BigSkyHi
All I know is I don't know
- Jan 13, 2020
- 1,385
- 113
If a college coach does not communicate with the pitcher and catcher during a game, find another collegeTRUTH!
If a college coach does not communicate with the pitcher and catcher during a game, find another collegeTRUTH!
I Agree most fastballs do make a bee line straight to the bat, but I've seen a few that were thrown by certain pitchers that did have downward movement.24 years As a fastpitch catcher. Calling pitches from behind the plate.
Add coaching years 49 years in s.b.
My opinion,
Fastball is LEAST called pitch.
In fact, hardly ever use it.
It is generally not the fastest pitch either.
It is a flat pitch that screams
CRUSH THIS PITCH
In fastpitch, pitches start in
the strikezone (pitchers knee).
Fastballs start as a strike and make a bee line path to the hitters bat.
No movement. Straight line.
( not like baseball where pitches start out of the strikezone and come into zone)
Strategize pitch locations by remembering in softball the spin moves out of the zone!
Up and down
In or out
Use only the edges of the plate.
And the river.
Even further off plate to waist pitches and get batters to chase.
Mix in change ups. They make every other pitch faster!
Amanda Freed great words to learn by setting up a batter!
Thats my simple take
on pitch calling.
Success is in the books!
Enjoy
LOVE jamming slappers-we also throw a lot of CU to slappers to disrupt timing. Wondering what your thoughts on that are? I am also a fan of back to back change ups as most kids don't expect that.
I Agree most fastballs do make a bee line straight to the bat, but I've seen a few that were thrown by certain pitchers that did have downward movement.
Some it was based on spin of the ball and some were how they held it.
I Agree most fastballs do make a bee line straight to the bat, but I've seen a few that were thrown by certain pitchers that did have downward movement.
Some it was based on spin of the ball and some were how they held it.
As I said my DD was into the 70's when she brought gas but would never dream of throwing a pitch that did not move. YMMV
Great point you made about dropping the bunt when they see it's a CU. Depends on the kid and how good they are at seeing it. At 12U and junior high, I haven't seen kids be able to do that routinely yet. I am sure it is something at the higher levels they become really good at. Like the idea of throwing it with two strikes bc takes away the bunt option most likely.Personally, I didn't throw change up to slappers until I had 2 strikes. A REALLY good slapper will simply drop a bunt on a change if they recognize it early enough. They're less likely to do that with 2 strikes.
Of course, a change up can work before getting 2 strikes, no question. But again, playing the percentages, I wait until I have 2 strikes if I know they're a really good slapper with really good bat control.
Bill