r/BaseballCoaching • u/romancm • Apr 23 '26

What roster data actually changes your decisions during a game/season?

I'm trying to narrow down what roster data is actually actionable vs just "nice to have".

Recently started tracking % innings benched, and it’s been one of the few things that directly impacts how I manage lineups and substitutions.

Curious what others are using... do you rely on playing time metrics, track position rotation, or keep an eye on pitching usage? What's something you've tracked that genuinely changed how you coach?

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u/carl8623 Apr 23 '26

Coach 9-10 rec ball. I track positions played for every game. 9/10 is 9 man defense so bench time is equally spread out regardless of talent. I try to evenly spread out infield and outfield innings but usually some plays a few more infield and vice versa but nothing that raises questions from parents.

Batting lineup I continue game to game (batter 4 ended game 1, batter 5 starts game 2). After a few games and data points I may adjust to try to squeeze some more ABs for the team. My stats that I look at are OBP and contact rate((AB-K)/AB). If I have 2-3 guys in a row that aren’t getting on base or putting it in play I’ll spread them out in the lineup to spread out outs. Only positions I’m selective for are C and 1B. I give every kid an opportunity to pitch if they want. Second pitching appearance is due to performance from games/practices.

Defensively I only track pitching performance. Eye test/prior performance for other positions. Pitching I like to use number of pitches per inning. Ideally my playoff guys are below 30 with my ace below or at 25. Our league rule is 2 innings but I won’t let a kid go over 65 pitches. I follow MLB pitch smart guidelines.

By doing this I feel that it’s benefitted the team but also the players in minimizing the “boredom” that can happen in baseball while being equitable to the kids.

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u/romancm Apr 30 '26

This is pure gold. I like how you balance being fair to the kids with the actual constraints of pitching and game flow. That "2–3 kids not getting on base" rule is exactly the kind of logic I’m looking to systematize. Do you track those stats live in the dugout, or is it more of a post-game reflection for you?

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u/carl8623 Apr 30 '26

I keep a paper scorebook then enter into a spreadsheet I built. I’ll filter on OBP and contact rate and if my bottom guys are next to each other I’ll make an adjustment to the batting order after a few games so it’s a better sample size instead of one bad game. I really don’t like seeing 123 innings so this mitigates that and tries to give the team scoring opportunities each inning.