Teaching pitch selection

[Hillhouse]

Biggest mistake IMO in pitch calling is thinking you need to throw a different pitch every pitch. If your facing bottom or the line up and she swings and misses 1st pitch, say CB away or rise ball up. Throw it again.

THIS THIS THIS. And why not throw back to back change ups? Or 3 in a row? We throw a change when the hitter is least expecting it, right? Are they looking for a 2nd or 3rd in a row? Usually not. Throw pitches until they prove they can hit it. Don't just throw a rise because last pitch was a drop, that's silly.

2 schools of thought on the change up: 1. don't throw it until they prove they can hit your hard stuff. 2. throw it early and put it in their heads that you have a good change up. Against bad teams, use philosphy #1. Against good teams, use #2.

 

[CoachJD]

Biggest mistake IMO in pitch calling is thinking you need to throw a different pitch every pitch. If your facing bottom or the line up and she swings and misses 1st pitch, say CB away or rise ball up. Throw it again.

Once you get to know certain hitters and what their weaknesses are, it's actually kind of dumb to throw a bunch of different pitches because you're just more likely to throw one (or throw one in a spot) they can hit.

If a hitter can't hit an inside pitch, throw only inside pitches until she figures it out. If she can't catch up to the fastball, why would you throw something off-speed?

Attack their weaknesses and make them beat you. Anything else is just helping them out.

 

[Orange Socks]

I think pitchers that are effectively wild are more dangerous than pitchers that throw mostly strikes. Those wild pitchers are hard to pick up patterns since they, the catcher, coach and batter have no idea which side of the plate the will be pitched.

 

[Tango]

Helping with HS team and call pitches.

Pitcher #1- throws basically all curve balls. Some look like rise. Some look like drops. Some look like nasty curve balls. Call almost every one of them outside. She paints the inside corner a lot and gets the call. Missing her spot. Has been very good.

Pitcher #2- Good curve and drop. Normally one or the other good. Change is is solid most days. Hits spots pretty good. Never gets an inside curve called hitting spots. Been solid.

Pitcher #3- Good curve and rise. Nasty change that has been off but elite when on. Hits spots as good as anyone. Never gets a inside strike called. Been solid.

The two pitchers with good control doesn't get inside pitches called strikes. The pitcher that is a little wild always gets the call with the catcher reaching inside. Interesting to me.

 

[Annesdad]

Thanks for this! I'll be talking to her today about it along with her pitching coach. What I'm wondering about, is how to communicate this with the catchers. They make the calls, and she's not shaking them off - even if she knows/thinks she should. Even if she did shake a call off, how would she communicate what she wants to throw to her catcher from the circle?

 

[uncdrew]

Biggest mistake IMO in pitch calling is thinking you need to throw a different pitch every pitch. If your facing bottom or the line up and she swings and misses 1st pitch, say CB away or rise ball up. Throw it again.

Amen to that. I've had DD blow two fastballs right by a girl just to have the coach call or a change-up that she singles on.

 

[uncdrew]

" head coach is just not a great pitch caller but insists on doing it "
Pitch calling at 14u is very important. It can and does win and lose games. Another mistake coaches make is thinking they have to use all 8 of Jenny's pitches. Stick to the 3 or 4 that are working.

I've asked my 11 year old DD to tell the coach which of her pitches are not working well in warm-ups. If the drop is a hot mess, or the curve ball isn't curving, let the coaches know before the game starts.

 

[uncdrew]

Thanks for this! I'll be talking to her today about it along with her pitching coach. What I'm wondering about, is how to communicate this with the catchers. They make the calls, and she's not shaking them off - even if she knows/thinks she should. Even if she did shake a call off, how would she communicate what she wants to throw to her catcher from the circle?

You shake it off until there's no other options for the catcher to call.

And location, well you just throw it where you want it to be.

 

[Annesdad]

You shake it off until there's no other options for the catcher to call.

And location, well you just throw it where you want it to be.

Thanks! That's how I did it when I pitched in HS. Now to just get my daughter to become assertive and do it! lol