Calling Pitches - 14u, 16u, 18u

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Who calls the pitches?

 

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Catcher/Pitcher should call most of the pitches from 14U on up.

Len

 

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DD's college coach calls em all.

 

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DD called her own game at 12U but this year at 14U the coach calls em. The difference??? 14u coach's daughter is a pitcher

 

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I have seen in MLB the coaches calling pitches, watch for it this year and you will see the catcher looking over at a coach who is calling the pitches. Makes no sense to me but even MLB is doing it now..

 

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Our pitchers/catchers will be calling most of the pitches on our team this year. Of course the coaches will go over the pitches between each inning in the dugout just to make sure everyone is on the same page. We are a 2nd year 14U team and this will be our 1st year doing this.

 

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I think a lot depends on the catcher. Theoretically she is in the best place to do it, but I would argue that generally speaking, a coach will do a better job with this.

 

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i am sure at some point catcher calling will work buttrust coach a little more has ability to watch batters stance and swing to help determine where to pitch where as catcher is watching ball.although we are a 12u team at times we will let catcher call some innings to practice not in a big game yet though

 

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Catcher and pitcher should be calling their game. Let it go coaches, it is their game. Teach them to do it and you will be amazed, these girls are smarter than we give them credit for.

 

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Our catchers (Buckeye Heat 95) call the game. From a developmental perspective it makes more sense to me for them to call the game, even if it works otherwise sometimes in good organizations and good programs. I was an assistant on an excellent 16u and then 18u team, where another coach called the pitches and that worked fine.

For us the pitchers, catchers, and coaches arrive at an understanding of what ought to be happening, but it seems to us that the catchers and pitchers have a better feel for what's working and what's not, once the game begins.

 

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Catcher and pitcher should be calling their game. Let it go coaches, it is their game. Teach them to do it and you will be amazed, these girls are smarter than we give them credit for.

This is a great idea, but sometimes I think most of the coaches don't know how to call the games themselves.

 

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This is a great idea, but sometimes I think most of the coaches don't know how to call the games themselves.

You aren't kidding there. I've seen coaches call the worst pitches at the worst times and it just amazes me.

 

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I have seen in MLB the coaches calling pitches, watch for it this year and you will see the catcher looking over at a coach who is calling the pitches. Makes no sense to me but even MLB is doing it now..

The main reason MLB catchers look into the dugout is for base runner management. The MLB managers, along with the bench coaches, believe they are adept at stealing signs. Because of this, the only pitch normally called out of the dugout is the pitchout. Most of the signs coming from the dugout are nothing more than fluff, meant to confuse the opposition. Also, defensive alignment is called out of the dugout, and that in many cases is also relayed by the catcher. Believe me, MLB catchers call their own game.

Most close games are not lost by pitch selection, it's lost by the pitch missing the intended location. Let your catchers call the majority of the game. It will give them invaluable experience. It also keeps them more focused on the game. You might be surprised.

Len

 

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Don't most colleges have there coaches call pitches. If it's such a great idea for catchers to call game why do the Pro coaches call games

 

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The main reason MLB catchers look into the dugout is for base runner management. The MLB managers, along with the bench coaches, believe they are adept at stealing signs. Because of this, the only pitch normally called out of the dugout is the pitchout. Most of the signs coming from the dugout are nothing more than fluff, meant to confuse the opposition. Also, defensive alignment is called out of the dugout, and that in many cases is also relayed by the catcher. Believe me, MLB catchers call their own game.

Most close games are not lost by pitch selection, it's lost by the pitch missing the intended location. Let your catchers call the majority of the game. It will give them invaluable experience. It also keeps them more focused on the game. You might be surprised.

Len

As you are right, But I watched games with no one on base, and everypitch the catcher just stared at the coach as he gave the signs. I think but not sure if my memory is working but i believe it was the Yankees and the Marlins that the coaches call the pitches

 

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I have an 11 year old team and my pitchers and catchers do all the pitch calling. They don't have too many pitches to call other than a fastball and change, depending on the pitcher, so they work on calling their spots too. We teach them what to look for in the batters, the stances, the swings, the count, what the pitcher has that is working, etc... If you teach them young they will pick it up like any other skill. It is like those coaches that don't go for double plays because they are afraid they will overthrow. Teach them to do it, practice it all the time and they will not overthrow, it will become a routine play. Not giving them the opportunity to try it because you don't want them to mess up just takes away from them learning the game. Why not let them be the best players they can be?

Haven't we talked about this once or twice before??

 

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Don't most colleges have there coaches call pitches. If it's such a great idea for catchers to call game why do the Pro coaches call games

We called our own games at Kent State. Coach talked to us in between innings to give us the low down on different batters, but it was up to us to call the pitches and locations.

 

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i think it's the dad in the stands

 

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One reason, I suspect, that college and pro coaches call the pitches is that they may well imagine that they want to be in greater control of their fates and more likely to keep their jobs. The assumption is that if they call the pitches, they are more likely to win. The problem with that logic is that (as has been just observed), location is more likely where things break down, not the particular kind of pitch itself. It's really not rocket science at all. The progressions are pretty predictable. The execution is the problem, something coaches can't really control.

You see this in MLB all the time -- catcher sets up inside, ball drifts over the plate, see ya'!

 

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As you are right, But I watched games with no one on base, and everypitch the catcher just stared at the coach as he gave the signs. I think but not sure if my memory is working but i believe it was the Yankees and the Marlins that the coaches call the pitches

I am watching the Yankees right now and Posada is calling his own game as is Victor Martinez, the Red Sox catcher. I don't even know who the Marlins catcher was last year.

Seriously, it's a control thing with most coaches. Sometimes you just need to trust your catchers and pitchers. The coaches have other important things they should be doing or monitoring during a game.

Len