Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Who calls your team's pitches during games?

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #1

I'm sure this has been polled at some point, but I'm new so I figured I'd throw it out there to get an idea of where everyone is at on this topic:

(a) The pitcher
(b) The catcher
(c) The Head Coach
(d) The Asst/'Pitching' Coach
(e) The pitcher's father/parent

Happy polling!

www.CincyFury.com

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #2

pitching coach

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #3

also, are their disadvantages/advantages of having a coach call or a dad call the game? i'm sure this questions varies for age groups as well (cant see a 10u catcher knowing the intricate details of a strike zone...plus what does a 10u pitcher throw?--fastball high, fastball low, wild pitch)

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #4

This is going to very on age group. I do not think 14U or under no enough about it to call a game. I also would question 16U as well as 18U. There are only a fraction of catchers /pitchers that can do this successfully. It may be different if they were coached at the younger age group as to why certain pitches are called or how to set up a batter. With that being said there may be many coaches that do not really know how to do it so it is not coached.

Also the catcher and pitcher work together There is no way a pitcher can call a game all by herself. The catcher flashes a sign and the pitcher agrees or the shakes it off . I look at it as a sugestion by the catcher.The catcher has to know what pitch is coming thats why it starts there.

The pitcher and catcher work in tandem to call the game.

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #5

The catcher should be calling the game with input from the coaches between innings. Doing College visits right now and some of the coaches are amazed that some kids coming in have never called a game and don't know how. With that said, some of them have said they will call some portions of the game, but they mostly leave it up to the catcher and pitcher to work it together. Our Schools teach them from 7th grade to call it.

A coach especially at the older level cannot truly see where the ball is moving so HONEST communication has to be there between the catcher, pitcher and coaches. There is nothing wrong with a pitcher shaking off a pitch either, sometimes it's a feeling they have that they know one pitch will work on a batter and go for it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But that trust has to be there between the tandem.

Never, Never, should a dad be calling it from the stands.... NEVER!

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #6

our 16U catcher has called her own pitches for four years she is smart and knows the game with a great softball IQ. She was recently just chosen (1 in 26) players to play in Alabama in front of various softball scouts in a tournament against teams. We feel her calling the pitches made her a better player and also helped the pitchers feel confident in what she calls by knowing how to work the pitchers pitches.

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #7

I've been fortunate enough that I've had the same catchers for a number of years (just now losing one of my best to college after having her since the 7th grade middle school team), and have been able to work with them on calling pitches, and game situations, but Hilliarddad3 is right; you must have good, clear and honest communication between the catcher, pitcher and coaches. Also agree on the no dads (or moms) in the stands calling pitches - if you're calling pitches for my team you're either behind the plate sweating in all the gear, or you're in my dugout as a coach.

Personally I believe it should start at the younger ages and be built upon like we do everything else. For example, at 10U most pitchers are only throwing a fastball and maybe working on a change - not a lot to call, but you can start working on the placement (may not have a pitcher that can put it there, but that's another discussion), reading the batter's stance, and game situations. You get to 12U and start having a pitcher with a curve or drop, start discussing with the pitcher and catcher the best time to throw those pitches, how to set them up, when not to use them, and reiterate and build on placement, stance and game situations. And so on up through the ages. If you keep building, you end up with the players every coach dreams of having, but if you don't invest in the player's knowledge and allow them the ability to make and learn from their mistakes when they're young, it's harder to build the confidence when they're older. (My observation, as we age, we tend to be more risk averse.)

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #8

Nicely said.

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #9

Very good reply, BearMay. I agree with you 99%, only because I coach 14U and still call 100% of the pitches. I do this b/c our team just went "select", so I have great catchers with solid skills, but they still need to develop the mental edge of undertanding ALL the nuances of the game that go into pitch selection. During game time is not the time to learn, so we work on these aspects of the game at practice, on pitcher/catcher-only sessions, etc.

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #10

For the travel team, the catcher called all the games this summer & I think she did a pretty good job of it. My dd is 16U. Now for high school, we had a pitching coach who called the pitches.

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #11

Nice post Hilliarddad3. Thats just how we do it. Catcher calls the game.

 

default

Member

• Aug 15, 2008

• #12

One of our Coaches ended up calling them first year 13U. That may change as catchers get more experience. I think the catchers should call the pitches too. After all, they are in the center of the game on every pitch. But hey, Im not a coach. Just a Mom for the past 9 years of my DD's softball!

