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

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I am one of those coaches that call all of the pitches. The one thing I do is teach both the pitcher and catcher WHY I call certian pitches and certian locations in between inning. By the end of this summer My catchers pretty much knew what I wanted and the location. I feel that pitch selection is the most important thing for your defense if you can keep the hitters off balance you help your "D" tremedously. There are so many situations that arrise in this game and most important is you have to know your pitchers strengths,know her out pitch, her waste pitch and her best pitch.
BTW sammy I would not let that RH get 3 foul balls down the line, after one she is getting the change or high and outside corner pitch...

 

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Yes, 643 - But your experienced catcher should know that WITHOUT any coach having to prompt her.

Just to clarify, I'm suggesting that by 16u, an advanced level catcher (on a college path) should be comfortable calling the game. I have no problem at all - at say 12u - with a coach calling all pitches. But by 14u, I think it's good to start weaning them.

It's been said that catcher is probably the busiest position to play. An inexperienced catcher can make a stud pitcher look really bad, but a highly skilled catcher can make a even a mediocre pitcher really shine. IMO, a coach actually hurts a catcher's development by "giving them one less thing to worry about" by calling pitches. It's like the Knee Savers. Sure, Knee Savers might make squatting more comfortable, but will using them MAKE THEM A BETTER CATCHER? Making it easier, mentally OR physically is not always the best path to improvement. Kids have to learn from THEIR OWN mistakes, and also bask in the glory of THEIR OWN victories.

I'd be interested in what catchingcoach has to say from an instructor's point of view.

 

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If you're not teaching the pitchers how to pitch and the catchers how to help get hitters out, then you're (coaches) just in it for yourselves. There's more to coaching than making out a line-up card, flashing a bunch of worthless signs and getting a lot of runners thrown out at third.

 

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By the way--- excellent post, Sammy.

 

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So far it appears that 67% (2 out of 3) respondants voted that one of the coaches calls the pitches... this is pretty close to what I figured. Of all the HS and college games I've watched, I've seen TONS of catchers looking over to the coaches for calls.

This is why I feel coaches should coach (i.e. call pitches, substitute hitters, assemble lineup, etc.), catchers should focus on catching and throwing runners out, pitchers pitch what is called, etc, etc. I'm all for the catcher knowing WHY they call what they call, but why leave such a task to a player when you have coaches coaching? ;&

 

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So if that 67% of coaches are coaching kids 16u and 18u, (not college)and STILL calling every pitch, I'd say those coaches either have some serious control issues, or have not demanded their catchers learn a very important aspect of becoming a skilled catcher. JMHO.

 

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Sammy, I definitely see and value your perspective on this. My only reply would be that if a coach is not calling pitches, what is he doing? I'm sure there are many things he can do during a game, but the game is not played until the pitch is thrown. If this is the single biggest call made during a game, taking the call out of the coach's hands seems a bit haphazard. Keep in mind, these thoughts I speak are coming from a first-year 14U coach, so I may evolve into your thought process sooner than later. But I don't see a coach calling pitches as having serious control issues. haha. I'd call it a coach that believes he knows more than the catcher what pitch needs to be called in a given situation. I'd like to think a catcher would call a screwball in on a right-handed batter that excels at hitting to the opposite field late in the count with RISP, but with the game on the line... yeah, I like having the control. ;-)

 

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Thanks Cincy - I hope you know that I in no way meant any disrespect! I value the diverse opinions on OFC. The bonus is it's free!

As my DD was learning pitching, her coaches also gradually taught her WHY and WHEN to throw a certain pitch. Pitchers obviously have the best perspective on a batter's stance. DD was taught to even glance over at the on-deck batter, who unknowingly is showing their swing mechanics before they even get to the plate. By 14u, she pretty much knew how to pitch her game.

She was very fortunate to have a catcher in travel ball that was VERY well taught. They were nearly always on the same wavelength. During the first inning, the catcher was figuring out what pitches were working, and what ones weren't. My DD very rarely shook off a pitch - which she had the green light to do.

Contrast that to her high school catcher. She was a sweet girl, but was just not very experienced in calling pitches. Now there was a situation where the coach SHOULD have called the game. Why he didn't is beyond me. DD had some frustrating experiences with that. She knew what to throw, but if the catcher wasn't expecting a certain pitch, things can fall apart in a hurry - LOTS of passed balls.

So, if pitchers AND catchers are fortunate enough to have a knowledgeable coach teach them from a young age the WHY of throwing certain pitches, they will gradually pick up on those hints the batter is giving them. GAME WINNING HINTS. Dropping hands, leaning over the plate, "statue in the box", etc. Then, as a coach, you can re*** and simply give a "suggestion" every once in a while. You'll even have time to rearrange the bats, or neatly stack the batting helmets!

It's fun watching the a battery just go out there and "do there thing"!

 

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Thanks Cincy - I hope you know that I in no way meant any disrespect! I value the diverse opinions on OFC. The bonus is it's free!

As my DD was learning pitching, her coaches also gradually taught her WHY and WHEN to throw a certain pitch. Pitchers obviously have the best perspective on a batter's stance. DD was taught to even glance over at the on-deck batter, who unknowingly is showing their swing mechanics before they even get to the plate. By 14u, she pretty much knew how to pitch her game.

She was very fortunate to have a catcher in travel ball that was VERY well taught. They were nearly always on the same wavelength. During the first inning, the catcher was figuring out what pitches were working, and what ones weren't. My DD very rarely shook off a pitch - which she had the green light to do.

Contrast that to her high school catcher. She was a sweet girl, but was just not very experienced in calling pitches. Now there was a situation where the coach SHOULD have called the game. Why he didn't is beyond me. DD had some frustrating experiences with that. She knew what to throw, but if the catcher wasn't expecting a certain pitch, things can fall apart in a hurry - LOTS of passed balls.

So, if pitchers AND catchers are fortunate enough to have a knowledgeable coach teach them from a young age the WHY of throwing certain pitches, they will gradually pick up on those hints the batter is giving them. GAME WINNING HINTS. Dropping hands, leaning over the plate, "statue in the box", etc. Then, as a coach, you can re*** and simply give a "suggestion" every once in a while. You'll even have time to rearrange the bats, or neatly stack the batting helmets!

It's fun watching the a battery just go out there and "do there thing"!

 

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My Catchers have called their own pitches for years, with input from me after the inning is over. We talk about certain batters that we know and how to pitch them.
My catchers are now 18U and call great games.

I think it is sad for a 16U or 18U catcher to not know how to call their own game. JMHO

 

[SOFTBALLS14]

I have had my pitchers and catchers calling pitches since 14u.... ITs their job to know what pitches to call, for what type of batter and what situation!
I give them a sheet to study from and they need to know it!!
Both Pitcher and catcher... IT WORKS!! Now every once in a while I will throw in a pitch call... If it works I look good ....
If it doesn't they ask me why did you call that!! LOL
That is how you teach them the game!! It has made them all better pitchers and catchers!!
We also have been charting all the pitches thrown so they can see what works and what doesn't. JUST like College!! This too, we have been doing since 14u!
Put the game in their hands and you'll have better players and a better team!!
JMO...

 

[jt7663]

@ 12 & Under Coaches are still positioning infield & need to be calling pitches so you don't have your 3rd Baseman's head taken off by bringing her in on a obvious 2 strike swinging away situation & a changeup being thrown.