What to do

[softgabby]

Pitchers are the ones that need to be responsible for pitch sequencing and knowing their own strengths. The pitcher is going to change teams multiple times in their career from travel, to hs, to college and can't 100% depend on new coaches or catchers who don't know them nearly as much as they know themselves. There should be a lot of conversations before games and between innings as the pitch caller is getting to know the pitcher. I don't reccomend shaking off every other pitch but its ok to shake every once in a while or call the catcher to the circle for a brief chat. The sooner the pitcher takes ownership of her own success the better.

Totally agree. A pitcher has to know what she's capable of and how to string sequences. The catcher has to know what the pitcher is capable of and how to help her along. I think that's what helped me when I went from pitcher to catcher. I knew the pitchers mindset and knew what a pitcher should be capable of. Yes, a pitcher is going to change teams from little league to JV to varsity to travel ball to college during her career and can't depend on others to 100% know. But in the same vein I think it's the pitcher's responsibility to help the catcher know what she's capable of. Also it's up to the catcher to let the pitcher know as well. As a catcher, we can't always know what's going on in the pitcher's head...we have to take the best possible guess and talk to the pitcher as much as possible. I remember the first game Jamie, one of our Sophomores was pitching in, and I talked for an hour and a half going to an away game against a district opponent. I thought we were on the same page. During the first inning, she had runners on first and third, one out and the other teams best hitter at the plate. She kept shaking off pitches the prior at bat and was doing so here. I had to go out to the circle and have a heart to heart with her for about 45 seconds assuring her she's got this. She eventually settled in after a few more visits and a bunch of foul balls later. But, I had to help her gain confidence within herself that she could do this.

 

[Gags]

Keep us posted on how things work out the rest of the season.

But this is one of those things that I can see driving me out of the dugout and into the bleachers. I never played at a high level, but watching the WCWS, you'd think all the girls were "Phys. Ed." / "General Studies" / "Communications" / [Insert your Stereotypical D-I Football Player's Degree here] Majors. Do we really need NFL-style arm bands just to call a pitch? (b/c I'm pretty sure they not studying for finals b/w pitches). Is it Head Coach ego? At that level, I would think it's almost self-evident how to set up a batter for a fastball/changeup sequence, or when/how to work inside/outside. At what point can we trust the players? I'm taking it to the absurd here, but are we really saying "yes, you can walk into a bar and order a drink, but I'm not going to trust you to figure out when to call a fastball on the outside corner?"

Apologies for seemingly hijacking your thread - but what am I missing here?

 

[djcarter1966]

^^^^^Agreed the whole thing is now beyond ridiculous and I don't think any coach is going to give it up...given egos involved.

You should be able to teach someone with a good softball IQ how to call a game. Nobody has a better view of what is going on than the P and C. They should, at NCAA level, review scouting reports before games and along with their pitching coach come up with a game plan for the team they are going to face.

Just out of curiosity is the C calling locations on the fastball too, if your DD best pitch is fastball is the C at least calling locations that make sense?

 

[vino1972]

My DD did talk to her catcher about pitch calling and told her she was going to throw more drops and changes. Problem is the catcher is a novice catcher and she told DD she doesn't like to call those pitches because they have too much movement. Example: last game DD pitched 6 innings struck out 14 batters, but catcher dropped 3rd strike 3 times and runner was safe all 3 times. DD is frustrated with high school ball and ready to go back to travel. DD is a spin ball pitcher who doesn't blow it by the batter, when she is on she gives up ground balls. Told DD to use her drop and change frequently and if the catcher missed it, it is called a pass ball.

 

[vino1972]

C doesn't call location at all. Very novice catcher.