How many walks is too many?

[Militia#25]

Ok just wondering what you guys say for a pitcher is too many walks in one game, or after how many walks do you guys let your pitcher have before you pull him? I let my pitch have 4 walks in a game before I pull him which I think is pretty lenient.

 

[doubles]

3 in a row would be my max. if its 4 over 7 innings not too big of a deal

 

[jrockdog]

once they start scoring, find somebody else.

 

[jbo911]

I have to assume I've hit 8+ before, but I also don't keep track. I'm more likely to pull myself if they're really teeing off on my pitching than if I'm walking people.

 

[Exparrot]

A lot of it depends on just how close you (or they) are to the zone. If you're dropping them 3' short of the plate, your leash should be shorter.

Three in a row is my threshold.

 

[KannonsDad]

It doesn't matter as long as you win

 

[rhound50]

Having a set number makes no sense, there are times where 2 walks is to many and there are times when 10 is totally fine all depends on how the game is playing out. If you guys are up 20-0 you are going to pull your pitcher on his 4th walk in the 7th inning?

 

[Frisco Kid]

Having a set number makes no sense, there are times where 2 walks is to many and there are times when 10 is totally fine all depends on how the game is playing out. If you guys are up 20-0 you are going to pull your pitcher on his 4th walk in the 7th inning?

No, no, 4 walks, that's it, you're out. IDGAF what the score is. YOU'RE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LetTheBigDogEat]

who is he walking, when is he walking them? are the walks turning into runs? more variables than just how many

 

[rhound50]

No, no, 4 walks, that's it, you're out. IDGAF what the score is. YOU'RE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Softball is serious bidness and don't you forget it. The guy that runs one of my rec coed teams always cracks me up. A while back we were up 18-2, our 3b made 2 errors in a row and he pulled the guy and made me get off my lazy XH ass and play 3b. Serious serious bidness

 

[Frisco Kid]

Softball is serious bidness and don't you forget it. The guy that runs one of my rec coed teams always cracks me up. A while back we were up 18-2, our 3b made 2 errors in a row and he pulled the guy and made me get off my lazy XH ass and play 3b. Serious serious bidness

Jesus. I'm so glad none of the teams I play on take it that seriously. We play to win, but man... this ain't the ****in' MLB.

 

[Pumacat35]

As one of our teams pitchers I have never been pulled........but I have pulled myself. If I feel like I have lost control and can't find it I will pull myself!
Some pitchers get upset but in the end my team winning is number 1, it hurts a guy's pride to get pulled but on the other hand you have to have enough pride to pull yourself and let your other pitcher finish the game for you.
For the most part pitchers know when they have lost it!

 

[rhound50]

Jesus. I'm so glad none of the teams I play on take it that seriously. We play to win, but man... this ain't the ****in' MLB.

The funny part is he is actually a nice guy who doesn't play he just coaches and has for a number of years. He does take the game to serious but most of the people who play for him have been for years and when he gets pissy everyone just laughs. Our 3b is on SBF and was laughing his ass off when he got pulled. I think it was his way of getting promoted to XH.

 

[bamaboy1626]

depends..... crappy league game... let them pitch. Competitive game where the pitcher is trying to pitch inside and out and gives up a couple of walks... no biggie. The real time to pull a pitcher is if they are scoring constantly.

 

[jbo911]

As one of our teams pitchers I have never been pulled........but I have pulled myself. If I feel like I have lost control and can't find it I will pull myself!
Some pitchers get upset but in the end my team winning is number 1, it hurts a guy's pride to get pulled but on the other hand you have to have enough pride to pull yourself and let your other pitcher finish the game for you.
For the most part pitchers know when they have lost it!

The first part of this is true and it cracks me up. I know I get some guys to make outs because of my pitching, but I'm still throwing it underhanded. I've played with and against teams that can't hit a lefty even if he's throwing straight four seamers. Sometimes showing them something different is all it takes to throw them off.

The second part though, I never lose it. Sometimes I have it better than others, but how well I have it has nothing really to do with how they're hitting me. It's underhanded. I do realize when I'm getting hammered though, and I have no problem giving someone else a chance.

 

[mattun]

It really depends. I had a game this year where a I was totally wild and walked like 8 guys, but only gave up three runs (two scored because the LF dropped a pop up). Then I walked one batter in the next five games, but two of the games they absolutely teed off on me and I probably should have been yanked. I think there can be something to be said for convienently wild, sometimes teams are really impatient and swinging at crap so the guy who walks a bunch is more effective than you BP pitching backup.

There's an argument that the more wild pitchers (even if they're not walking guys) get the defense back on their heels too. It's really what other options you have and if it's going to hurt your defense to bring a better defender in to pitch just to avoid some walks.

 

[east bay j]

The major assumption here is that you have a back-up pitcher that can do better.

Your pitcher should be smart enough to know when to pull him/her self. Walks, in and of themselves, do not matter.

