to react. An infielder has 0.51-0.64 seconds to react to the same ball. Thats 1/3 less time to react. Please don't give me the "pitchers arent taught to field" crap. I've had great IFs who were smashed by balls when they pitched.

This is an issue. Pitchers look like hockey goalies now. The game isn't safe and it will cause less and less girls to want to pitch or even want to play.

I'm with Sam on this one, bats and balls should be banned from the game. They cause too many injuries.

[Sam]

Come backers are part of the game, no more different then a hard hit ball to a infielder, the difference is infielders see more hard hit balls at them then most pitchers do.... If she was taught correctly comebackers shouldnt be a problem to begin with but that is another topic!! Listen I understand that fear I pitch against men that can swing a bat very well, most with a lot of power, and truth be told I am more scared when I play third base then when I am pitching. As a pitcher you have control over what happens (for the most part) you know when that ball is gonna get drilled your way if you know what your doing and if you were taught correctly its not an issue. The problem is too many kids are taught to be throwers and not pitchers and too many coaches dont know how to protect their young pitchers from getting hurt. She's gun shy now because she got hit hard and thats understandable but she needs to know why that happened just like an infielder needs to know why a ball hit them when they were fielding .....But if she is now done with that position then let it go but explain to her that there is a risk at any position she plays, even in the outfield! Good luck buddy its tough but dont pull a dick move and make her do something she's not confortable with...thats my .02

This is total bullshit. The pitcher is 37 feet from a batted ball. A ball hit at 80mph travels 117/second, so the pitcher has 0.32 seconds to react. An infielder has 0.51-0.64 seconds to react to the same ball. Thats 1/3 less time to react. Please don't give me the "pitchers arent taught to field" crap. I've had great IFs who were smashed by balls when they pitched.

This is an issue. Pitchers look like hockey goalies now. The game isn't safe and it will cause less and less girls to want to pitch or even want to play.

I'm with Sam on this one, bats and balls should be banned from the game. They cause too many injuries.

Your John Wayne quote is so accurate.....

[as the world turns]

Come backers are part of the game, no more different then a hard hit ball to a infielder, the difference is infielders see more hard hit balls at them then most pitchers do.... If she was taught correctly comebackers shouldnt be a problem to begin with but that is another topic!! Listen I understand that fear I pitch against men that can swing a bat very well, most with a lot of power, and truth be told I am more scared when I play third base then when I am pitching. As a pitcher you have control over what happens (for the most part) you know when that ball is gonna get drilled your way if you know what your doing and if you were taught correctly its not an issue. The problem is too many kids are taught to be throwers and not pitchers and too many coaches dont know how to protect their young pitchers from getting hurt. She's gun shy now because she got hit hard and thats understandable but she needs to know why that happened just like an infielder needs to know why a ball hit them when they were fielding .....But if she is now done with that position then let it go but explain to her that there is a risk at any position she plays, even in the outfield! Good luck buddy its tough but dont pull a dick move and make her do something she's not confortable with...thats my .02

This is total bullshit. The pitcher is 37 feet from a batted ball. A ball hit at 80mph travels 117/second, so the pitcher has 0.32 seconds to react. An infielder has 0.51-0.64 seconds to react to the same ball. Thats 1/3 less time to react. Please don't give me the "pitchers arent taught to field" crap. I've had great IFs who were smashed by balls when they pitched.

This is an issue. Pitchers look like hockey goalies now. The game isn't safe and it will cause less and less girls to want to pitch or even want to play.

I'm with Sam on this one, bats and balls should be banned from the game. They cause too many injuries.

Your John Wayne quote is so accurate.....

Right, Sam?

[curveballerguy124]

Sam... Your missing my point I am not saying pitching isn't dangerous bats are hot and the balls are rock hard but if your pitcher was taught movement and control correctly you lesson the chance of a hard comebacker significantly!!!! I've been pitching a looong time Sam and can count on one hand the number of comebackers in a game that I was unable to defend myself against.... Keep in mind I'm 6'2 I pitch from 46ft we are allowed to leap so I deliver pitches from about 36ft at speeds up to and around the 70mph range, balls come off of composite bats very fast at those speed......Yet I will say again I am more scared playing 3B then I am pitching because at least in the circle I have control over what happens!!!

[Chin Music]

Hey curve I pitched a looooong time too! I felt much more comfortable at a corner with my feet squared taking a line shot than pitching,leaping forward with my momentum going towards the plate. I had a good idea where and what my pitches would do but even hitting my spots shit happens. Pitchers are way more vulnerable!