calling pitches

djcarter1966 said:

A couple things.

First you have to in practice be sure your pitcher can execute in other words pitch what your are calling...can't tell you how many coaches I see calling pitches for pitchers that don't have any control and could not hit spots being called 20% of the time.

Calling pitches against a team you have never seen and never scouted is fairly meaningless. Keep the ball low, come in and out, get a feel for the zone and then see what is working that day, maybe by the late innings (third time through which is when the pitcher needs some good advice) you can actually provide some meaningful input.

Communication is the most important thing, just one example if the coach want the drop ball low and inside but the ump is not giving that pitch you have three choices, throw the pitch for a ball (which is OK if you think hitter are swinging at it), bring up and out over the plate a little so it's called a strike (not a really good idea) or throw another pitch in another spot. The coach calling the pitches, the catcher and the pitcher all need to be on the same page and should touch base between every half inning how did it go this inning and who is up next inning. If your catcher really knows her stuff I think you could do just fine with her calling pitches with coach just doing a little scouting report especially in the late innings using spray chart from previous innings.

Easton33 said:

Really? I honestly can't believe everyone let this slide. I know there are several of you out there that watch batters on deck and during their at bat and know what to throw, regardless if you have ever played them before or not. Don't get me wrong, batters will surprise you but there are certain things to look for that absolutely tip you off as to what pitch to call as a coach. Of course I am not suggesting that all coaches are good at it nor am I saying that all pitchers/catchers can't do it better than some coaches but the blanket statement quoted is absolutely inaccurate. "OK kids, the game plan for the day is to guess our way past the first 9 batters. After that we will know what pitches we have working and what pitches they can hit! Then if we aren't too far in hole we may be able to stop them from scoring."

Sorry but I don't see this as a winning strategy against good teams.

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GunnerShotgun said:

My challenge of a monkey rolling a dice still stands.

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riseball said:

Glad it worked out well for your DD. But I cannot pass up calling out nonsense and keeping it real.

I was born in a hospital so I guess that makes me a doctor? And since I ate dinner at Olive Garden last night I am both a chef and Italian? The fact that she played D1 means she played D1 ball. Nothing more. Does not mean she knows squat about the game or if she is a softball genius. Plenty of D1 players fall into either category. And let's remember that D1 in no way equates to a high level of play. It has to do with funding for scholarships, nothing more.

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djcarter1966 said:

So you think if I throw 9 random batters up there you as an "expert" on your bucket know how to get each one out after watching a couple practice swings...well your sir are simply a better man than I

You can generalize maybe your can jam those first two lefty slappers inside or pitch them off the plate if they look like they are taking a half step towards the first base line, and you probably don't want to hang something inside half thigh high to the number 3,4 and 5 hitter. After number 6 fouls off four straight pitches you call a change, but that is not having a game plan that is just taking the game as it comes to you.

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