Softball pitcher: the ultimate MVP?

[CHorn427]

What is the single most valuable position in all of team sports? I think it is pitcher in softball.

In baseball and softball, defense can theoretically be (almost) reduced to one player: pitcher. Sure, you need the catcher, too. However, I’d argue the catcher’s job is relatively trivial until you have baserunners. So if the pitcher does his or job perfectly and is “unhittable”, I’d argue only an average to below average performance is required from the catcher and other defenders.

Softball pitchers can pitch much more often than baseball pitchers, enhancing their value relative to baseball pitchers. Adding to this, pitchers (particularly softball pitchers) can also significantly contribute on the other side of the ball (unlike QBs in football, for instance).

In other words: Tech’s $1M for Canady was well spent. What do y’all think?

[HookemTexas]

As I think through the major the team sports, I would have to agree with you that in softball, 1 pitcher can literally carry the team.  Cat Osterman did it for Texas back in the day and had they had a shadow of an offense would have won the natty a few times.  There were so many games where Cat lost and the decision was 1-0 in extra innings.  Like literally all the team had to do was score 1 run during regulation for the win.

No other team sport can 1 player carry the team with little help.  Baseball might be close, but the pitcher can only go once every few days.  Near impossible in football, even if a person plays both ways, possible in basketball, but extremely difficult, volleyball no way.

[horns96]

I’ve had the same thought and agree.

[Dread-headed Texan]

If you don't agree, I posted this video on what Texas faced with Pickens. If you think it's easy I got news for you🤣 

 

https://youtu.be/jCSIsROGwLQ?feature=shared

[HookedOnTF]

For Directors Cup, Title IX, softball fans etc - maybe. If Tech doesn't win, or, if the next $1M player is a clubhouse problem, that will be a fun conversation.  And I think a player like Cat is worthy of an all sports Mt Rushmore conversation (with more than 5 heads)

As for a pure economic value, or fan eyeball perspective, the $1M might help softball fundraising, but probably still has a much bigger multiplier in other sports, even outside of the QB. I'd love to see someone pencil that out.

[Hashtag]

15 hours ago, CHorn427 said:

What is the single most valuable position in all of team sports? I think it is pitcher in softball.

In baseball and softball, defense can theoretically be (almost) reduced to one player: pitcher. Sure, you need the catcher, too. However, I’d argue the catcher’s job is relatively trivial until you have baserunners. So if the pitcher does his or job perfectly and is “unhittable”, I’d argue only an average to below average performance is required from the catcher and other defenders.

Softball pitchers can pitch much more often than baseball pitchers, enhancing their value relative to baseball pitchers. Adding to this, pitchers (particularly softball pitchers) can also significantly contribute on the other side of the ball (unlike QBs in football, for instance).

In other words: Tech’s $1M for Canady was well spent. What do y’all think?

As far as women's sport I think it's definitely pitcher. Also I think it would be great if Texas got Canady for next year and we throw Kavan/Canady and guarantee a title and potential repeat. 

 

As far as men's sports there is no position as important as quarterback in football. 

[Thanos72]

16 hours ago, CHorn427 said:

What is the single most valuable position in all of team sports? I think it is pitcher in softball.

In baseball and softball, defense can theoretically be (almost) reduced to one player: pitcher. Sure, you need the catcher, too. However, I’d argue the catcher’s job is relatively trivial until you have baserunners. So if the pitcher does his or job perfectly and is “unhittable”, I’d argue only an average to below average performance is required from the catcher and other defenders.

Softball pitchers can pitch much more often than baseball pitchers, enhancing their value relative to baseball pitchers. Adding to this, pitchers (particularly softball pitchers) can also significantly contribute on the other side of the ball (unlike QBs in football, for instance).

In other words: Tech’s $1M for Canady was well spent. What do y’all think?

Refs and umps are close 

[Bobby Burton]

I’d go with softball pitcher because they can pitch every stinking game  

 

[Jack Lala]

16 hours ago, CHorn427 said:

What is the single most valuable position in all of team sports? I think it is pitcher in softball.

In baseball and softball, defense can theoretically be (almost) reduced to one player: pitcher. Sure, you need the catcher, too. However, I’d argue the catcher’s job is relatively trivial until you have baserunners. So if the pitcher does his or job perfectly and is “unhittable”, I’d argue only an average to below average performance is required from the catcher and other defenders.

Softball pitchers can pitch much more often than baseball pitchers, enhancing their value relative to baseball pitchers. Adding to this, pitchers (particularly softball pitchers) can also significantly contribute on the other side of the ball (unlike QBs in football, for instance).

In other words: Tech’s $1M for Canady was well spent. What do y’all think?

Trust me, a catcher is never trivial. I played it and coached em.

[CHorn427]

55 minutes ago, Jack Lala said:

Trust me, a catcher is never trivial. I played it and coached em.

What I mean is you can throw an average catcher out there with a world beating pitcher and the results would be very similar to having an all star catcher. What I’m saying is that no position in team sports comes as close to “being able to do it on their own” as pitcher.

QB, for instance, obviously needs his line to hold up. I’d also argue a QB needs at least one above average receiving threat to truly carry a team. 

[BurntOrangeMD]

   T E X A S  F I G H T ! ! !        T E X A S  I N  T W O !

[thatdude2]

2 hours ago, CHorn427 said:

What I mean is you can throw an average catcher out there with a world beating pitcher and the results would be very similar to having an all star catcher. What I’m saying is that no position in team sports comes as close to “being able to do it on their own” as pitcher.

QB, for instance, obviously needs his line to hold up. I’d also argue a QB needs at least one above average receiving threat to truly carry a team. 

