Season Review and Week 6 Preview

[VObserver]

Are opponents defending bunt or defending deep?

Defense was pulled in on the Vasquez at bat. In response to something said in an earlier post. Yes, Vasquez was 0-2 in the game prior to the bunt attempt, but the last of those previous 2 'not a hit' at bats was a fly ball caught against the wall in LF.

[RoarMan]

The disaster was not executing the bunt, not the squeeze call.

There are about 3 topics on here currently active where the softball team super fans on here have said (even the ones that despise the bunt) bunting a runner to 3B with 0 outs or a squeeze play would only be acceptable in the late innings to TIE the game or the winning run. However, when its done and not executed the call cost us the game? And called against Lowry when Cissy was 0-2 on the day against a kid not as good as Lowry. Plus, she was given the green light until she got to a strike (be it by swinging or happened to look at strike 1 I'm sure) which she took a hack and fouled it off to the back stop before the squeeze was called. That isn't foolish, its text book high level coaching in that moment to score and tie the game up in the 6th.


I also wonder how many of the bunt attempts this season that have y'all up in arms, particularly by lefties in certain situations are actually being called vs how many of them the players are attempting on their own as part of their game to bunt for a hit, put the defense in motion or try to see the ball better by doing so?


I think I have come to the conclusion I am not a very good fan and definitely should continue keeping my thoughts and comments to myself. I obviously don't see the game through a "fans eye" so to speak. LOL

So, you actually think players are choosing to bunt on their own? That at times, may be the case, but, I would bet it is not. I can promise you, Cissy did not choose to attempt that bunt without the instruction from the coach.

[ridinsuicide]

So, you actually think players are choosing to bunt on their own? That at times, may be the case, but, I would bet it is not. I can promise you, Cissy did not choose to attempt that bunt without the instruction from the coach.

Pretty sure my post was clear. I spoke specific to the squeeze attempt, then directed the next statement to bunts in general this season that has everyone so engaged.

[ridinsuicide]

I will share my "coaching" thoughts as to the way I would have played it given a couple different scenarios should I have been in that moment. Be it there is NO right or wrong way but just as some reading material from a volunteer Coach that knows very little about the game.

6th inning vs OU and we get to Vasquez with Hart on 3B and 1 out (as ULL did in that game). With the swings Vazquez has put on Guachino in her previous 2 ABs, more so the previous fly out to LF. I let her swing away with the hopes of a hit to score 1 (or best case 2 runs) but I would also feel good about a deep fly ball to score Hart from 3B from her previous AB's and the way we have hit the ball to start that inning. Worst case is a ball in the infield that doesn't score Hart or a K. But in that scenario I give her the green light.


With all of that said, I am not Patty Gasso but it's probably a pretty good guess that she (and any other successful coach) saw it the exact same way and the reason she went to her ACE!! Now, once she trumps me there by going to her ace, I realize my chances have just diminished greatly (new look on the day, stats from the previous day against her and just her numbers thus far on the season tell me my odds are not in my favor) and I have the tie run 60' away, I play it EXACTLY the way Coach Aly did.

And IF she executes, this discussion here never happens. LOL

[raginrevival]

I will share my "coaching" thoughts as to the way I would have played it given a couple different scenarios should I have been in that moment. Be it there is NO right or wrong way but just as some reading material from a volunteer Coach that knows very little about the game.

6th inning vs OU and we get to Vasquez with Hart on 3B and 1 out (as ULL did in that game). With the swings Vazquez has put on Guachino in her previous 2 ABs, more so the previous fly out to LF. I let her swing away with the hopes of a hit to score 1 (or best case 2 runs) but I would also feel good about a deep fly ball to score Hart from 3B from her previous AB's and the way we have hit the ball to start that inning. Worst case is a ball in the infield that doesn't score Hart or a K. But in that scenario I give her the green light.


With all of that said, I am not Patty Gasso but it's probably a pretty good guess that she (and any other successful coach) saw it the exact same way and the reason she went to her ACE!! Now, once she trumps me there by going to her ace, I realize my chances have just diminished greatly (new look on the day, stats from the previous day against her and just her numbers thus far on the season tell me my odds are not in my favor) and I have the tie run 60' away, I play it EXACTLY the way Coach Aly did.

And IF she executes, this discussion here never happens. LOL

100% Agree but obviously we are in the minority. I do think if she swings away and strikes out/or hits an infield ball the positive vibe crew on here would complain we should have bunted!

[TurfToe]

100% Agree but obviously we are in the minority. I do think if she swings away and strikes out/or hits an infield ball the positive vibe crew on here would complain we should have bunted!

