What to do when the Catcher won't cooperate?

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Jul 5, 2016
652
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I think the pitcher needs to respect the more experienced catcher in that situation. It’s one inning of a game where the outcome wasn’t in doubt. Just suck it up. If they ask her back and it’s a concern, then she should have a talk with the coach. I know how important a good catcher is for a team to be successful. She can make a good pitcher look great. However, the pitcher needs to learn to adjust. Make her take ownership of it. A pitcher isn’t going to improve if someone else is always to blame. What’s going to happen when she’s at a college camp throwing to multiple catchers? Good luck telling them it was the catchers fault she couldn’t hit her spots or she got lit up because they called the wrong pitches.

But in this case, the catcher wasn't interested in calling to the pitcher's strengths. And it seems that the catcher's HC knew that there was an attitude problem.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
I think the pitcher needs to respect the more experienced catcher in that situation. It’s one inning of a game where the outcome wasn’t in doubt. Just suck it up. If they ask her back and it’s a concern, then she should have a talk with the coach. I know how important a good catcher is for a team to be successful. She can make a good pitcher look great. However, the pitcher needs to learn to adjust. Make her take ownership of it. A pitcher isn’t going to improve if someone else is always to blame. What’s going to happen when she’s at a college camp throwing to multiple catchers? Good luck telling them it was the catchers fault she couldn’t hit her spots or she got lit up because they called the wrong pitches.

When they start tying pitching stats to catchers I will tell my pitchers to throw exclusively what they call. Until that day every pitch is the pitchers discression. Catchers can voice their opinion on what pitch to throw but it's just that. An opinion. The pitcher is ultimately responsible for the pitch.

One can argue if a pitcher is wise to shake off a veteran catcher...
 
Dec 23, 2009
791
0
San Diego
I think the pitcher needs to respect the more experienced catcher in that situation. It’s one inning of a game where the outcome wasn’t in doubt. Just suck it up. If they ask her back and it’s a concern, then she should have a talk with the coach. I know how important a good catcher is for a team to be successful. She can make a good pitcher look great. However, the pitcher needs to learn to adjust. Make her take ownership of it. A pitcher isn’t going to improve if someone else is always to blame. What’s going to happen when she’s at a college camp throwing to multiple catchers? Good luck telling them it was the catchers fault she couldn’t hit her spots or she got lit up because they called the wrong pitches.

Respect has to be earned. I've seen plenty of "experienced' catchers who I wouldn't trust with pitch calling.
 
Sep 20, 2012
154
0
SE Ohio
Yeah... nope... Have to disagree here. So it is OK for the catcher to be 'that player' but not the pitcher... It is OK for the catcher to get the pitcher lit up, but not the other way around? The pitcher has to be allowed her full range of weaponry.

So two things:

1) If the catcher is only signing in fastballs, then my DD is shaking off the catcher until the head coach comes out. Or she is just telling the head coach straight out.
2) My DD would have already worked out with the catcher(s) and coaches BEFORE the first game what pitches she throws, how she likes to work, and whatever else. Not happening when she comes into the game - but well before.

If this was her full time team, I'd agree. But she is a sub...she is there as a short term replacement. You don't walk on to a team and start disrupting how that team works, even if your way is "Better". We have no info here on how the coach coaches, how the catcher catches, what the makeup of the team is like, etc. Maybe there is a reason for the way the catcher is calling the game. Maybe the defense is set a certain way. Maybe the coach is telling her to do it a specific way. We have no information to base this on. There could be reasons, it could be sloppy coaching, it could be a lazy catcher. Without specific information on those things, then having a new player walk onto the field and start calling shots? Well, that would be a player that is causing an unnecessary disruption on the team. And that player gets a reputation.

Don't be that player.
 
Nov 3, 2012
480
16
I can relate as my DD and I are frustrated with the pitch calling of our coach. She never calls my DD best pitch the "drop ball", and only calls curves and screws and an occasional rise. Rarely calls the change-up, and is extremely predictable and refuses to call anything on the inside of the plate. My DD tried to communicate with the coach about calling different pitches, but the coach is unapproachable. DD is know scared to say anything in fear of some petty punishment or getting yelled at. I even tried diplomatically to communicate and made comments to coach that the change up and drop ball were great in practice this week.

A few weeks ago at a tournament the, Head coach/pitch caller was absent, so the catcher was given authority to call the pitches. We thought great as DD and catcher are friends and thought maybe they could work together. My DD and I asked her prior to the game to throw change ups and at least throw a few pitches on the inside corner. She actually called the change up and it worked great. It was awesome as we worked really hard all off season, but never had chance to consistently throw it.

