Calling Pitches Philosophy

[Greenmonsters]

One of the most important and least understood reasons stats can be of use to coaches, is to identify weak areas that need works. In a TEAM environment, there just isn’t a lot of time spent on individuals. Fielders are generally all taught the same fundamentals, as are pitchers, hitters, and even base runners. Typically, there are 2-3 hours of practice a few times a week, so by the time the “team” things are practiced, like bunt coverages, relays, BP, taking standard OF and IF, and the like, there might be a hour left. If there are only 12 players on the team, each player would only get 5 lousy minutes per practice, so how much individual work is gonna get done.

At least if the coaches identify the players who are performing far below or above average for the team, they can work on the poor performers more, and not waste time on the good performers. You can only do so much, so you need to be as efficient as possible.

Like a pitcher, a catcher primarily needs to practice and improves their game outside of team practice. My point was that many coaches are not cognizant of the difference between a good, average, and poor catcher and are unable to identify that there is a weakness that should be worked on.

I don’t know about SB, but in BB the prevailing philosophy is to teach the P’s how to throw hard, and teach them control later on. Unfortunately, P’s who learn control early on in their careers but can’t throw a strawberry through the side of a battleship, fall out of favor quickly if someone shows up who throws harder, even if they walk batters and throw the ball all over the place. It’s sad, but that’s what happens. 

In FP SB, most pitches are thrown with the same velocity, so a drop baller may very well also be a flamethrower. In other words, the change up is really the only pitch not thrown at max velocity. Never made sense to me, but that's the general practice.

 

[riseball]

...In FP SB, most pitches are thrown with the same velocity, so a drop baller may very well also be a flamethrower. In other words, the change up is really the only pitch not thrown at max velocity. Never made sense to me, but that's the general practice.

I have struggled this concept for many years. For most pitchers is change up or 100% velocity. Once they figure out what the other gears bring to the party they are much more effective.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I have struggled this concept for many years. For most pitchers is change up or 100% velocity. Once they figure out what the other gears bring to the party they are much more effective.

I can hear good ol' Hal asking for an amen, brother. So why don't more PCs teach it or more coaches impart this to their pitchers???

 

[Rocketech1]

In fastpitch, the shorter distance and bigger ball have a lot to do with why FP pitchers don't throw as much off speed pitches other than the change up. In BB, you have a smaller ball and longer distance with greater movement so off speed can be more effective. Not saying FP shouldn't use off speed more but I definitely see a difference between the two sports.

 

[Scorekeeper]

Like a pitcher, a catcher primarily needs to practice and improves their game outside of team practice. My point was that many coaches are not cognizant of the difference between a good, average, and poor catcher and are unable to identify that there is a weakness that should be worked on.

Heck, many coaches are not cognizant of the difference between a good, average, and poor pitcher, fielder, hitter, or base runner either! That’s why I don’t understand why so many of them hate stats with a passion.

In FP SB, most pitches are thrown with the same velocity, so a drop baller may very well also be a flamethrower. In other words, the change up is really the only pitch not thrown at max velocity. Never made sense to me, but that's the general practice.

Gonna make a WAG here. That guess is, radar guns aren’t as prolific in SB as BB, so being able to accurately check velocities is very difficult, and what’s really happening is arm speed is much the same for every pitch, but the velocities differ substantially. Since an effective CU depends on max deception, the closer the arm speed and spin to a FB, the more deceptive it is.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Heck, many coaches are not cognizant of the difference between a good, average, and poor pitcher, fielder, hitter, or base runner either! That’s why I don’t understand why so many of them hate stats with a passion.



Gonna make a WAG here. That guess is, radar guns aren’t as prolific in SB as BB, so being able to accurately check velocities is very difficult, and what’s really happening is arm speed is much the same for every pitch, but the velocities differ substantially. Since an effective CU depends on max deception, the closer the arm speed and spin to a FB, the more deceptive it is.

There is no shortage of radar guns in SB. The mentality seems to be its OK (or at least more acceptable) to give up a well hit ball on a fast pitch, but not on a slow pitch.

 

[Scorekeeper]

There is no shortage of radar guns in SB. The mentality seems to be its OK (or at least more acceptable) to give up a well hit ball on a fast pitch, but not on a slow pitch.

Well, I guess that’s a similarity between SB and BB. But it seems kinds silly to me to gun pitchers if they’re gonna throw everything at the same velocity.

 

[riseball]

....Heck, many coaches are not cognizant of the difference between a good, average, and poor pitcher, fielder, hitter, or base runner either! That’s why I don’t understand why so many of them hate stats with a passion....

Don't hate stats. They certainly serve a purpose. What coaches dislike is parents with half baked stats voicing their "informed" opinions on why their DD should be pitching most of the games and hitting lead off. As someone said "He will say that his DD sleeps better than anyone else on the team."

 

[cuzmail]

Don't hate stats. They certainly serve a purpose. What coaches dislike is parents with half baked stats voicing their "informed" opinions on why their DD should be pitching most of the games and hitting lead off. As someone said "He will say that his DD sleeps better than anyone else on the team."

Coaches also don't like stats when the numbers show what they are doing doesn't make sense.

 

[riseball]

Coaches also don't like stats when the numbers show what they are doing doesn't make sense.

Unfortunately most TB/HS stats are fairly useless. They are typically inaccurate and the competition is often far too diverse to yield meaningful results.