How important is chemistry between pitchers and catcher’s

Rerun

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How important is chemistry between pitcher and catcher’s?
 

daboss

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Good question. I believe we all know the benefit of having a positive team chemistry. While difficult to achieve, it only stands to reason that a pitching staff and the catchers interaction with each other happens more often. We would really like to see a strong bond with them but I'm not sure it truly needs to be a priority issue. It doesn't "NEED" to be more than the team chemistry thing I mentioned, we'd simply like it to be an unconditional trust. We don't want them enemies, that's for sure. lol.

One of the things that's always been controversial in coaching is to let catchers call the pitches during games. One of the best ways to challenge the trust between catchers and pitchers is to let catchers call pitches. My advice; don't go there. Take that element out of the equation so the girls have no reason to resent each other for decisions they can't agree on.

Watch the College World Series and you will not find catchers calling any games. Watch the interaction between the batteries and they get along well. Only on a rare occasion will you see a pitcher shake off a sign. That's because only a pitcher knows if she's uneasy or nervous to throw a certain pitch in the moment. If catchers call pitches, any disagreement can turn to animosity between them. If coaches screw up you will unite the battery as they will agree it was a mistake. lol.

While pitchers and catchers can compliment each other, they both need to know the importance of being on the same page. That bond doesn't need to mean they eat and sleep together. The game brings them closer due simply because they touch the ball more than anyone else. They spend time with themselves and coaching staff in the dugout due to the very same facts.

Catchers still need to work with the other pitchers on the staff and they can't play favorites. They need to adjust. They need strong people skills. They need to be diplomatic. More importantly, they need to be independent for the better of the team effort.

Pitchers need to stay in their own heads.
 

yocoach

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I would agree with most of what daboss said. The exception of course is not teaching catchers to call pitches. There are several reasons we won't see catchers calling pitches in the WCWS. 1) College coaches at that level are being paid big money to win. They aren't going to leave the fate of a game let alone their fate of their job if they lose too many games in a catcher's hands. 2) The coaching staff has spent a lot of time scouting, watching films and gathering all kinds of statistics and intelligence on opposing teams hitters. Catchers on the other hand have a tough enough time keeping up with their studies and practice. They sure as heck don't have time to add excess duties such as memorizing all of the data on every player of each team they play. Thus, the coaching staff is in the best position to call the pitches since they have the data in hand on every player of the opposing team.

OTOH, college coaches at other levels of play such as D1 mid-majors, D2 and D3 will let their catchers call the pitches depending upon the pressure to win. Usually you'll find the coaches that do this have been at the school for quite awhile and the school itself puts the "student" in "student athlete" first and the "athlete" second. At these schools, they also believe that playing a sport in college is more about enhancing the college experience and teaching life lessons such as time management skills than winning. At least that's the way it was explained to me by DD's college coach who lets her call the pitches in games. He feels it's very important for a catcher to know how to call pitches, setting up a pitch, reasoning behind calling a certain pitch at a specific time in a count, strategy, etc.
 

DanMaz

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one of my favorite things to see is the support from the catcher and pitcher to each other. A good catcher can help the pitcher mentally with verbal support and leadership. Same with the pitcher offering support and encouragement to the catcher. They need each other to support each other. That's what i like to see... that great relationship between the 2. as far as the young ages go, i like to let the catchers occasionally call a game. And so far, I have never had any players resent each other over a catcher calling a pitch that maybe didn't work or one that the pitcher didn't like.
 

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Having good relationships especially between pitchers and catchers helps the overall team chemistry as others pointed out.
While it does help player growth for catchers to learn how to call pitches as well as control a game and set defenses as they move up in level of play they don't do it as much as some may think.
Once the ladies hit 14U we would look at the schedules and see where we could grow the ladies or, depending on how the game goes take advantage of opportunities to get them some time calling the game but it was never a plan to have the catchers control the game. Once they went on to adult ball 18+ yeah it was their game 100%. The dads would just get them in events, keep score coach a base and let them play.

With that said, most of your upper programs Travel, HS, College rely on staff to help manage and control a game. You need pitchers and catchers that are team players and understand how to play the game smarter and faster and utilize all resources.

Naturally there is more to the game at the upper levels of play than just calling pitches on where the batter sets up or hitting style.
Todays top programs look at situations, tendencies, previous AB for setting defense for specific outs etc. when calling pitches.

10 years ago one would hardly see wristband signal systems...Now just about every top level team utilizes some type of signal system to call pitches, set defenses and alert the fielders of where they are trying to get the hitter to place the ball in or, for potential out opportunities when there are runners at first and or, third.
 

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