Batters crowding the plate 14u+

NorthMS said:

We shouldn't just pitch to the catcher though. You have to make adjustments. If the ump is giving you 1 ball off the plate, why pitch closer? That's an adjustment. If a batter is hugging the plate, you have to be able to pitch inside. If the batters are not chasing the drop pitch, you have to adjust. If a batter you've never faced before crushes an inside pitch just foul, you may want to rethink putting it there again. Adjustments.

We work on situations like, facing a weaker hitter on a full count, you can get away with more of the plate than if it was a crusher standing in the box.

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FiveFrameSwing said:

The ability to locate a pitch correctly a few times is not mastery of a pitch. It is more a display of ability or potential … which then needs to be matured into mastery.

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Greenmonsters said:

Absolutely agree that adjustments are necessary. However, until pitchers have mastered technique, location, and all their pitches, it is much simpler and far more effective IMO/IME for them to focus exclusively on 'throwing to the catcher'. Let the pitch caller worry about the hitter, umpire, game situation, field conditions, defensive strengths/weaknesses etc and allow the pitcher to worry about one thing - properly executing and throwing the called pitch to the called location i.e., throwing to the catcher. In other words, the pitcher's one and only concern, regardless of the score, inning, game situation (and pressure) etc., the pitcher's routine and focus need never change - throw to the catcher!

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