Who Should Call Pitches?

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Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I've followed the entertaining strike out v. putting ball in play thread and was interested in who each poster would advocate to call the pitches and why

A) pitcher (i.e., by shaking off catcher until they get the pitch they want)
B) catcher (independent of coach)
C) coach (i.e., relayed through catcher)

I'd expect the "dominators" would say A, after all the P's the one who's actually got to make the pitch. I'd hazard that C would be the choice of the pitching to contact crowd, because its too critical and complicated for either the catcher or pitcher. And former catchers would argue B because the coach can't see everything from the bench.

What say you and why? Does the answer depend on age and ability? Is there a right answer? And, if you say C, regardless, please explain how you developed the expertise.

Stirring the pot - Greenmonsters:D
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Daddies yell from the sideline because catchers only have 4 fingers and a thumb, and their DD pitchers apparently have 9 pitches.

Teenagers also lose track of the game strategy. They get hung up on "what happened to the last batter" and then fall into a predictable batter. By the time they are ready to call a game in their junior or senior year of college, their career is over.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
LOL - How could I have forgotten to include that one? and the corollary

E) Pitcher's pitching or travel coach (i.e., surreptitously from behind the backstop)
 
Mar 18, 2009
131
0
La Crosse WI
Hahaha. I love the comments, especially TowPilots's.

We're all followers of the TimMcCarver/JoeMorgan school of second-guessing. I've been a dad of a dominating pitcher, a pitching coach of a college team, and a developmental coach of girls 10 to 16 years old.

Ultimately, I've always told the pitchers that they are responsible for the result of the pitch thrown.
A signal that starts with the pitching coach, approved by the team coach, relayed by the catcher, and processed by the pitcher is probably a good call for the situation. But the pitcher has to decide whether he/she has confidence in the pitch (type/location), and then go with what she feels best.
JimP
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Sluggers - why don't they get it until Jr/Sr college year? Lack of experience and/or opportunity? Do we, as coaches, sometimes get caught up and rationalize that its too complicated/important to leave it in the hands of the C or P and deprive them of that opportunity? Even if the "wrong" pitch is called, if the pitcher hits their spot the outcome more than likely will be in their favor.

GM:D
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
RedH,

Agreed that it's a collaborative effort and that the P has to have confidence that its the right call in order to throw the pitch w/ conviction. Generally, isn't it preferable to let the P focus on execution, not pitch calling?

GM:D
 
Mar 2, 2009
311
16
Suffolk, VA
I like calling pitches myself against teams we are competing against, but only because if we lose, its on my decisions, not an inexperienced catcher........... I ALSO believe Catchers and Pitchers not in the game, should be learning when we are in the dugout, and when the game or situation allows, prefer my catcher to call the game. (I tend to talk a lot to my catchers about situations and batters and what type pitches a pitcher may have best results with.) She calls them, sometimes does a great job, sometimes calls a pitch I probably wouldn't and she learns. ** Although I do understand many of the best DIV I college teams call pitches from the dugout, I believe experienced catchers can do just as well, if not better with their view of being directly behind the batter. There have been plenty of times I've called a pitch, that my catcher just stares/GLARES at me because she sees something I don't and times I just called a bad pitch and the batter hit it pretty good. Its part of the game, so if I can screw up, I can live with my catcher who is working her tail off screwing up (sometimes!)
 
Oct 22, 2009
1,781
0
It all depends on the circumstances.
If the pitcher has no dad allowed in the dugout, and a poor catcher, she calls herself. Usually League play.
I prefer the dad calling pitches, we go over lots of pitch calling and situations in class and I'm pretty confident of my dads calling pitches.
When the catcher has to call, I work with my pitcher to communicate with the catcher.

I have more problems when the coach calls the pitches, even those that have pitching daughters. I've had one parent tell me her coach only calls pitches that his daughter has, so she never gets to pitch her best pitches. Those coaches also tend to get predictable and limit the pitches being called, usually just staying with the move the fastball in and out.

Pitchers that hit their pitches will not get banged around if someone knowledgeable is calling pitches. If she is getting hit regularly throughout the game, something needs to change.
 

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