 

default

Member

• Aug 16, 2008

• #13

depending on the age group, you have younger 10,12U pitcher who can throw different pitches, they may not know what pitch to throw when, pitching coach or a coach who knows how to read a batter should call the game and build the pitchers & cathcer confidence, they are smart, they will pick up why you are calling certain pitchers. BY the time you get to 14,16,18U the catcher should be able to pick apart the batter by watching her stance in the batters box and know it should be inside, outside, high low

 

default

Member

• Aug 16, 2008

• #14

I think it all depends on ability. Some catchers are good at it and some are not. Some coaches are good at it and some are not. So I guess my answer is whoever is best at it. There is an article somewhere on this link about the subject http://www.fastpitching.com/news.html

 

default

Member

• Aug 16, 2008

• #15

I think I would like to hear from a college level pitcher (either current or former) to see how they feel about somebody other then them calling pitches, In most baseball cases its a suggestion, when a catcher and pitcher are clicking there is very little shaking off. My DD is a pitcher and she could careless who calls her pitches, but the past few Travel years its been an asst. coach that happened to be very good at it. She also played for a school summer team and the coach on that team (643dp on OFC) learned her pitching strengths very quickly and he also called very good games. So I think I as a dad of a pitcher I would prefer a coach that knows what they are doing over all other people calling the game.

 

default

Member

• Aug 16, 2008

• #16

It depends on the game situation........
Since many of the high school coaches rely on the catcher calling the game regardless of their knowledge and experience, I take the opportunity to teach and guide catchers to take control. That is their job correct?
If we are playing a rec league game or a "less challenging" opponent, I allow the catcher to call the game, and allow the pitcher the decision to shake off. It teaches communication between the two and confidence also between them. Of course this is after the ENTIRE team has been taught or instructed on particular pitches and locations and the result you are looking for with each. I give them the reigns unless things get out of control. We communicate during the innings on right calls and possible better choices.
I'm a defense coach and inturn want my entire team to be involved from the pitch sign to expected hit location and position adjustment defensively on that "expected" location of the hit. Catchers and pitchers must be taught to read the position, location and weakness of each batter they face inorder to call the appropriate pitch and location. Then they must also remember what worked and did not work against particular batters with particular pitchers. Catchers have to know their pitchers their strengths and weakness, they have to learn the same of the batters, and they must also have a gut feeling on what will work and the confidence in the players filling the field. Communication is everything and the catcher in my opinion must be the smartest on the field and the complete leader of the defense.
NO I AM NOT A CATCHER PARENT, but a defense coach and it is just my opinion of what has worked for me.

 

default

Member

• Aug 16, 2008

• #17

It depends, if the catcher is well schooled and is confident then let the catcher ,otherwise have a coach do it ,to take pressure off the catcher and pitcher. The pitcher always has the right to shake something off. Many colleges have a pitching coach call the game.But as it has been stated above all three need to communicate.

 

default

Member

• Aug 16, 2008

• #18

As long as coaches sit on a bucket with a joystick controlling their catcher robots, the catchers and pitchers will never learn how to work a count, or recognize a hitter's weaknesses. At the club level, it's about TEACHING your players to be better ball players. There's nothing wrong with a "suggestion" from a coach, but calling every single pitch is ridiculous. C'mon guys - take the time to teach them!

College coaches DO call the game, because their job is on the line, and it's about control. Fortunately, the better catchers who make the college ranks can generally call a game. They understand the game better than a kid who's squatted behind the plate looking at signals without a clue why those pitches are being called. If you were the mom or dad of a catcher, wouldn't you want your daughter to know that crucial part of being a good catcher? It just might make the difference in a college scholarship someday.

 

default

Member

• Aug 17, 2008

• #19

I really like the thoughts and suggestions I'm reading in this thread. One parent suggested to me that I could allow our catcher to 'call' a few innings here and there, until the catcher starts to fully understand what she is calling and why. It's when runners get on base that I feel the pitch calls are most crucial, but I have a starting catcher that does "get it", so I am excited about giving her some of this control as time goes on.

Thanks for all the great posts guys, keep em' coming!

 

default

Member

• Aug 17, 2008

• #20

Your DD is more than likely going to have to drive on ice covered roads all by herself someday. She's going to be a better skilled driver by driving around on a snow covered parking lot than sitting in the passenger seat while you drive. She has to experience it in a controlled situation.

Use pool games or league games to give your catchers experience calling their own game. Talk between innings - little by little they'll figure out strategy and batter weaknesses. They have to know (without a coach constantly reminding them) that if a RH batter has just pulled three foul balls down the third base line, a change-up will probably ring up a K.