Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Calling Catchers IMO, a short and very good 2005 article written by R.J. Anderson (Assistant Editor at Coaching Management) that was published in
Coaching Management, 13.7, September 2005, Calling Catchers
Discusses benefits of the catcher calling pitches in the college BB game. Primarily interviews and perspectives from ex-pro college coaches. Here's an excerpt for an appetizer
"......
Catcher’s Advantage
Like most coaches at the NCAA Division I level, University of Minnesota Head Coach John Anderson is a big believer in developing his players into independent, critical thinkers. And for him, that education begins with the two busiest and most influential players on the diamond—the pitcher and the catcher. “My philosophy has always been that practice is for coaches, and games are for players,” says Anderson. “I believe in turning over as much of the responsibility of the game to the kids as I can and being more of a consultant during the process.”
That is also the thinking of Princeton University Head Coach Scott Bradley. A former Major League catcher, Bradley feels that catchers calling pitches is how the game is supposed to be played. “In my eight years here, I have yet to call a pitch from the dugout,” he says.
Philosophical and developmental preferences aside, the main reason coaches empower their catchers is simple: They’re in the middle of everything. These coaches are convinced that catchers are in a much better position to know what to call. “They see the hitter’s position in the box and how the hitter is reacting,” says Anderson. “They’re much more connected to the process than I am watching from the dugout.”
Bradley agrees. “I’ve watched a lot of baseball games, and I still don’t believe that standing in the dugout gives as good a viewpoint or as good a feel as the catcher gets behind the plate catching every pitch,” he says. “They see the movement, the life on the fastball, and they’re able to see the subtle adjustments a hitter makes in the box.”
Need more reasons? Anderson says that letting the catcher call pitches means a coach’s expertise and knowledge can be spread out instead of focused on just one aspect of the game. “You’ll also find you have more energy for the rest of the game,” he adds. “It takes a lot of energy to bear down and call every single pitch from the dugout.”...."
Personally, I don't believe that there can be any stronger endorsement for catchers calling pitches than when ex-MLB catchers whose jobs depend on their team's performance let their significantly less-experienced college catchers call the games. This supports my theory that unless you've done it, you don't know how much more effective it can be done from behind the plate as opposed to from the dugout.
nb I added the bold for emphasis!
Coaching Management, 13.7, September 2005, Calling Catchers
Discusses benefits of the catcher calling pitches in the college BB game. Primarily interviews and perspectives from ex-pro college coaches. Here's an excerpt for an appetizer
"......
Catcher’s Advantage
Like most coaches at the NCAA Division I level, University of Minnesota Head Coach John Anderson is a big believer in developing his players into independent, critical thinkers. And for him, that education begins with the two busiest and most influential players on the diamond—the pitcher and the catcher. “My philosophy has always been that practice is for coaches, and games are for players,” says Anderson. “I believe in turning over as much of the responsibility of the game to the kids as I can and being more of a consultant during the process.”
That is also the thinking of Princeton University Head Coach Scott Bradley. A former Major League catcher, Bradley feels that catchers calling pitches is how the game is supposed to be played. “In my eight years here, I have yet to call a pitch from the dugout,” he says.
Philosophical and developmental preferences aside, the main reason coaches empower their catchers is simple: They’re in the middle of everything. These coaches are convinced that catchers are in a much better position to know what to call. “They see the hitter’s position in the box and how the hitter is reacting,” says Anderson. “They’re much more connected to the process than I am watching from the dugout.”
Bradley agrees. “I’ve watched a lot of baseball games, and I still don’t believe that standing in the dugout gives as good a viewpoint or as good a feel as the catcher gets behind the plate catching every pitch,” he says. “They see the movement, the life on the fastball, and they’re able to see the subtle adjustments a hitter makes in the box.”
Need more reasons? Anderson says that letting the catcher call pitches means a coach’s expertise and knowledge can be spread out instead of focused on just one aspect of the game. “You’ll also find you have more energy for the rest of the game,” he adds. “It takes a lot of energy to bear down and call every single pitch from the dugout.”...."
Personally, I don't believe that there can be any stronger endorsement for catchers calling pitches than when ex-MLB catchers whose jobs depend on their team's performance let their significantly less-experienced college catchers call the games. This supports my theory that unless you've done it, you don't know how much more effective it can be done from behind the plate as opposed to from the dugout.
nb I added the bold for emphasis!
