Catcher Calling the Game

Have traveled the past 2 weekends to watch daughter play D1 ball. Watched 10 of her games and portions of probably another 10 while waiting for her games to start. Have yet to see any college catcher calling thier own games, coaches were calling every one of them.

quincy said:

I thought one of the more interesting conversations at the National Softball Coaches clinic in Chicago was having the C calling the game. One of the presenters was very passionate about allowing the C calling the game but admitted that it was done from the Dugout when she coached. It seemed like all the College coaches there had the game called from the Dugout. One of the reasons given was that they only had 4 years with the C and if they were not prepared coming into to College they did not have enough time to teach them.

I should have asked but did not think of it at the time is does a C being able to call the game make her more attractive to Colleges. Right now my opinion is No, it doesn’t matter.

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I did it with TB teams, but never HS or college. When I inherited 4 pitchers at the Univ. not one of them knew anything about batter characteristics or setting up hitters, especially on 0-2 counts or 1-2 counts. The catchers were just as in the dark. The Junior catcher was a "militant" and the freshman catcher had never been taught. The no. 2 catcher was kicked off the team for alcohol poisoning in Hawaii.

My point of view is the catcher has a better view of the batter's characteristics, and also sees better how the pitches are working. Even if you start a catcher calling pitches in games for just one inning, or in games that are blow-outs, you can start the process. It is something I believe in, but most college coaches will never experience.

I have meetings with my European pitchers and catchers and discuss all these issues. I have a big 30" batters/strike zone mockup with a portable frame that I place those sticky pads like you put under table glass (magnets work too but are more burdensome). I go over 0-2 counts starting with a drop ball, fast-ball, rise-ball, and ask them to set up the batters. And they understand if the batter swings at the first strike or just looks, how they can or should change their approach. It is great fun for the pitchers and catchers get to know each others minds, and it is sort of a game of chess

If anyone is interested, I did it on a big sheet of paper, then had it laminated. I use white sticky feet for under heavy glass table tops, and I use a black felt tip and put a black triangle on them for rise, curve, drop, screwball, etc. For fastball I paint the whole thing black and for the change all white. The arrows (arrow tips) then point to movement. So the tip of the arrow points down for a drop ball. I add the sticky pads for each pitch in the sequence, then start over.

I forgot that the backside has a left-handed batter on it.

Have traveled the past 2 weekends to watch daughter play D1 ball. Watched 10 of her games and portions of probably another 10 while waiting for her games to start. Have yet to see any college catcher calling thier own games, coaches were calling every one of them.

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This is a chicken or the egg thing though. Are they being called because the catchers don't know or because the coaches won't allow it?

I would be horrified at having to call a game for my catcher. Or back stop, because if she can't call a game she ain't a catcher. It's the catcher's JOB to call pitches. How else does the team know what is coming?

Teach them as early as possible. I know a 14 year old kid who calls the best game I've ever seen. The idea of coaches calling pitches in this country is practically unheard of. It's the daddies who can't let go and realise they're not playing the game that need to keep the tight control

As for the question of why coaches put batting signals on, they put situational plays on so EVERYONE knows what is happening. They don't always decide if the batter is swinging or not. 90% of the time that decision is the batter's if she's putting a ball into play. (this obviously excludes the take signal or if a hit and run is put on) The batter can't decide what to do if there's a runner on. The first base coach needs to know what is happening too.

Lozza said:

This is a chicken or the egg thing though. Are they being called because the catchers don't know or because the coaches won't allow it?

I would be horrified at having to call a game for my catcher. Or back stop, because if she can't call a game she ain't a catcher. It's the catcher's JOB to call pitches. How else does the team know what is coming?

Teach them as early as possible. I know a 14 year old kid who calls the best game I've ever seen. The idea of coaches calling pitches in this country is practically unheard of. It's the daddies who can't let go and realise they're not playing the game that need to keep the tight control

As for the question of why coaches put batting signals on, they put situational plays on so EVERYONE knows what is happening. They don't always decide if the batter is swinging or not. 90% of the time that decision is the batter's if she's putting a ball into play. (this obviously excludes the take signal or if a hit and run is put on) The batter can't decide what to do if there's a runner on. The first base coach needs to know what is happening too.

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Hey mate, it seems they know something about the sport of softball down under! Nicely done!

Screwball said:

Simply put, teams have a staff of coaches and they need something to do. All those clipboards, etc.

It is easier to chart the pitches if you know what they are. Of course, coaches have the crappiest view, probably, of whether the pitchers actually hit the target. And they are sitting right in the foul ball danger spot for a head injury, but oh well.

The college jobs are on the line, so they call the pitches. (Not that the pay is great for assistants.)

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I am of the opinion that AC are expendable, and I think they should sit in front of the Coach and take notes on the clipboard so that dear Coach can focus on the game and foul balls. Their head will be down most of the time still allowing a good field of view for the dear Coach. Anyone concur?

AC's are for carrying buckets and charting pitches. . . . charting, not calling. The chart gets to the catcher and HC to discuss during the week to figure out what worked and what didn't.

It's my belief that most AC's become ESPN announcers, since neither have a clue on which pitches are actually being thrown at a given time.

-W

starsnuffer said:

AC's are for carrying buckets and charting pitches. . . . charting, not calling. The chart gets to the catcher and HC to discuss during the week to figure out what worked and what didn't.

It's my belief that most AC's become ESPN announcers, since neither have a clue on which pitches are actually being thrown at a given time.

-W

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Starsnuffer, it is obvious by your erudite post, you know the game of softball! I'm all in with ya.

My DD is a C and within the last year we turned over the pitch calling duties. She's a very smart and aware C. Our pitchers numbers actually improved drastically after giving her the responsibility. The pitchers like it more and their confidence shows. Don't underestimate what these young ladies are capable of. We started this our second yr of 14A & are starting our first yr of 16A.

I honestly think its good to have catchers aware of batters stances. I inherited the coach position of a 14u this year. The catchers were never taught anything about the batters stances, swings etc.. In the fall we were playing in a friendly and I told my catcher I wanted her to call the game, she was terrified, I let her know that if she wanted help to look over and I would be there. She called about 3 pitches before looking over every batter. WE spent a lot of time from that point on discussing stances and swing. When we played our last game in the fall it made me smile when she came up to me after an inning and said throw #14 low and inside, she crowds the plate and her swing eliminates the inside pitch. My catchers don't want to call their own games but they are working on understanding the pitches and when to call them. If we are ever ahead in a game by a large margin, I warned them they will be calling pitches on their own.