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How to use your best pitcher

K kdog10+ posts
My "ace" is 0-3 scattering seven hits in 20 innings of work with 29 strikeouts and 4 base on balls but the defense has given up 9 unearned runs behind him.

My other pitchers have a combined record of 6-2.

So tonight I used four different pitchers to get to the seventh and then used my ace to close it out and get the save. We won the game 7-6 and he struck out the side with a runner on third.

Thus, my question is: would you use your best pitcher as a closer during the 5th - 7th or 6-7th of every game in high school or use him one game and pitch the whole game.

To my staff and I it seems the team relaxes too much with the ace on the mound - thinking he will do it by himself. Then with other pitchers we are on our toes because the ball is in play and committ less errors.

I don't know at this point but I'm leaning towards my best pitcher throwing twice a week in the late stages of the game so I have my best on the mound when the game is close.

What are your thoughts?

Throw the ace once a week?
Make the ace the closer / mid relief?

Just know I have 6 players that can throw strikes, we won't dominate anyone - but we will throw strikes and play defense.

So give me your comments and / or suggestions.
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Coach BobCoach Bob500+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by kdog:
To my staff and I it seems the team relaxes too much with the ace on the mound - thinking he will do it by himself. Then with other pitchers we are on our toes because the ball is in play and committ less errors.


This is the issue I would address...focus on changing the rest of the teams mentality when "ace" is on the hill.

Why penalize a kid that is a very good starter by relegating him to spot closer duty. For the good of that kid, run him out for his innings/pitch count every 4-5 days and results be ****ed, put it on the TEAM to support "ace" and get him and the TEAM their W's.

Additionally, if "Ace's" parents want him to get college looks they're coming after you if you don't let him start and maybe he's not racking up wins, but he's got a great WHIP and K/9 that will get him exposure.

I'd be busting the butts (aka benching) the guys playing sloppy/uninspired behind ace and maybe give some bench guys the opportunity to start as they are probably hungry for the PT and will not take it for granted. Doing that once or twice is going to rattle the starters to realize they better up their game as well.
trojan-skippertrojan-skipper1,000+ posts
I don't see closing as being "penalized"
He is still making a solid contribution.
You are trying to win games, not showcase boys.
If you find a winning combination, Well don't be afraid to use it.
There's really no way to know if that "well, the ace is on the mound so we will just let him do it" is real or not. Every game is a new game...

You do what you think will win you the very next ballgame.
You've got some battlers and a legit gun... A lot of us would like to have that problem
I IEBSBL1,000+ posts
I see both sides. I have had teams that take a breath when the Ace is on the hill and he doesn't get many runs and loses. I think it comes down to this. If you were to start your #2 and #3 guy are they going to keep you in games? The other thing is this. Closing doesn't mean you bring him in the 7th inning. I could be a thing where you let your starting pitcher go 2 times through the lineup and then bring him in the 5th and let him throw the rest. If you have chances to win games you have to use your Ace accordingly to how you guys can best win games. If he is legit and needs to be seen, he will be seen whether out of the bullpen or not.
Stats4GnatsStats4Gnats10,000+ posts
There are so many reasons things happen on the field the way they do, I hesitate to point my finger at any one thing and say “THAT’S THE REASON!”

It could be as simple as the defense “falling asleep” because the “gun” is throwing a lot of pitches and there are a lot of strikeouts or he takes way too much time between pitches. Or, it could be the offense isn’t covering the defense because they’re typically facing the opponent’s “gun” too.

In situations like this, I look at a couple things. EMBs, Errors Made Behind the pitcher, and runs scored behind the pitcher, along with total and earned runs, and of course WHIP.

Rather than have you looking all over the place at a bunch of different metrics, I put them all onto one for you to see.

http://www.infosports.com/scor...r/images/pitinfo.pdf
Stats4GnatsStats4Gnats10,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by trojan-skipper:
that's a nice spreadsheet Stats!
very impressive work


Thanx for the kind words t-s, but I assure you that like anything else, once you have the material and learn how to create something out of it, it really isn’t all that difficult. That particular one took me about an hour from start to finish to get working and formatted, and I’ll never have to do anything ever again, but check a box to make it run, and I’ll have it available for any past or future players.

Ya know what the most difficult part of it was? Accounting for all the grounders and flies, the number of errors made behind, and the number of runs scored behind. Those just aren’t typical data points kept by most teams, but I’ve been lucky in that I‘ve tracked them for well over a decade, so I have the old data, and any game I score now generates more. Wink
S smalltownmom100+ posts
I'm going to assume you have pitched your ace against the best competition. I am also going to assume you will need your ace to start once district tournament begins and the games take on new meaning. If this is the case I think you would want your ace getting his starts so he is best prepared to take help take your team as far as they can go.
standballdadstandballdad5,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by kdog:
My "ace" is 0-3 scattering seven hits in 20 innings of work with 29 strikeouts and 4 base on balls but the defense has given up 9 unearned runs behind him.

My other pitchers have a combined record of 6-2.

So tonight I used four different pitchers to get to the seventh and then used my ace to close it out and get the save. We won the game 7-6 and he struck out the side with a runner on third.

Thus, my question is: would you use your best pitcher as a closer during the 5th - 7th or 6-7th of every game in high school or use him one game and pitch the whole game.

To my staff and I it seems the team relaxes too much with the ace on the mound - thinking he will do it by himself. Then with other pitchers we are on our toes because the ball is in play and committ less errors.

I don't know at this point but I'm leaning towards my best pitcher throwing twice a week in the late stages of the game so I have my best on the mound when the game is close.

What are your thoughts?

Throw the ace once a week?
Make the ace the closer / mid relief?

Just know I have 6 players that can throw strikes, we won't dominate anyone - but we will throw strikes and play defense.

So give me your comments and / or suggestions.


What is the age of your player and is this a competitive team or is it Rec ball? To me, the answer is different if it is Rec Ball versus a more Competitive league/TB as well as the age.

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