This is another one of those posts that you would think should generate a collective “duh” from the fastpitch softball world, but based on what I keep hearing it’s not quite as obvious as it would seem. So let me say this loudly for the people in the back:

Coaches, you need to stop putting pitchers into games without adequate time to warm up before they take the circle.

That’s true even of pitchers who warmed up before the game started. If you’re now in the second, third, fourth, or later innings, those pitchers still need some time before they go in to get themselves ready.

And the longer it’s been since they initially warmed up, the more important it is to give them time to go through the process again. Because it takes a certain amount of preparation to get ready physically and mentally, to get the feel of various pitches, the complex timing required, and to switch their heads from field player (or sitting on the bench) to being game-ready.

Look, I know sometimes your pitchers make it look easy when they step into the circle at the beginning of the game. They’re bringing good velo, they have command of their pitches, they’re ripping through batting orders like tissue paper.

As a result, you may think that it’s a switch they can throw and instantly turn into SuperStud. Trust me, it’s not.

It takes time to get ready. And there’s a “use it or lose it” factor built into it.

A pitcher who warms up before the game starts to cool with each passing minute if she’s not pitching in the game. To all of a sudden pull her in from left field or first base or wherever she’s playing currently and expect her to perform at her peak is not only unrealistic. It’s self-sabotaging.

Think about the situation. You wouldn’t be suddenly pulling her in from another position (or the bench) if things were going well for the team.

You’re pulling her in because they’re not, and you’re hoping she can put out the fire. Only she’s really not ready to perform at her peak, so there’s a pretty good chance that instead of making things better she’ll either keep them the same or make them worse.

Sure, you might get lucky and get the out you need to end the inning. But that’s probably going to be the exception.

The more likely scenario is you’ll get a walk, or a hit by pitch, or she’ll give up a meatball that goes sailing to or over the fence as she’s trying to find her groove.

The consequences of that decision may not just affect that game either. You may shake that pitcher’s confidence, especially if you get angry that she didn’t save you from your own bad decision, causing her to be overly cautious the next time out so as not to let you and the team down again.

More importantly, putting a pitcher into a game without adequate warm-up and then expecting her to perform at her highest level is a recipe for an injury – possibly one that is season-ending. No one wants that.

You would never see a Major League Baseball manager or a P4 head softball coach put a pitcher into a game without warming him/her up thoroughly first. Why would you think a younger or even high school-aged player could do it?

Ok, now that we’ve established that concept, the natural follow-up question is “how much time does that additional warm-up require?” After, all, the pitcher did spend some time before the game getting ready, so it shouldn’t be too much, right? Right?

The reality is it depends entirely on the pitcher. Some can warm up quickly, and maybe just need a little tune up before going into the game. They can probably get by with 10 minutes or less.

Others have a lengthy process they must follow in order to feel ready. It could take them 20 minutes or more to go through all their pitches to make sure they’re working properly.

As the person making the decision of when to put them in, you need to be aware of what each pitcher requires and then try to plan ahead so they’re ready to go when you need them. Just don’t wait until you’re already in trouble before you get them up and throwing.

If you think there’s any chance you’ll need a pitcher out of the bullpen/off the bench, get them warming up after 2-3 innings, just to be safe. If you’ll need to pull in a pitcher who’s already playing in the field, send in a sub, even if it’s mid-inning.

Better to have her ready and not need her than need her and not have her ready.

Coming in to pitch mid-game is often tougher on pitchers than starting one. Especially if the wheels are already coming off the wagon.

Giving your relievers enough time to warm up according to their individual needs will save you all a lot of heartaches, as well as give you a better chance of winning more games. It will also help prevent the type of injuries that can ruin a season.