calling pitches

JJS said:

I would love 100% first pitch strikes...as long as those strikes are pitches swung at and thrown a couple inches off the plate. If your pitcher is good enough to hit her spot 90% of the time then she should be throwing a pitch that even touches the plate about 25% of the time(or less).

A good pitcher can throw strikes. A great pitcher can throw balls that look like strikes.

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Just thinking out loud here ..... if a pitcher throws a strike 25% of the time, and the batters are selective enough not to commit to a swing, that 25% target could lead to a lot of walks. A strategy of keeping the bat on the shoulder would win the game.

Obviously you must be counting on the batters not being selective enough.

In your opinion, in a live game, with a strike occurring either because "the batter swung" or "the batter didn't swing & the umpire called it a strike" ... what percentage of pitches would be 'strikes'?

xygent1 said:

I don't know they worked good last night but don't ya want to be in that 15-20mph difference? more I think for the disciplined batters? cant remember where I read it but I thought 20mph was kind of the magical #

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It is the magical number for some pitchers, but it really depends on what her cruising speed is on full speed pitches, how much spin her CU has, how well she sells it. Some get away with a 20MPH difference (Lacey Waldrop) because they spin the ball a lot and make it look like it is faster. CUs with less spin that are thrown that slow will be reset on and crushed. I think 20 MPH is USUALLY too slow. I think the range of a good CU/OFFSPEED is typically 8-15 MPH but it really depends on the pitcher (and ideally they have two offspeed pitch speeds.

I believe all pitchers can have an effective changeup but the ideal speed difference needs to be found for each pitcher. For power pitchers, I think they usually can get away with a slightly higher CU speed than junkballers because the batters are already trigger happy just trying to stay on time so they commit a little earlier in the ball flight.

Yeah that seems to be the case atm for my dd as she's usually ahead of the batters n they suck in on her cu's for now at least. Thanks for the input

A 'fb' thrown low in the zone often (not always) will have the same spin as a 'drop'. The movement, if studied closely though video, for an identically located pitch, is often one and the same. Differences can often be attributed to speed differences.

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An easier way to say this: Most kids think they know how to throw a drop, when, in fact, they don't.

xygent1 said:

is there any guidelines out there on what pitches to call when? Ive been noticing my DD's stats 87% first pitch strikes which I believe I need to lower cause once teams get used to her they will know that first one is going to be in the strike zone? where Im having a problem with is in the pitcher/batter battles and when down on the count what to throw to get the batter to bite. ive been looking for just a basic guidline with no luck, pitches she throws are fb,curve,drop n change with being able to hit her spots very good. also would love to increase her k's which shes avg. 1.1 per inning right now my goal is to get her to 2 like I tell her shes hitting her spots and throwing the right pitches its the guy calling the pitches that's responsible I should note shes playing up in 14u league which are much more disciplined batters vs 12u.

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Some random thoughts...
1) We strive for 60-65% first pitch strikes.
2) Some coaches call pitches trying to exploit perceived batters weaknesses.
3) Some coaches call pitches based on their pitchers strengths.
4) Changing the plane and location of pitches is a good idea - high inside/low outside, high outside/low inside.
5) Changing speeds helps throw off a batters timing - we strive to be able to throw three speeds fast/average/slow
6) Learning the umpires strike zone quickly can be a HUGH benefit to a pitch caller and pitcher.
7) Know the count and adjust accordingly. An 0-2 change up needs to be off the plate, while a 3-2 change up needs to be tight.
8) If you use iScore or GameChanger the WHIP is a good stat to track. Less than 1.00 is very good.
9) We strive for a 3-to-1 or better strikeout to walk ratio.
10) If batters are crowding the plate, the pitcher needs to have the confidence to come inside.

sluggers said:

An easier way to say this: Most kids think they know how to throw a drop, when, in fact, they don't.

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And this is different than every other pitch out there?

xygent1 said:

I don't know they worked good last night but don't ya want to be in that 15-20mph difference? more I think for the disciplined batters? cant remember where I read it but I thought 20mph was kind of the magical #

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Last night the pitcher for Michigan pretty much schooled Georgia with a CU in the 8-10 mph range.

When teaching a CU I like emphasizing spin because it really seems to confuse hitters.

Your DD most likely does not throw a curve or a drop. She probably throws low fastballs and outside pitches. Go to a college game and see someone who really throws a drop.

It doesn't matter what you or her PC think about her breaking pitches...it only matters what the *batters* think about her breaking pitch.

There is a real easy test for breaking pitches: With a 1-0 count, can she get the #4 batter to swing and miss her drop? If she can't, her breaking pitch isn't good enough.

Ive been noticing my DD's stats 87% first pitch strikes which I believe I need to lower cause once teams get used to her they will know that first one is going to be in the strike zone?

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At 14U, she should keep doing this. 14U hitters don't have the mental discipline to exploit her first pitch strikes. (Many college hitters can't either.)

where Im having a problem with is in the pitcher/batter battles and when down on the count what to throw to get the batter to bite.

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That is what breaking pitches are for. If the breaking pitches are getting the batters to swing, then the problem is the breaking pitches, not the pitch calling.

I tell her shes hitting her spots and throwing the right pitches its the guy calling the pitches that's responsible I should note shes playing up in 14u league which are much more disciplined batters vs 12u.

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??? You need an attitude adjustment.

It is always your DD's responsibility. Suggesting to her that someone else is to blame hurts her. It allows her to find some external factor for her failure.

Good pitchers have incredible confidence...they don't care who is at the plate, who is behind the plate, who is playing SS, who is catching, who is calling pitches.

The only way she can get that kind of confidence is to accept responsibility.

Sounds like the type of clinic where a 10 year old comes out having learned 5-6 pitches. The good news is that they are all very consistent.