What do you differently with your team , if anything, at playoff time as compared to the regular season?
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If you can Tr, get some scouting info or stat info on your opponents. Opposing coaches will sometimes share info on a team, especially if that coach is out of contention already.
We can then come up with a more thorough game plan, such as how to pitch who, where to position players and so on. Then trust what got you there.
We can then come up with a more thorough game plan, such as how to pitch who, where to position players and so on. Then trust what got you there.
The main thing I do in the playoffs is to tighten up the defense and lineup. The best guys who have earned their playing time get to play. less substitution. I *may* let a pitcher go an extra 10 pitches if he still seems strong, but I wouldn't let him throw much more than 100.
Other than setting the rotation the way that we want it for the play-offs, we play it the same as every game of the season. We want to play everyday as if it were for the state title, so when we get there, we are not doing anything different than we did all season. We may in practice review certain little things such as the squeeze and 1st and 3rd situations. But nothing different than we always do. Stay loose and play every pitch to your best potential.
What has usually happen on my son's teams has been this:
For playoffs, coach finds a spot for the best hitters. If you can hit, you'll be in the line up, unless your fielding is just atrocious (hasn't happened yet, they may not be the best defensively, but the drop off isn't that much)
During the season it's more even, everybody gets at bats in a more or less equal manner. That's the time everyone gets to contribute and show what they can (or can't) do. Playoffs? You gotta prove you can hit. Maybe if you're a weak hitter but great defensively then you'll be late inning replacement if the team has a lead to protect. There is usually some sort of re-entry rule if you need the big bat in the line-up again.
Best Pitchers pitch. Sometimes you can take an educated look at your opponent and send a #3 or 4 guy against a weak opponent in the first round, but you gotta be sure of it. You don't want to get burned. And you should have a stopper ready and a quick hook if it doesn't work out. I know this because we were on the opposite side of this and we burned a very good team. We were a good team, but seeded low due to a couple of 1 run losses in the early round. A very strong southern team sees a low seeded NE team and figures they'd throw a #2 or 3 guy and save their ace for the semi. We jumped all over their starter in the second inning, got 5 runs, they had to bring in their ace to stop the bleeding (which he did). Our ace and defense shut them down and we won. That pretty much ended their chances and they lost their next game too. So, you really gotta know what you're doing to approach pitching that way.
So during the season you can get your # 4-5 pitchers a good amount of work, particularly in non-league games, tournaments etc. Then they've been developed pretty well and gotten time in. You'll need them to go deep in the playoffs.
For playoffs, coach finds a spot for the best hitters. If you can hit, you'll be in the line up, unless your fielding is just atrocious (hasn't happened yet, they may not be the best defensively, but the drop off isn't that much)
During the season it's more even, everybody gets at bats in a more or less equal manner. That's the time everyone gets to contribute and show what they can (or can't) do. Playoffs? You gotta prove you can hit. Maybe if you're a weak hitter but great defensively then you'll be late inning replacement if the team has a lead to protect. There is usually some sort of re-entry rule if you need the big bat in the line-up again.
Best Pitchers pitch. Sometimes you can take an educated look at your opponent and send a #3 or 4 guy against a weak opponent in the first round, but you gotta be sure of it. You don't want to get burned. And you should have a stopper ready and a quick hook if it doesn't work out. I know this because we were on the opposite side of this and we burned a very good team. We were a good team, but seeded low due to a couple of 1 run losses in the early round. A very strong southern team sees a low seeded NE team and figures they'd throw a #2 or 3 guy and save their ace for the semi. We jumped all over their starter in the second inning, got 5 runs, they had to bring in their ace to stop the bleeding (which he did). Our ace and defense shut them down and we won. That pretty much ended their chances and they lost their next game too. So, you really gotta know what you're doing to approach pitching that way.
So during the season you can get your # 4-5 pitchers a good amount of work, particularly in non-league games, tournaments etc. Then they've been developed pretty well and gotten time in. You'll need them to go deep in the playoffs.
