Pitch Calling System

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Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Just curious, what specifically is the person behind the plate doing? Ive been to a few college games and noticed a person tracking info. They generally are tracking speed with a gun, but how do they quantify the pitch. Are they evaluating movement and location including speed?
.

Typically one person is charting the type and location of the pitch and someone else is working the gun. The folks behind the catcher are reading the movement (or lack thereof) and the location. They may also be recording the result, or that could be a 3rd person. Since they do not know what was called they are not biased by the intent of the called pitch. This data is then reconciled with the data from the dugout. You then have a pretty accurate assessment of what was called and the result. In addition to charting pitches video may be collected on every swing, from 2 - 3 locations.

This is what I have seen in the SEC, PAC 12, etc. Obviously what happens in the lower levels is another matter. But if you want accurate, actionable information you need at least 2 people. One recording the intent, the other recording the result. Interpreted correctly this will provide significant insights into pitching performance.
 

ez_softball

Life at the diamond...
Apr 14, 2017
158
28
I think the simpler the system the better. For example at 10u something like 3 numbers and a European city. Simply take the first number multiply it by the second and subtract the third for pitch type. The European cities geographic location roughly equates to pitch location.

So I have seen:

"235 Madrid" would be a drop ball low and away out of the zone assuming a right handed batter
"426 Rome" would be a low inside curve at the knees again assuming a right handed batter.

Now if you think you are getting picked just make it the square root of the first number times the second number squared minus the third number as-is because you don't want to make it too complicated.

On a side note, I will just say it's amazing how many times you call Rome and the damn thing ends up in Barcelona. And obviously anything thrown around Munich will likely get planted over the right field wall. Again simplicity simplicity simplicity!

Andy

So, you expect your 10U pitcher and catcher to do math in their head and have a sound knowledge of European geography. ;) What is this school or softball? :p Just messin' with you sounds like a decent system.
 

ez_softball

Life at the diamond...
Apr 14, 2017
158
28
Would you happen to have an example of the form used to track these pitches?

I use one of the tracking sheets that was posted here... I don't remember who posted it or when. It has a section for following the count to see if your pitchers are working ahead or behind to batters and it has a pitch call with actual location section for each batter. Maybe somebody with a better memory can find it and link it.
 
Feb 15, 2017
920
63
Typically one person is charting the type and location of the pitch and someone else is working the gun. The folks behind the catcher are reading the movement (or lack thereof) and the location. They may also be recording the result, or that could be a 3rd person. Since they do not know what was called they are not biased by the intent of the called pitch. This data is then reconciled with the data from the dugout. You then have a pretty accurate assessment of what was called and the result. In addition to charting pitches video may be collected on every swing, from 2 - 3 locations.

This is what I have seen in the SEC, PAC 12, etc. Obviously what happens in the lower levels is another matter. But if you want accurate, actionable information you need at least 2 people. One recording the intent, the other recording the result. Interpreted correctly this will provide significant insights into pitching performance.
Would the insessent call from one of ESPN's leading announcers (who shall remain nameless, but resides in Florida) detailing that the pitch was a "back door curve" be useful in analysis?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Mar 24, 2014
450
18
I use one of the tracking sheets that was posted here... I don't remember who posted it or when. It has a section for following the count to see if your pitchers are working ahead or behind to batters and it has a pitch call with actual location section for each batter. Maybe somebody with a better memory can find it and link it.

I'd be interested in one of these tracking sheets if anybody is knows the link. I remember seeing these sheets but at the time our team wasn't looking to track pitches.
 
Nov 3, 2012
480
16
Typically one person is charting the type and location of the pitch and someone else is working the gun. The folks behind the catcher are reading the movement (or lack thereof) and the location. They may also be recording the result, or that could be a 3rd person. Since they do not know what was called they are not biased by the intent of the called pitch. This data is then reconciled with the data from the dugout. You then have a pretty accurate assessment of what was called and the result. In addition to charting pitches video may be collected on every swing, from 2 - 3 locations.

This is what I have seen in the SEC, PAC 12, etc. Obviously what happens in the lower levels is another matter. But if you want accurate, actionable information you need at least 2 people. One recording the intent, the other recording the result. Interpreted correctly this will provide significant insights into pitching performance.

Thanks for the response. This system would provide some really good feedback for the coach and pitcher to use for improvement. And the elite teams have to do this to get an edge I'd think. Like you mentioned, lower levels don't do this as it would take up some resources as to have 2 to 3 people available for every pitch. I went to two Big Ten games this weekend, and I was looking around to see if anybody was doing this, and to surprise there was nobody in the stands from either team tracking pitches. Now these two teams aren't close to the top 25 but one team is having a good season. But it makes me ask the question, this could be one of the more subtle things the Big Ten is not doing (among other things), at least to keep up with SEC, PAC 12, Big12 and ACC. You'd think the Big 10 schools would have equal resources available being a major 5 conference.
 

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