Ha yeah we would have heard it for sure but it would have come from a completely different group.

[VObserver]

I will share my "coaching" thoughts as to the way I would have played it given a couple different scenarios should I have been in that moment. Be it there is NO right or wrong way but just as some reading material from a volunteer Coach that knows very little about the game.

6th inning vs OU and we get to Vasquez with Hart on 3B and 1 out (as ULL did in that game). With the swings Vazquez has put on Guachino in her previous 2 ABs, more so the previous fly out to LF. I let her swing away with the hopes of a hit to score 1 (or best case 2 runs) but I would also feel good about a deep fly ball to score Hart from 3B from her previous AB's and the way we have hit the ball to start that inning. Worst case is a ball in the infield that doesn't score Hart or a K. But in that scenario I give her the green light.


With all of that said, I am not Patty Gasso but it's probably a pretty good guess that she (and any other successful coach) saw it the exact same way and the reason she went to her ACE!! Now, once she trumps me there by going to her ace, I realize my chances have just diminished greatly (new look on the day, stats from the previous day against her and just her numbers thus far on the season tell me my odds are not in my favor) and I have the tie run 60' away, I play it EXACTLY the way Coach Aly did.

And IF she executes, this discussion here never happens. LOL

I actually agree with most of this. Except my conclusion is different. The OU ace is a riseball pitcher, who threw a riseball up in the zone in a situation which coach Gasso had no doubt determined that Habetz would have Vasquez bunting. I would still swing away with Vasquez, as in my opinion her chances of hitting a deep SF are much better than her chances of successfully bunting a shoulder high riseball against OU's ace.

[ridinsuicide]

I actually agree with most of this. Except my conclusion is different. The OU ace is a riseball pitcher, who threw a riseball up in the zone in a situation which coach Gasso had no doubt determined that Habetz would have Vasquez bunting. I would still swing away with Vasquez, as in my opinion her chances of hitting a deep SF are much better than her chances of successfully bunting a shoulder high riseball against OU's ace.

GREAT perspective and could have likely been the case to be honest.

[JMV JustMyView]

The disaster was not executing the bunt, not the squeeze call.

There are about 3 topics on here currently active where the softball team super fans on here have said (even the ones that despise the bunt) bunting a runner to 3B with 0 outs or a squeeze play would only be acceptable in the late innings to TIE the game or the winning run. However, when its done and not executed the call cost us the game? And called against Lowry when Cissy was 0-2 on the day against a kid not as good as Lowry. Plus, she was given the green light until she got to a strike (be it by swinging or happened to look at strike 1 I'm sure) which she took a hack and fouled it off to the back stop before the squeeze was called. That isn't foolish, its text book high level coaching in that moment to score and tie the game up in the 6th.


I also wonder how many of the bunt attempts this season that have y'all up in arms, particularly by lefties in certain situations are actually being called vs how many of them the players are attempting on their own as part of their game to bunt for a hit, put the defense in motion or try to see the ball better by doing so?


I think I have come to the conclusion I am not a very good fan and definitely should continue keeping my thoughts and comments to myself. I obviously don't see the game through a "fans eye" so to speak. LOL

I don't recall anybody saying it was acceptable to attempt a suicide squeeze play in the late innings to tie the game or the winning run?

[JMV JustMyView]

I will share my "coaching" thoughts as to the way I would have played it given a couple different scenarios should I have been in that moment. Be it there is NO right or wrong way but just as some reading material from a volunteer Coach that knows very little about the game.

6th inning vs OU and we get to Vasquez with Hart on 3B and 1 out (as ULL did in that game). With the swings Vazquez has put on Guachino in her previous 2 ABs, more so the previous fly out to LF. I let her swing away with the hopes of a hit to score 1 (or best case 2 runs) but I would also feel good about a deep fly ball to score Hart from 3B from her previous AB's and the way we have hit the ball to start that inning. Worst case is a ball in the infield that doesn't score Hart or a K. But in that scenario I give her the green light.


With all of that said, I am not Patty Gasso but it's probably a pretty good guess that she (and any other successful coach) saw it the exact same way and the reason she went to her ACE!! Now, once she trumps me there by going to her ace, I realize my chances have just diminished greatly (new look on the day, stats from the previous day against her and just her numbers thus far on the season tell me my odds are not in my favor) and I have the tie run 60' away, I play it EXACTLY the way Coach Aly did.

And IF she executes, this discussion here never happens. LOL

Now we got you calling us ULL