Discussion: Tournament Coaching Strategy

In the conference tournaments, your pitching rotation/strategy would seem to be different depending on what seed you are going into the tournament.

Situation #1: Already have a berth guaranteed
If a team already has a berth guaranteed in the state tournament, I believe that they would pitch whoever they want to start the first game in the states today so he gets a full week's rest before that tournament begins. Situations like Alexander Central, South Meck, Independence, West Rowan, Ashbrook and North Meck should throw next tuesday's starter TODAY.

The last thing you want is to schedule the guy you wish to throw next tuesday to pitch this thursday and then have rain force the games back 1 or 2 days and leave you "high/dry". Starting next week, it's win or go home.

What is your pitching rotation?

Situation #2: Trying to earn a berth
You have to gamble in this situation and build towards the last day of the tournament. If you are in a situation where you have to win 3 games in order to go. What do you do? Who do you throw?

 

Situation 1 : be smarter than bait.

Situation 2 : every game is a play-off game -- better win.

 

Good points Nuff Ced!!

 

VERY interesting that this has come up in a topic. Lets discuss the NW4A. South Caldwell and McDowell finished tied for 3rd. South got the tiebreaker for seeding because of their upset win over Alexander Central. In the NW4A ties are decided by whomever goes farther in the tourney (I think one team has to make the finals, but not positive). If they go the same distance, McDowell and South would have played for the 3 seed prior to the conference finals.

ANYWAY, both South and McDowell win in round one. McDowell faces Alexander and South faces Watauga. McDowell decides to roll the dice and not pitch their #1 Michael Taylor, versus Alexander and basically hope the patchwork team can upset the number one Alexander and have Taylor for a playin game versus South. It fails miserably as McDowell gets crushed.

South, pitches the freshman that beat Alexander last Thursday and he upsets Watauga. Therefore, South Caldwell has just punched their ticket to the playoffs and McDowell is done without their ace, Michael Taylor, ever seeing the mound.

So, without causing a flame war on here, what happened to winning or losing with your best?

 

Two years ago Person was played #2 Riverside in the first round of the PAC-6 Tournament. (This was the year that Jason Neighborgall and CO were Seniors). Riverside did not pitch Jason and Person won 10-0 in 5 innings as Patrick Bowes threw a no-no. Person went on to win the PAC-6 Tournament and knock Riverside out of the playoffs. You cant take anything for granted in baseball, just one game at a time...

 

I would have saved Taylor for a play in game, but the bottom line is that you can't expect to be a playoff team with one quality pitcher, when your competition (SC) has three. As I recall, Taylor was ripped in last year's conference tournament and appeared to be tired. Watauga swept SC in regular season, are a well coached senior-heavy squad, and were hosting the conference tournament. They should have been heavy favorites to beat SC for the 3rd time. The real story here is that a freshman, Madison Bumgarner has led his team into the playoffs with back to back wins over the #1 team in the state and a very good Watauga team. Wonder what he will do for an encore !

 

This may be asking too much.

 

....and every coach has (at some time) gone with his gut instinct that someone could get the job done for him ..... If you go with your best, you're never second-guessed, but if a gamble pays off, you're a genius.

 

VI,
We've all been a "minnow" at some point in time, haven't we.

 

if you don't win today..you will not play Thursday...start your best today. closer in later innings and Thur. your second...ace is available for 1, closer is available, too...this is why you need more than 1 pitcher...