 

[txbullets]

How well is he actually pitching? It really does depend a lot on the situation. A major factor also is how good is your backup pitcher? Does he just throw cookies? Does he throw a knuckle ball and the wind is blowing so there are a lot of mis-hits going along with those walks? My personal goal is less than 2 walks a game. I have had tournaments we have won where I have walked less than 4 or 5 total. But I have had games with wind blowing in my face and my knuckle ball is moving 2'-3' so impossible to control. 2-3 of the Big hitters got all knuckle balls and I didn't care if I walked them. Rest of the team got a 1st pitch strike for the most part.

 

[ImminentDanger]

how many walks do you guys let your pitcher have before you pull him?

The major assumption here is that walks are by definition BAD... I disagree with that...

The major assumption here is that you have a back-up pitcher that can do better.

Your pitcher should be smart enough to know when to pull him/her self. Walks, in and of themselves, do not matter.

Sometimes showing them something different is all it takes to throw them off.

The second part though, I never lose it. Sometimes I have it better than others, but how well I have it has nothing really to do with how they're hitting me. It's underhanded. I do realize when I'm getting hammered though, and I have no problem giving someone else a chance.

I pitch all over the place on purpose - keep the batters off balance - but, that, sometimes, creates walks...

If your pitcher _can't_ keep from throwing walks, give the backup a chance...

If the opposing team is simply hitting your pitcher's particular style of pitching, give the backup a chance...

In my case, only I can pull myself from pitching... I'm the coach as well

%%%

 

[ninerempire25]

Guy on an opposing team a few weeks ago walked the first 5 batters in a row to start the game off

 

[PPC#12]

I walked the first 3 batters in a row in our second game at states this year. Yikes! We played the game prior and everything went normal.. New ump came in and after I walked the third batter with typical "strikes" that were called balls he said I was told the balls have to cross at their eyes!!!! I lost my cool a bit after that statement and tried explaining that this is utrip..

 

[hacker72]

Depends on what happens after the walks. I've intentionally pitched around (walked) some hitters to get to others. I know if I am struggling and will pull myself if need be. I've pulled myself after a bad inning and went right back to it the next inning and I was back to the norm.

I've pulled myself before for giving up what I considered too many hits also...so it is what it is.

 

[B-radical]

As many as the P wants..........

He doesn't tell me how to play 2nd, I'm sure as hell not going to tell him how he needs to pitch. Walks happen, sometimes folks have bad nights.....it's D league slow pitch (for us) so I don't get too worked up about it. Sometimes he does it on purpose to get to the next batter and turn a DP

 

[jbo911]

Here's the only times I get pissed.

Some noob douche that knows nothing starts chirping on my team. I like when my team busts my balls, but if you don't know me or the difference between a joke and not keep it zipped. I also hate people that seriously say stupid baseball **** like get work ahead in the count.

If people ask me if I need to come out when my walks are 100% on the ump. I push the envelope constantly to see what he'll give me, and it takes a lot for me to give up the corners. If it takes me a couple of innings to figure out the ump is trash and inconsistent I'd still like a couple of innings to figure out each hitter. If they're crushing me I'll still swap out, but if they're not hitting and I'm just fighting the ump I'm going to gut it out.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

who is he walking, when is he walking them? are the walks turning into runs? more variables than just how many

Agree. We use a mat and I am an edge of the mat pitcher. If I am just missing the edge then that is the penalty for that style of pitching. If I am wild (which is very rare) than any walk is bad and I have pulled myself out of a few games after 2 or 3 walks.

 

[-Six-]

multiple walks in a row across 2-3 innings and the strike pitches are cookies. But usually the pitcher knows he isnt got it today. and does it himself.

 

[Fatt_Tony_13]

You guys have more than one pitcher on your team?

 

[fierce_gt]

3 in a row would be my max. if its 4 over 7 innings not too big of a deal

exactly. I don't care if the pitcher keeps walking their good hitters trying to get them to swing at questionable pitches and end up walking 4-5 batters throughout the whole game.

what drives me nuts is when the other team starts standing there 'knowing' there's no way the pitcher can throw 3 strikes in the next 7 pitches, and we load them up.

I still want to know the pitcher CAN throw a strike when they want to, and only CHOOSE to throw balls/questionable pitches on purpose.

 

[blakcherry329]

There is no set number of walks, imo. It's all about the situation. If you walk a guy every inning, but he doesn't score, no biggie. Also if you are walking guys but aren't getting hit hard, why pull the pitcher? When the walks lead to runs, that's when it becomes a problem.

My goal is not to walk anybody, but that doesn't happen. I hate walking anyone or giving up bombs.

 

[jbo911]

There is no set number of walks, imo. It's all about the situation. If you walk a guy every inning, but he doesn't score, no biggie. Also if you are walking guys but aren't getting hit hard, why pull the pitcher? When the walks lead to runs, that's when it becomes a problem.

My goal is not to walk anybody, but that doesn't happen. I hate walking anyone or giving up bombs.

Which do you hate more? Both are going to happen.

If I walk a guy an inning and the guy scores every inning, but they're only getting 1-2 an inning and you pull me I'm going to openly mock how stupid you are. I know coaches that do this very thing, and not only do they not ask me to play for them, they don't win all that much.