3 PICKY PITCHERS...or do they have a legit...

[radness]

3 picky pitchers, or legit gripe?
Heres the scoop

3 pitchers on a team
2 catchers
1 utility catcher

1 catcher very good
1 catcher so so, no arm, with dropped pitches
1 utlility catcher struggles

Now the pitchers have gotten to see what happens when they are pitching to which catcher.
Performance disparity between the battery on the field is definitely noticeable.
Making each pitcher want the number one catcher.
One game is controlled and clean then...next game...
yikes (dare i say)
Makes the pitchers look bad. ☹
Now the pitchers are griping.
The pitchers parents are griping.
The coach see's it but has limited time or ability to develop the catchers further.
Team looks great one game and then

Gotten to where pitchers have told the coach they may need to leave the team.
Are they just being picky?

What should the coach do?
What should the pitchers do?

14u team
Due's are paid for upcoming tournaments in summer also. Still need to make monthly due's.
They have been playing together 4 months.
In december is usually
'Find a new team tryouts shuffle'
for the un-pleased.

 

[Vertigo]

Why don’t the pitchers invite the 2 catchers to catch them at their pitching lessons so they get more work? This will also help to improve the relationships.

 

[cnardone]

The way you describe it, they do have a gripe. But are you being picky about catcher performance? I don't think it is worth leaving a team over. And a lot of skills can be gained over a long winter of dedication. That 2nd catcher could come out next spring a much better player. Especially if they recognize their deficiencies and see you all winter.

 

[radness]

Why don’t the pitchers invite the 2 catchers to catch them at their pitching lessons so they get more work? This will also help to improve the relationships.

Like that suggestion for all pitchers and catchers.
Every team!

Just to add more detail,
the pitchers and catchers throw weekly at practice.

 

[radness]

The way you describe it, they do have a gripe. But are you being picky about catcher performance? I don't think it is worth leaving a team over. And a lot of skills can be gained over a long winter of dedication. That 2nd catcher could come out next spring a much better player. Especially if they recognize their deficiencies and see you all winter.

Well thanku if they were a student may help.
However they have a different instructor...group type thing.

The coach called me with this.
Now in a difficult situation to figure out what happens if all pitch quit. Or get rid of catchers they have. Pick up more catchers with the ones they already have? Conundrum

 

[HunterMO]

This answer comes from experience with DD's 12u C team the past couple of years. Which pitcher (assuming all three are of equal skill level) has the weakest mental fortitude. As in, who falls apart or becomes flustered the fastest, due to mistakes (either hers or the catchers)? If all three are of equal skill....I would possibly pair the strongest catcher with that pitcher.

Then the other two pitchers get the #2 catcher and try to work and help develop her more. Or the very least have her get as many reps as possible with the pitchers so she can at least learn to better read their pitching and mannerisms. You could try to rotate the #1 catcher in to help appease some feelings, but at the end of the day catchers need rest. Especially in the high heat.

#3 catcher would be used in emergency cases or blowouts only. She wants time? She needs to dedicate some work and get better.

This past year DD would get her team's #2 catcher. Who would be a #3 or #4 anywhere else. It was tough, but DD made the best of it. I'd say a fair amount of balls that could have been made strikes by a stronger catcher. Let's not talk about passed balls.....either due to DD missing or the catcher not being able to handle a dropping/moving pitch. Just things a good catcher could help a pitcher out with. The issue was that our other pitcher would get flustered quickly with mistakes or high pressure situations like bases loaded in a tight game. Having our #1 catcher helped stem some of that by cleaning up her mistakes or being able to hold runners from stealing. Again, 12u C ball, so don't read too much into it. But just sharing a similar (but not the same) experience.

 

[radness]

This answer comes from experience with DD's 12u C team the past couple of years. Which pitcher (assuming all three are of equal skill level) has the weakest mental fortitude. As in, who falls apart or becomes flustered the fastest, due to mistakes (either hers or the catchers)? If all three are of equal skill....I would possibly pair the strongest catcher with that pitcher.

Then the other two pitchers get the #2 catcher and try to work and help develop her more. Or the very least have her get as many reps as possible with the pitchers so she can at least learn to better read their pitching and mannerisms. You could try to rotate the #1 catcher in to help appease some feelings, but at the end of the day catchers need rest. Especially in the high heat.

#3 catcher would be used in emergency cases or blowouts only. She wants time? She needs to dedicate some work and get better.

This past year DD would get her team's #2 catcher. Who would be a #3 or #4 anywhere else. It was tough, but DD made the best of it. I'd say a fair amount of balls that could have been made strikes by a stronger catcher. Let's not talk about passed balls.....either due to DD missing or the catcher not being able to handle a dropping/moving pitch. Just things a good catcher could help a pitcher out with. The issue was that our other pitcher would get flustered quickly with mistakes or high pressure situations like bases loaded in a tight game. Having our #1 catcher helped stem some of that by cleaning up her mistakes or being able to hold runners from stealing. Again, 12u C ball, so don't read too much into it. But just sharing a similar (but not the same) experience.

Good read.

Hmmm pitchers mental fortitude
or the parentslol

 

[HunterMO]

Good read.

Hmmm pitchers mental fortitude
or the parentslol

Can't help on the parent side. But can anybody? - Lol Being honest....I was getting frustrated that DD would never be paired with our #1. I had a quick text conversation with our HC (we've played with him for 3-years) and he shared why he was doing it.

It did two things.... A) showed his trust and appreciation of DD. B) Helped me understand so I could help DD understand.

Now, I should have picked up on that on my own. But the "parent" goggles were skewing it a little. Lesson learned by me as well.

In the end.....the situation you presented isn't so easy to solve. But, if the HC can be saavy enough....can at least kick the can a little down the road to see if #2 catcher can get better during the winter.

 

[cnardone]

Can the #1 catch 2 games each day over a weekend? That would seem to help quite a bit if possible.

 

[radness]

Can't help on the parent side. But can anybody? - Lol Being honest....I was getting frustrated that DD would never be paired with our #1. I had a quick text conversation with our HC (we've played with him for 3-years) and he shared why he was doing it.

It did two things.... A) showed his trust and appreciation of DD. B) Helped me understand so I could help DD understand.

Now, I should have picked up on that on my own. But the "parent" goggles were skewing it a little. Lesson learned by me as well.

In the end.....the situation you presented isn't so easy to solve. But, if the HC can be saavy enough....can at least kick the can a little down the road to see if #2 catcher can get better during the winter.

Communication on strategy super important!

From what coach shared.
Shuffling #1 catcher has been sorta ok to help stop the bleeding. But not developing a stronger battery because of shuffle.
He said
The #2 still getting almost equal playing time to #1 is not stepping their game up.
Pitted with #3 catcher theres no pressure on #2.

So right now coach is going to catch #1 catcher 2 of 3 games.
Give #2 , 1 game

I will send this post to the coach to read your/all posts! My feedback was about setting standards with a time frame.