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challenge your catcher to pick up a hitters weakness,,,, Im betting youd be surprised at what they can pick up on
Sorry coaches, but I believe a catcher should call most of the pitches...starting around age 12 or 13. If a catcher cannot call a game by then, maybe they should not be catching. Very good catchers should have a brain as well as physical ability. Of course, a coach should have the ability to call a pitch when they feel the need, and should have signals for doing so.
Catchers should soak in everything the see, both directly and peripherally. Good catchers notice just about everything concerning the hitter; her set-up in the box, the bend or straightening of the waist, the timing of the swing, the hitters reaction to certain pitches and pitch location, and the path of the hands and barrel. A good catcher should make mental notes about each hitter.
A coach in the dugout does not a better view of the hitter than the catcher. I've been on both sides of the fence; I had a much better feel about a hitter from behind the dish than from the dugout. A good catcher can actually "feel" whether the hitter is passive or aggressive. A good catcher can literally hear a hitter breathe, especially when the hitter feels stressed. That's just stuff you can't pick up from the dugout.
Most coaches call pitches, not because they think their catchers would do a horrible job, but because they do not want to relinquish control. Let the little birds fly coaches! You might be surprised how focused and confident your catcher really is....
Len
Sorry coaches, but I believe a catcher should call most of the pitches...starting around age 12 or 13. If a catcher cannot call a game by then, maybe they should not be catching. Very good catchers should have a brain as well as physical ability. Of course, a coach should have the ability to call a pitch when they feel the need, and should have signals for doing so.
Catchers should soak in everything the see, both directly and peripherally. Good catchers notice just about everything concerning the hitter; her set-up in the box, the bend or straightening of the waist, the timing of the swing, the hitters reaction to certain pitches and pitch location, and the path of the hands and barrel. A good catcher should make mental notes about each hitter.
A coach in the dugout does not a better view of the hitter than the catcher. I've been on both sides of the fence; I had a much better feel about a hitter from behind the dish than from the dugout. A good catcher can actually "feel" whether the hitter is passive or aggressive. A good catcher can literally hear a hitter breathe, especially when the hitter feels stressed. That's just stuff you can't pick up from the dugout.
Most coaches call pitches, not because they think their catchers would do a horrible job, but because they do not want to relinquish control. Let the little birds fly coaches! You might be surprised how focused and confident your catcher really is....
Len
The pitcher needs to spend a few hours a week in the gym getting her rise under control or stop throwing it. As a catcher, I called my own games. If a pitcher is throwing a pitch that is not working, and a rise ball that is 7 ft high is NOT a successful pitch, than I wouldn't call it anymore...especially if I had runners on base.
The catcher needs to work a few hours in the gym working on her vertical jump to snag those wild rise balls........lol
I have never caught our catcher in a game but she throws 61mph and I really dont think I could watch a swing and catch the ball at the same time.
plus there probably is not any catchers willing to take chances calling certain pitches in critical situations, like 3 2 change ups or 4 or 5 changes in a row.
As the pitch caller I dont have to answer to anyone so I am not afraid to call anything at anytime.