Have heard several opinions on proper setup for a called riseball without tipping batter to thrown pitch.
Catcher set-up for called pitch
- Thread starter shes_all_that+
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
- Dec 7, 2011
- 2,366
- 38
+1 on this.
BUT this should NOT be done at the expense of the pitchers effectiveness. Meaning if the pitcher is still too young to throw to a spot without a glove target DON'T DO IT (in big events).
I still remember some foolishness of the old days where the dad of our catcher told her to religiously do this correct catchers behavior (not giving away location at all). Well our pitcher was not used to and not ready for not having a glove target. It threw off the pitchers effectiveness. Aggravating thing is that the head coach allowed the catcher (ie catchers dad) to get his way and sacrificed the pitchers and therefore the teams performance so that the catcher could "look accurate" at the exposure events.....
Hmmm.....that is a bit of a conumdrum, but who's at fault for not being properly trained? I'm assuming since we're talking exposure events that this is at least 16U?
In this particular scenario, at an exposure event, should the catcher not be able to show off her knowlege and ability at her position? When a catcher hangs a glove in a particular spot for a fairly lengthy time (a couple of seconds), she is giving a target for a pitcher to guide and steer the ball instead of the pitcher letting loose and trusting her arm.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Practically, the catcher's primary objective is to give the umpire a good look at each pitch so that they can call a strike a strike. A catcher standing up to catch a pitch obviously defeats that purpose. Which, relative to the OP's question, means that the catcher's set up shouldn't differ much (or at all) from their normal stance and as much as possible, its the glove, not the body, that should be reaching up to catch the pitch. With a riseball, as with any other pitch, the catcher should be able to track and catch a pitch by having the major benefit of knowing in advance how the pitch will move. If they are struggling, its an indication that they need more reps to get used to movement pitches. If, after tons of reps they still have trouble catching movement pitches they know are coming, they probably will have even more trouble hitting those pitches and may need to look at another position/sport.
- Dec 7, 2011
- 2,366
- 38
Oh I agree with you Lenski - "fault" for not being advanced IS with the pitcher. I don't think there is any "fault" argument.
BUT the bigger question = should the catcher show-off an inconsequential skill, (of knowing to set up late), at the cost of a teams overall effectiveness...? (knowing that when a pitcher starts to suck usually the rest of the team starts to suck)
Do you think a coach scouting a catcher is really going to be affected by a catcher that sets up earlier vs later especially when it may be solely driven by the pitchers needs? There are soooo many other catcher skills that I think WAY overshadow this being in play or not.
Just one mans opinion
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Oh I agree with you Lenski - "fault" for not being advanced IS with the pitcher. I don't think there is any "fault" argument.
BUT the bigger question = should the catcher show-off an inconsequential skill, (of knowing to set up late), at the cost of a teams overall effectiveness...? (knowing that when a pitcher starts to suck usually the rest of the team starts to suck)
Do you think a coach scouting a catcher is really going to be affected by a catcher that sets up earlier vs later especially when it may be solely driven by the pitchers needs? There are soooo many other catcher skills that I think WAY overshadow this being in play or not.
Just one mans opinion
Showcases are not for showcasing teams and setting up too early so as to give the batter the location is not an inconsequential skill. Would you have a pitcher throw 75% velocity to protect a weak catcher? Have IFs lob throws to 1B to cover for a weak 1B?
Ii think the fault lies with the coach for not taking care of this issue prior to an exposure tourney. Thats not the time or the place to be trying new things.Oh I agree with you Lenski - "fault" for not being advanced IS with the pitcher. I don't think there is any "fault" argument.
BUT the bigger question = should the catcher show-off an inconsequential skill, (of knowing to set up late), at the cost of a teams overall effectiveness...? (knowing that when a pitcher starts to suck usually the rest of the team starts to suck)
Do you think a coach scouting a catcher is really going to be affected by a catcher that sets up earlier vs later especially when it may be solely driven by the pitchers needs? There are soooo many other catcher skills that I think WAY overshadow this being in play or not.
Just one mans opinion
- Dec 7, 2011
- 2,366
- 38
Actually "Yes". In the case of "teams" going to these events. (the events where an individual goes by themselves then I would agree with you more)
If I had a riseball pitcher where a catcher that wants to get "looks" just can't catch it I would tell the pitcher that I am going to not call that pitch more than a couple times. Does the pitcher look good to a drive-by scout if the ball is hammering back to the backstop or beating down the ump? Regardless of how great the riseball is!... No.... Is this "pure justice" for the pitcher? No.... But then the pitcher should have originally secured a team with a more capable catcher.
So are you suggesting that college coaches do not measure a girl on their teaming ability? I bet you don't mean to suggest this but I think you are.
"So are you suggesting that college coaches do not measure a girl on their teaming ability?"
Are you seriously suggesting that if a girl does not play down to another teammates ability on the team that she is not a good teammate? I do not believe any athlete should have to play down to make someone else look good and I do not believe it is good practice to attempt to "deceive" a college coach into believing a player is better than she is. If that player isn't good enough, she isn't good enough and I would think that the girl and the college coach would like to know that before the girl starts playing in college. I understand that showcasing is not about winning but it is about getting noticed and no player should have to jeopardize getting noticed by lessening her skills so that another girl can get noticed.
Are you seriously suggesting that if a girl does not play down to another teammates ability on the team that she is not a good teammate? I do not believe any athlete should have to play down to make someone else look good and I do not believe it is good practice to attempt to "deceive" a college coach into believing a player is better than she is. If that player isn't good enough, she isn't good enough and I would think that the girl and the college coach would like to know that before the girl starts playing in college. I understand that showcasing is not about winning but it is about getting noticed and no player should have to jeopardize getting noticed by lessening her skills so that another girl can get noticed.