Cam Newton?

[CHorn427]

30 minutes ago, thatdude2 said:

Cam Newton?

Yes, even Cam Newton needed an offensive line. I’m not sure how many pros that O line put out, but I found a publication that rated them a top 5 unit preseason, and Auburn had a 1000 yd back, 800 yd back and ~400 yd back that year, indicating the o line wasn’t a slouch. 

[DanielOnorato]

Softball pitcher and hockey goalie in my opinion.

Tim Thomas goaltending when the Bruins last won the Stanley Cup was ridiculous, single handedly put the team on his back and they won it all. 

[HookemTexas]

22 hours ago, HookedOnTF said:

For Directors Cup, Title IX, softball fans etc - maybe. If Tech doesn't win, or, if the next $1M player is a clubhouse problem, that will be a fun conversation.  And I think a player like Cat is worthy of an all sports Mt Rushmore conversation (with more than 5 heads)

As for a pure economic value, or fan eyeball perspective, the $1M might help softball fundraising, but probably still has a much bigger multiplier in other sports, even outside of the QB. I'd love to see someone pencil that out.

Cat Osterman was ahead of her time, just imagine how many wins she'd have if she had an offense like the current Texas softball team.  She was beyond dominant.

[georgethepunter]

22 hours ago, HookedOnTF said:

For Directors Cup, Title IX, softball fans etc - maybe. If Tech doesn't win, or, if the next $1M player is a clubhouse problem, that will be a fun conversation.  And I think a player like Cat is worthy of an all sports Mt Rushmore conversation (with more than 5 heads)

As for a pure economic value, or fan eyeball perspective, the $1M might help softball fundraising, but probably still has a much bigger multiplier in other sports, even outside of the QB. I'd love to see someone pencil that out.

@CJ Vogel @Bobby Burton @Gerry Hamilton This post got me thinking. When the news slows down a little this summer a fun coffee and football topic would be the University of Texas Athletics Mt. Rushmore. Narrowing it down to four people will be tough. 

 

Obviously VY and Eddie Reese would make it. Who would be the other two? Does KD make? He was only here for six months. Would be a fun debate on other names too. 

 

[HookemTexas]

22 minutes ago, georgethepunter said:

@CJ Vogel @Bobby Burton @Gerry Hamilton This post got me thinking. When the news slows down a little this summer a fun coffee and football topic would be the University of Texas Athletics Mt. Rushmore. Narrowing it down to four people will be tough. 

 

Obviously VY and Eddie Reese would make it. Who would be the other two? Does KD make? He was only here for six months. Would be a fun debate on other names too. 

 

That's extremely difficult, you have guys and gals before my time like James Street who not only won a national championship, he never lost a game as QB, and he's also thrown the only perfect game in UT baseball history.  You'd probably need to make a Mt. Rushmore per sport and even then it would be difficult in some of the sports.

Other notable names:  Early Campbell (1st Heisman trophy), Cat (Gold medal, multiple PoY awards), Clarissa Davis (national champion in bball, 2x PoY), Ben Crenshaw (3x NCAA champion), Tommy Nobis (national champion), Madi Skinner (3x national champion - back to back with Texas), Julien Alfred for track & field, Tara Davis for long jump, the list goes on and on.

[georgethepunter]

3 minutes ago, HookemTexas said:

That's extremely difficult, you have guys and gals before my time like James Street who not only won a national championship, he never lost a game as QB, and he's also thrown the only perfect game in UT baseball history.  You'd probably need to make a Mt. Rushmore per sport and even then it would be difficult in some of the sports.

Other notable names:  Early Campbell (1st Heisman trophy), Cat (Gold medal, multiple PoY awards), Clarissa Davis (national champion in bball, 2x PoY), Ben Crenshaw (3x NCAA champion), Tommy Nobis (national champion), Madi Skinner (3x national champion - back to back with Texas), Julien Alfred for track & field, Tara Davis for long jump, the list goes on and on.

That's what makes it fun. Can we at least agree on Eddie Reese as a unanimous choice? 

[HookemTexas]

1 minute ago, georgethepunter said:

That's what makes it fun. Can we at least agree on Eddie Reese as a unanimous choice? 

Longhorn network did something a few years back - kind of a bracket of Texas' greatest sports stars.   I think the final was between Earl and Cat.

[DanielOnorato]

Bobby Layne was special too for his contributions in both football and baseball

[Hashtag]

3 hours ago, georgethepunter said:

@CJ Vogel @Bobby Burton @Gerry Hamilton This post got me thinking. When the news slows down a little this summer a fun coffee and football topic would be the University of Texas Athletics Mt. Rushmore. Narrowing it down to four people will be tough. 

 

Obviously VY and Eddie Reese would make it. Who would be the other two? Does KD make? He was only here for six months. Would be a fun debate on other names too. 

 

I think it would need to be broken down more into Mt Rushmore for men’s sports, women’s sports, and coaches

 

vince, Roger, and tj for men’s sports, Cat and Madisen Skinner for the women are all unequivocally on it. 

KD doesn’t make it imo

coaches is the easiest with DKR, Reese, Elliott, and Augie

 

could probably make a case for Gus over Elliott but you already have Augie for baseball

Edited 17 hours ago by Hashtag

[Jeff Howe]

You'll find your answer if you look at Connie Clark's record at Texas with Cat Osterman and Blaire Luna and compare it to her record without them. It's not like looking at Charlie Strong's coaching record with and without Teddy Bridgewater, but the softball program's five Super Regionals and four trips to the WCWS before Mike White were either with one of those two pitchers on the roster.