I understand completely why you would defer pitching calling to your catchers. That is probably an excellent idea.
No coaching allowed
- Thread starter BuckeyeGuy
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
I understand completely why you would defer pitching calling to your catchers. That is probably an excellent idea.
Um... There's me and my one assistant. That's a one coach to six player ratio on my team. The local high school team has like six coaches, which is like two players per coach.
Well, there ain't not doubt about that.
***PERSONAL ATTACK DELETED...Sluggers***
Last edited by a moderator:
In the MLB the pitches are called by someone who is paid well into 7 figures. No player or coach in college softball is paid anything close to that. As such MLB catchers do a damn fine job. Unlike a kid in college it is their only job. Typically 1 game a day and they have a a wealth of information provided to them to do their job. Even a fan can access detailed analysis on each and every player that will come to the plate. Even the announcers will discuss the documented strengths and weakness of every hitter. College softball does not enjoy such a wide proliferation of information. Back in the day catchers typically called the games. Now it is done from a tablet in the dugout. Why? Because it works.
WARRIORMIKE
Pro-Staff Everything
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
My answer is different! I believe that most current catchers, unlike back in the day, have never been taught/allowed to call pitches and don't have sufficient experience to be effective when they enter college .
Here's a D3 pitcher's stat line for consecutive seasons playing a very similar schedule each year.
Year 2 3.63 ERA 145 H 74K 129 innings. rear't Coach called pitches with the benefit of the scouting binder.
Year 1 1.83 ERA 161 H 121K 161 innings. Catcher called pitches.
Here's the rub - the catcher and rear't Coach were the same person!
Although there unquestionably are other variables in play, this does suggest that the caller's visual perspective may be very important. Just something to think about.
No doubt that the callers visual perspective can make a huge difference. I would be interested to know what her commitment was to analysis and technology in the second season. If all she did was move from behind the dish to the dugout, I would expect the results described. To your point an experienced catcher is much better suited to call a game unless there is a significant investment in time and effort on the part of the pitch caller. Unfortunately with my 18U team if we have a first game at noon, my catchers will not be there at 8:00am to scout teams that we will play. For us it makes a big difference and gives us a distinct advantage.
I tell my parents/players before our first practice that while the players are between the fences that they are not to listen to their parents. I say this because we try to get our players,to look at times and not listen. Kids at (8u) tend to have a hard time listening at that age so that's why in certain situations we use signals.
So I tell parents if your kid is watching or listening to us coaches then when things don't work out u can come to us, but if they listen to the fans then don't come to us coaches.