But DD asked the catcher to throw an inside pitch. So she throws one. The batter hit the ball real hard to the left fielder, but we got lucky and get the out. At the end of the inning the catcher says to her, "I'm not throwing another inside pitch and tells DD to stop telling her what to do and that the head coach told her to call it that way". To make a long story short, the next week, coach is mad at me and tells me that no parents will tell their catchers what pitch to call. Little subtle petty punishments were delivered to DD.

Anyway, just one more tournament to endure, and I will be having a very good in-depth conversation with DD new coach before we accept an offer, about their pitch calling communication and methods. Live and learn.
 
Last edited:
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
But in this case, the catcher wasn't interested in calling to the pitcher's strengths. And it seems that the catcher's HC knew that there was an attitude problem.

Respect has to be earned. I've seen plenty of "experienced' catchers who I wouldn't trust with pitch calling.

I agree with you both. But in this case we have a younger guest player mopping up for one meaningless inning. This particular catcher may have an attitude problem, but that’s a separate issue IMO. I’m looking at it strictly as an experienced “Gold” catcher and a younger pitcher who hasn’t played much at that level. I’m trusting OP that it’s a high level team and they didn’t just slap “gold” on their name.

When they start tying pitching stats to catchers I will tell my pitchers to throw exclusively what they call. Until that day every pitch is the pitchers discression. Catchers can voice their opinion on what pitch to throw but it's just that. An opinion. The pitcher is ultimately responsible for the pitch.

One can argue if a pitcher is wise to shake off a veteran catcher...

I was speaking to this one particular inning where you have a guest pitcher coming in and her stats are meaningless. This isn’t the time to shake off or insert your dominance over the catcher. Over the course of a season I agree with you. Pitchers always have the discretion to shake off the catcher.



Forgive me for being cynical about this. I’ve spent too many years around Dad’s over stating the ability, number of pitches and speeds their DD’s throw. Constantly blaming catchers for their DD’s shortcomings. One idiot even blamed the catcher when his DD gave up HR’s. I’m sure the OP doesn’t fall into that group. In this post I’m visualizing a young talented pitcher with four different pitches, but relatively inexperienced and they all have similar movement. I’m thinking of a catcher who’s had a long weekend. She doesn’t want to hear how many pitches the new girl has. She just wants to get through the final inning of a game without a bunch of walks. I really think this is a time to just do it and talk about it after the game. Which apparently is what was done so it was handled well.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
If this was her full time team, I'd agree. But she is a sub...she is there as a short term replacement. You don't walk on to a team and start disrupting how that team works, even if your way is "Better". We have no info here on how the coach coaches, how the catcher catches, what the makeup of the team is like, etc. Maybe there is a reason for the way the catcher is calling the game. Maybe the defense is set a certain way. Maybe the coach is telling her to do it a specific way. We have no information to base this on. There could be reasons, it could be sloppy coaching, it could be a lazy catcher. Without specific information on those things, then having a new player walk onto the field and start calling shots? Well, that would be a player that is causing an unnecessary disruption on the team. And that player gets a reputation.
.

Still disagree. Not only do we have info, but my DD is not going to throw 'all fastballs' or put up with a catcher who doesn't care. She knows better than that whether she is a sub, guest player or permanent player. If she is a sub or guest player she expects to be treated as player on the team - or that will be the last time she will guest for that team. That is how we treat girls who guest with us and one of the main reasons we can always get a guest player on the odd occasion we need one.

And asking to be able to throw her pitches is not 'disrupting the team' - that is what a pitcher does and what they are there for. That is what any coach should expect from an experienced pitcher. If the team has something specific in mind in how they want to call pitches, then they can explain it to her before she goes out and does it. She isn't a robot pitching machine that is manipulated by a catcher or coach by remote control (no matter how many coaches act like they are).

Edit Add: My DD isn't going out there to be lit up by anyone - meaningless inning or not. She is going to give what she has. If it is game time - she is going to compete.
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
This was a "gold" travel team not WCWS or NPF teams so calling all fastballs should not really matter if the pitcher has good command and some movement. That said it is obvious that the catcher is/was a problem. That cannot be an excuse. If you play college ball odds are pretty good that your catcher will be less than optimal. So you need to learn to deal with it. As a pitcher you bring a specific skills to the party. Even if a team does not avail themselves of all of your talents you need to find a way to be successful. Go out in the circle, mix speeds, and keep the balls in the corners of the zone and you will get the job done. If they call FB down the middle then miss out on the corners. If the will not call the CU then just mix speeds on the FB. Look at it as an opportunity to find out if you are up to such a challenge. Above all do not offer excuses, just deliver results. :)
 

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