Pitching for weak contact vs. strikeouts in 12u

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Jul 14, 2018
982
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What do you guys think about the pitcher calling her own pitchers from the rubber using arm bands?

This pitch-calling conversation always makes me feel like a total dummy. When I pitched as a kid, my priority after delivery was on getting into position to field the ball, and focusing on the point of contact so that I could react properly. I had no idea if a batter was early or late, I just wanted to finish the game with all of my teeth :ROFLMAO:
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Why signs over wristbands? Because they lose them?

Armbands slow things down (at least with the younger teams, in my experience).

You call out "Yellow 13" and they don't hear you because of crowd noise. So you yell it again. Then they finally hear you and then they go to yellow, down to thirteen and finally read the right line.

All to just realize it's "Swing Away".

:|
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
My DD did this for HS ball. Situational pitching and reading batters were foreign concepts to her catcher and not well understood by the coach. Opposing coaches would get all excited and start scribbling down the numbers thinking they would crack the code. But with a number set that rotated every inning, we just kind of chuckled at their efforts.

It's amazingly easy to call in numbers.

For our 9 year old girls last year, at the beginning of an inning I asked the pitcher to pick "First number, second number or last number." They picked, I told the catcher.

If the number they chose was odd, pitch a fastball. If it was even, change-up. So then I'd just call 3-4-2 (or whatever) and they'd know what to pitch. Other teams never figured it out -- I assume most didn't even try.

But as the girls could locate pitches, we moved to me sitting on a bucket with fingers between my legs. For our girls, first number was the pitch, second was location. We used fastball and change, inside, middle, outside and high. Worked really well.
 
Sep 9, 2019
130
43
My Daughter is first season 12u and was recruited to pitch on a new team, the HC told the parents his strategy was for the pitchers to pitch for weak contact vs. Ks. From what I’ve seen of the defense, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. They are an A level team but 1st year 12u. I’m concerned if following this instruction she will walk players or errors will be made in the field and she will become frustrated.

Why not let her decide if she should try to strike out the batter vs. trying to get them to hit the ball? ,
Thoughts on this strategy?

I can’t find any info about it.
1 if you are worried about the ability to get outs via defense - it is not an A team
2 if the coach is telling your pitcher to throw the ball over the plate ahead in the count 2 strikes- they are not a A coach
 

rtb

Nov 9, 2016
5
1
My Daughter is first season 12u and was recruited to pitch on a new team, the HC told the parents his strategy was for the pitchers to pitch for weak contact vs. Ks. From what I’ve seen of the defense, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. They are an A level team but 1st year 12u. I’m concerned if following this instruction she will walk players or errors will be made in the field and she will become frustrated.

Why not let her decide if she should try to strike out the batter vs. trying to get them to hit the ball? ,
Thoughts on this strategy?

I can’t find any info about it.

I would rather pitch the ball once for a ground out than 3 times for a strike out. 21 easy outs no matter how they come. If you have a different philosophy than the head coach perhaps it's best to have your daughter play for someone who you agree with.
 

inumpire

Observer, but has an opinion
Oct 31, 2014
277
43
I have a friend that always said you can't live on the strikeout past 10U. He's pretty much right. At 12U balls will be put in play so the defense better be ready. That said, good pitchers will still get their fair share of strikeouts. So, if you can get them, take them. But the days of a steady stream of fastballs to get a strikeout are over. Change speeds and movement.

You'll see a lot of pitchers that looked great at 10/12 just look mediocre at 14 because they can't make the adjustment.
Changes speeds and movement? From a 12U?? change speed maybe, but how about hitting their spot and controlling where the ball is being thrown?? Until any pitcher can do that, you are wasting your time trying to teach movement. I umpire about 80 high school games a year, and see very little movement on pitches for the most part from pitchers, and some of them have 5-6 different pitches, just ask mom or dad. But th done the DON’T have is called hitting their spot!!
 
Jan 31, 2014
292
28
North Carolina
12u pitchers have a long way to go, no matter how good they are for their age. Same for any other player. I love winning, but 12u is still more about learning the game and loving the game.. Pitchers should start learning location, movement and speed early in the process. For me it's somewhat in that order, though of course there's plenty of overlap. A pitcher's job is to control her own performance and continue to grow in skill. I'll throw in that she also needs to control her attitude, because I believe a whole team can be affected by how a pitcher carries herself. At this age, a game isn't much more than a way to help measure a player's understanding and skill.

Even if she can't do it well yet, a 12u pitcher should be trying to hit spots, trying to move the ball. and working to improve. Learn from every game and every practice. Caoches and parents should encourage, support, help her develop determination and an appreciation for hard work. Development time is different for everyone, but work always pays off. It's a process that will continue as long as she plays.

A coach that doesn't pressure girls to get strikeouts, but can motivte them to always give their very best, can help them understand they are in a process of growth... that coach has my respect.
 

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