I had an interesting discussion with our AC coach yesterday after a game. Sat. this particular pitcher (first year 14u) was spot on, she hit the catcher's target most of the time. Yesterday, not so much. She was all over the place, low, high, right, left, on the ground, in the heavens. She was really giving the catcher a workout. On the occasion that she did throw a strike, it was normally down the middle. The catcher was normally giving the target a little off the plate on the outside. I don't think she hit it once.
Talking to the AC coach, he said the catcher needed to help the pitcher by setting up even more to the outside so she would not throw it down the middle. I thought I may have misheard him, so I asked him to repeat it. Yep, just what I thought he said. I told him if he would teach his pitchers to hit the target, there would not be any problems. We agreed to disagree, laughed and went on to the next subject.
Seriously though, is there any tricks of the trade to help the pitcher besides the pep talk, relax, have fun, focus, concentrate, find your groove, which our catcher did several times.
Talking to the AC coach, he said the catcher needed to help the pitcher by setting up even more to the outside so she would not throw it down the middle. I thought I may have misheard him, so I asked him to repeat it. Yep, just what I thought he said. I told him if he would teach his pitchers to hit the target, there would not be any problems. We agreed to disagree, laughed and went on to the next subject.
Seriously though, is there any tricks of the trade to help the pitcher besides the pep talk, relax, have fun, focus, concentrate, find your groove, which our catcher did several times.