Pitch Calling

[sluggers]

Lovation

Location, control and change of speed. A hitter has to have timing. A pitchers job is to disrupt that timing.

Yes and no.

Timing disruption won't work against good batters, especially when the game is on the line. Physically strong hitters who keep their hands back can hit the ball even if the timing is off. With modern bats, they can even hit them out of the park.

Against good batters, the pitcher actually has to make the batter believe the ball will end up at a different location.

 

[radness]

YES disrupting timing is necessary and absolutly useful against good batters, young developing batters and even against the best batters.

Changing speed of pitches changes the timing of when it gets to a location.

Can even throw to same location more than once to a batter by utilizing changing the speed of pitch.

Setting up a batter use all tools in the pitchers tool box!

Another way to look at pitch speeds is
Wouldnt want to throw all pitches the same speed...because the batter would then certainly pick up timing much easier.

Even throwing a change up that goes into the dirt at the plate can effectively work disrupting timing.
Swinging early generally happens befor ball reaches the plate.

Throw slow can be a 20 mph
( or more) =
(30% change in mph)
difference than heat!

Change ups make other pitches faster!!!

Even good to learn all pitches at fastest and slower than speeds.
Pitching instructor
Bill Owens called these
"Half a buck"

Change ups were slowest.

 

[uncdrew]

I thought this was great info from Amanda the first time I came across it. Share it with your Catchers also please and help develop their awareness, work with them along along the way as you assess each pitchers ability to work.

It was a good read. It was interesting to see how 90% of the advice was "pitch it inside".

 

[uncdrew]

"Pitch calling is not a skill. "

https://images.app.goo.gl/eZFDnUvnAMTconJn8

It's not a skill.

It's something some people are good at and some are bad at. It's something that you can get better at with practice and hard work.

 

[radness]

"Pitch calling is not a skill." rollinghard said


[uncdrew] said
It's something some people are good at and some are bad at. It's something that you can get better at with practice and hard work.
[/QUOTE]
Uncdrew nailed it!



For discussion...
Because great pitch calling
CAN BE LEARNED

The definition of the word
SKILL.....
Appears that if we increase our knowlegde of whats going on at the plate,
ie: pitches/batters/
catchers framing...
*even the umpires zone...
we can increase our skill at pitch calling!

Think this is supported knowing there are specific assigned people who call pitches in college and pro. As well pitch and batter charting.

 

[sluggers]

"
Think this is supported knowing there are specific assigned people who call pitches in college and pro. As well pitch and batter charting.

Pitch calling in TB is the equivalent of running the West Coast offense in Pop Warner football-- there is a lot of hand waving and motion, but, in the end, the ball goes right down the middle.


View attachment 16026



[/QUOTE]

 

[radness]

Pitch calling in TB is the equivalent of running the West Coast offense in Pop Warner football-- there is a lot of hand waving and motion, but, in the end, the ball goes right down the middle.
View attachment 16026

Thats funny!!!
10u maybe
Funny!!!

Beyond that, guess you dont have much talent in your town.

Lets get back to
real softball now...

 

[Tatonka]

Pitch calling in TB is the equivalent of running the West Coast offense in Pop Warner football-- there is a lot of hand waving and motion, but, in the end, the ball goes right down the middle.


View attachment 16026

[/QUOTE]
I sure wish some folks here would stop over-generalizing and declaring "absolutes" regarding so many things. Are we just supposed to give up on developing players or skills because it's a waste of time? Does a pitcher progressing from TB to College ball just suddenly become that much better? Do the coaches all suddenly and automatically know how to call pitches because they are on a college staff?

This forum needs help! Stop thumping your chest and bragging about everything and put yourselves in the shoes or cleats of the future generation of players, parents and coaches! It ain't so just because you say it is...give better explanations and help someone when they are honestly and sincerely seeking answers. Rant off. Carry on, flame on, whatever.... smh

 

[sluggers]

! It ain't so just because you say it is...give better explanations and help someone when they are honestly and sincerely seeking answers. Rant off. Carry on, flame on, whatever.... smh

Sure...pitch calling in TB retards the development of pitchers.

Why? As pointed out numerous times, the most important factors for a young pitcher's success is control. So, developing young pitchers should focus on control.

In softball, "control" means being able to (a) find the umpire's strike zone and (b) pitch on the edge's of the umpire's strike zone. Control is more difficult because the strike zone floats--it changes from batter to batter, and umpire to umpire.

Young pitchers should be allowed to go to the circle and work simply on control and changing speeds.

Someone will say, "kids need to work on throwing breaking pitches during games". Reality check: Few TB pitchers have breaking pitches. At 14U TB A, about 1 in 20 pitchers have movement. At a 14U TB - B tournaments, no pitcher has a breaking pitch.

So, drop the charade. Just let the kid pitch and actually experience playing the pitching game.

Does a pitcher progressing from TB to College ball just suddenly become that much better?

To a large extent, yes. They are older and more mature physically and mentally.

Do the coaches all suddenly and automatically know how to call pitches because they are on a college staff?

There is at least some logic that they can call pitches. Generally, pitch callers in college were pitchers. The pitching charts at that level have meaningful information. The data actually means something.

1) The pitchers can consistently throw the called pitch to the called location.
2) The pitchers face the same batters over and over again.

"Pitch calling from the dugout" nonsense doesn't exist in pro baseball.

 

[uncdrew]

I'm excited by the fact my pitching DD's future coach is a very good batting instructor. He watches the girls on deck and can see how to exploit the holes in their swings. He'll call pitches along those lines.