Roster size?

Beezer

Roster size will depend upon the versatility of your players. As an example, on Redbird's Cooperstown team, he carried 12 players because it was a very long tournament playing many games. Of the 12 players, ALL 12 pitched at least 3 innings during the week and 6 of the 12 players caught! IMO, the versatility of his team was an integral part of their success, finishing runner-up out of 64 teams. The following is a list of Cooperstown records that his team set:

-Most putouts at first base by an outfielder in one game: 3 putouts by centerfielder Trevor Leach.
-Most putouts at first base by an outfielder in one week: 5 putouts by centerfielder Trevor Leach.
-Highest team batting average for the week: .462 percent
-Most pitchers used in one week: 12 pitchers (all with at least 3 innings pitched.)
-Most runners attempting to steal thrown out by a team in one week: 13 by Christian Younce, Tyler Bounce, Jon Wesselman, Hunter Higgerson, Nick Jessee and Randy Rechkemmer.
-Most consecutive at bats without recording a strikeout by a team - 71 at bats.
-Fewest strikeouts by a team during the week 39 strikeouts.

As for regular tournament play, I think that 11 is a better number than 10 but it all depends on the players ability to play multiple positions and being deep in pitchers.

R.

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Originally posted by Callaway:

As for regular tournament play, I think that 11 is a better number than 10 but it all depends on the players ability to play multiple positions and being deep in pitchers.

R.

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This would be for league / tourney play not Cooperstown. I'm thinking we're deep enough at P and versatile enough in the field but like I mentioned, you never know what'll happen and I feel safer with a couple bodies on the bench just in case. The dilema is getting them enough innings to keep them happy then but think we did just fine in that regard with 11 in '04. I was just curious how many others go with only 10.

By the way Callaway, see you the week of 6/11 at Salty Dog?

I have a roster of 13 players with one who can't play on Sundays. My preference is to have 11 including the one who can't play on Sundays (a pitcher) for a given tournament. Out of the 13 I also have a couple who only play about half our tournaments.

It looks like I'll have from 11 to 13 for our MLK weekend tournament. The not on Sundays pitcher is one of the uncertain ones and so is another pitcher. As much as I'd like to keep the numbers down I need the pitchers to make it through a 3 day tournament.

When I coached 12U I tried to keep it at 10. There were times we went to games with 9 which did make me nervous.

Most tourneys we could bat all 10 which allowed us open rotation so kids only sat out 1 inning at a time.

Over probably 100 games fall and spring this never bit us on the butt and there were no complaints about playing time.

Worked for us but we had a rule against playing rec ball at the same time. Also, as a straight tournament team we could pick and choose our schedule.

When I coached AAU I went through the whole gambit. I have 14 one year (disaster) you know you have a parent tell you they dont care if there son plays they just want the experience of playing on a good team. That lasts about one tourney. You keep a designated runner and you tell him thats what his primary role is can you handle it if you dont play alot? They say yes and that lasts about one tourney. You keep one kid that can pitch but cant hit or play the field and you tell them they are only going to pitch and might not play much can you handle it. They say yes and that lasts about one tourney. Then I went to 12 players. Well that was a disaster because with AAU I found that kids are serious and they dont miss. So you catch yourself playing the less talented kids in the pool play but they dont play alot in the championship round. This doesn't last long for obvious reasons. I finally learned somethings over the years and broke it down like this and had alot of success. State Championship AAU three top 10 Nationals and 2 top 5.

ELEVEN PLAYERS
Game 1 - 9 starters 1 runner catcher 1 runner pitcher all 11 in game.
Game 2 - 9 starters Game 1 pitcher runs Game 1 catcher sits 10 guys in game.
Game 3 - 9 starters Game 2 pitcher runs Game 2 catcher sits 10 guys in game.

I kept this rotation and all it requires is that you have at least two quality catchers. If you have more then great. It worked for us. The biggest key is you have to have at least a minimum of 8 quality pitchers and the other three need to be able to give you some innings.

At these ages its about developing players. And you dont develop players by constantly sitting them and especially in the big games. And you need to teach them every posistion on the field. The only exception in my opinion is catching. This is a posistion where the kid must want to be back there. And be capable of playing the posistion physically. Too many kids are short stops their whole lives and then they get to High School and can't play the outfield. Or they could possibly help the team on the corners but they have no clue on how to play it. Or they develop an attitude because they feel that they are being "dissed" when you move them to a posistion that they have never played. Also dont hit kids in the same spot in the order all the time. Let them see how it feels to lead off or hit in the five hole. I have had kids come into high school that have only hit in the 3-4-5 their whole life. You put them in the 8 hole and their lips poke out. Or they have no idea why it is so important for the 2 man to move a runner etc. They have never been in the situation or been taught actually baseball. Teach them baseball. Teach them to be a baseball player. Teach them to know the game. Soap box time Im out.