That One Inning
It happened again. I might not have been the best decision that we made all season but it was one that we most likely needed to make at the time. With our top two pitcher able to throw in game one of the playoffs we had decided to hold off one day and go with our third pitcher. Let's just say that it didn't work out for us.
Five runs in the first included five walks in a row did us in for good. It was going to be an uphill battle all game long but the idea of giving a solid team a five run cushion right away was not the way in which you wanted to start a game. After switching pitchers in the first inning (Which is something I try not to do at all cost) we cruised through the rest of the game. But not able to overcome the five runs which were surrendered in the first inning.
Lessons To Learn
Attitude: What was nice to see is that the majority of the players on the team stayed in to it. The problem with that is a couple of players seem to have given up or just lost hope in the season, one in particular. The biggest problem with that is one player can cause major problems for the rest of the team if he is taken serious. One bad apple can ruin the whole bag.
Stopping That One Inning: This is a tough one for me as a coach. I am extremely optimistic that a pitcher will figure out what he is doing wrong if he gets the opportunity to do so. The problem with that thinking is he might not. After striking out the first batter of the game my pitcher looked like he might have what it takes to take us deep in the game. After that though five walks happened and a quick hook to the bench. After the game was over the coaching staff had talked about the first. Some of us thought we gave him a good amount of leash, but others had thought we left him in too long. That might be true but the fact remains that one good pitch and we are out of the inning.
I like to have faith in my pitchers. I don't think that I mind being known as a coach who leaves his pitcher one batter too long, than the opposite. But as I say that I realize that the opposite is probably the better approach to have in a game (especially the playoffs). If it wasn't for the one inning that we might have had a good chance to win that game last night but we are at it again today.
Five runs in the first included five walks in a row did us in for good. It was going to be an uphill battle all game long but the idea of giving a solid team a five run cushion right away was not the way in which you wanted to start a game. After switching pitchers in the first inning (Which is something I try not to do at all cost) we cruised through the rest of the game. But not able to overcome the five runs which were surrendered in the first inning.
Lessons To Learn
Attitude: What was nice to see is that the majority of the players on the team stayed in to it. The problem with that is a couple of players seem to have given up or just lost hope in the season, one in particular. The biggest problem with that is one player can cause major problems for the rest of the team if he is taken serious. One bad apple can ruin the whole bag.
Stopping That One Inning: This is a tough one for me as a coach. I am extremely optimistic that a pitcher will figure out what he is doing wrong if he gets the opportunity to do so. The problem with that thinking is he might not. After striking out the first batter of the game my pitcher looked like he might have what it takes to take us deep in the game. After that though five walks happened and a quick hook to the bench. After the game was over the coaching staff had talked about the first. Some of us thought we gave him a good amount of leash, but others had thought we left him in too long. That might be true but the fact remains that one good pitch and we are out of the inning.
I like to have faith in my pitchers. I don't think that I mind being known as a coach who leaves his pitcher one batter too long, than the opposite. But as I say that I realize that the opposite is probably the better approach to have in a game (especially the playoffs). If it wasn't for the one inning that we might have had a good chance to win that game last night but we are at it again today.
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