Poor pitch calling

[Greenmonsters]

This is the key. I've had catchers not be able to tell me the location of the pitch that was just thrown. Should I let them call pitches because they may go to the 10% of colleges (if that high) that actually allow catchers to call pitches?

There are some catchers that play catcher because they want to be part of every play but have NO desire to call pitches. They don't want the "responsibility".

There are some catchers that play catcher because they're big girls and that's where they've always played.

DD's catcher right now is one of very few (in ten years of coaching and umpiring) that I can honestly say knows what she's doing when it comes to calling pitches (which also includes determining the umpire's zone).

Did your DD learn to pitch in college? I'm guessing that someone probably worked with your DD to teach her to pitch when she was young. If a coach spends just a little bit of time teaching a catcher what to look for and how to call a game when they are young, you'll get more true catchers (as opposed to girls who catch) and then more than 10% of college coaches would let them call.

ETA - IMO leadership is a trait required behind the plate and you have to find a girl with it and train her if yours don't have it.

 

[riseball]

If coaches don't know how or don't want to call pitches there is nothing wrong with delegating that activity. But at the end of the day the coach still owns it and is accountable for the results.

 

[Greenmonsters]

If coaches don't know how or don't want to call pitches there is nothing wrong with delegating that activity. But at the end of the day the coach still owns it and is accountable for the results.

RB - Do you or do you not believe that you could you call a better game from directly behind the plate than from the dugout? And have you ever had that opportunity yourself?

 

[JJsqueeze]

I will admit I have had limited experience with pitch calling but my experience went something like this....

I was AC and my DD was number 1 pitcher this last season. HC was out of town and I had to coach three games. My instinct said that a) I trust my catcher and my daughter to at least give a good effort b) it's fun to try to out think the batter and call the game c) I can't see Sh*t from the dugout. I pulled them aside and gave them some basic pitch calling instructions and let them loose for the three games. They did fine, sure they called some changeups in very wrong situations and their reasoning was suspect when I asked them about certain calls. BUT they also showed that they get it, they were engaged and they worked it out and took ownership.

it's their friggin game and calling pitches is downright fun-let the catchers call, let them make mistakes and let batteries develop. IF a catcher isn't bright enough to get it then they are not a catcher, catcher's need to be crafty and smart.

 

[riseball]

RB - Do you or do you not believe that you could you call a better game from directly behind the plate than from the dugout? And have you ever had that opportunity yourself?

Based on my spending about 5 years behind the plate and another 20+ doing the same from the dugout, I would say I am much more effective now sitting on a bucket than I ever was squatting. But when my catchers are given the opportunity to call pitches they by and large do quite well.

 

[Phathead]

I started this thread about one coach my DD is experiancing that flat can not call pitching. The thread has turned into a debate about catcher vs coach doing the calling. While I have no doubt that most of you have more experiance than I at pitch calling and most are better, I know I am better than this one coach and was wondering how to deal with it so my DD can have a chance at success. I have taught her as much I can. I agree that if the catcher has been taught and understands the concept of calling pitches with a plan and purpose is an excellant situation. I also understand that there are coaches that have many years of experiance to draw from and can do a better job than the catcher with a few years experiance. As I type this I am watching the BB college final and both VA and Vandy are receiving the pitch calls from the bench.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Baseball Prospectus | Field General or Backstop?

 

[marriard]

I started this thread about one coach my DD is experiancing that flat can not call pitching. The thread has turned into a debate about catcher vs coach doing the calling. While I have no doubt that most of you have more experiance than I at pitch calling and most are better, I know I am better than this one coach and was wondering how to deal with it so my DD can have a chance at success. I have taught her as much I can.

Your situation has only one solution - your DD must talk to her coach and sort it out. It is as simple as that. At 18U she is old enough and knows enough about what she is capable of to be able to do this. If it doesn't work out - well maybe this isn't the team for her long term.

As for the coach v catcher calling games - we can (and have) argued about that all night long.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Based on my spending about 5 years behind the plate and another 20+ doing the same from the dugout, I would say I am much more effective now sitting on a bucket than I ever was squatting. But when my catchers are given the opportunity to call pitches they by and large do quite well.

Good that you have experienced both perspectives as most haven't and don't have an appreciation of what actually is possible with a good battery. Interestingly, I arrived at the opposite conclusion after my experience in 10 yrs behind the plate and 15 yrs coaching. From the dugout I felt I was missing about half the critical info I needed. IME at 14U a good catcher is better than 90% of coaches and a smart 16U catcher could do a better job than I could from the bench AND develop the confidence and experience to excel at it down the road. The only thing that I had on the bench that I didn't have behind the plate (other than more years of experience) was hitter info. That hitter info, if available, was used to develop a game plan which could be passed on pre-game, re-enforced between innings, or put on a wrist band.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Baseball Prospectus | Field General or Backstop?

Thanks GS - interesting. I'm not sure that the MLB pitchers with 'personal' catchers would agree! With the explosion of sabermetrics since 1999, I wonder if the same conclusions would be reached today?