When Do You Pull Your Pitcher?

Maybe he was on a 75 pitch count.

I get someone up after the fifth batter and go have a visit at the same time.

With any luck at all, they aren't hitting the first pitch and I can get him out before that third home run happens.

There is no way I leave a pitcher in for that kind of inning. It wrecks the team and the pitcher.

No excuses there. After 4 or 5 a good visit to settle him down and talk about location is important. At the same time start up the pen. After a couple more, if the kid doesn't have it, chalk it up to a bad day and have him begin focusing on the next opportunity. New pitcher after 6 or 7 straight hits.
Its a shame and a sure bet to ruin the kids confidence.

Wow that is a tough day at the park. 2nd HR is the end of the line. Every pitcher has a bad day but you don't want to bury your team. I know some coaches call it character building but this guy didn't have his stuff that day.

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Question for all of you coaches out there? When do you come out to pull your pitcher. In our first at bat last night, here's what happened and the coach never even went to the mound.

Walk
RBI Single
2 Run Home Run
Line out to Left
Solo Home Run
Line out to Center
Single
2 Run Home Run
Single
Single
Single
2 Run Double
3 Run Home Run
Single
RBI Double
RBI Single
Fly out to Pitcher

13 runs in the bottom of the first and no visit/yank!

He's not walking guys, which is important and the main reason why I would pull a pitcher. If a guy is giving up singles, then I will tend to leave him in.

However, he was obviously leaving the ball up in the zone. That is something that you have to discuss with him (I say "If you're going to miss, miss down"). You also need to talk to the catcher and make sure that he is giving the pitcher a low target.

I had to pull an 11U catcher last week because he couldn't (despite reminders before every pitch) give the pitcher a low target. Instead, he insisted on putting the glove right in the fat part of the strike zone.

That wasn't my pitcher's fault. He was doing exactly what I tell my guys to do; look at the glove and throw to the glove.

It was my catcher's fault.

Defense. He left him in for defensive purposes and it worked, he made the last put out. Good coach.

dad10:

That was brilliant!

Coach seems to have missed the boat on this one - NO VISIT?? If it was me, he would have been gone by the second HR or when the reliever was ready - whichever came first!!

We ahd a game this year, 2B of the fence, 2B of the fence, 2B off the fence, viscious single that the CF caught on the hop in self defense - as Elmer Fudd would say "That's all folks" - he was done at that point - 4 batters.

My son was undefeated at 8-0 this year until he started a legion game last week against last year's defending champs.

He was ahead 2-0 going into the last inning, and had racked up about 100 pitches.

The coach left him in too long, and he lost on a few HBP's, an error, a bloop single and a foul ball sac fly. He ended the game having thrown 121.

My thought is, in that situation, I'm fine with him trying to finish the shutout, but as a coach I would NEVER allow the tying run to come up to the plate before I bring in relief. Then, at best my son gets the win. At worst, he gets a no decision. He pitched his heart out and it was unfair for him to get the loss.

What do you all think?