Responsibilty to throw pitch in dirt! or not?

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Aug 21, 2008
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When are you generally looking to throw a change? 1st pitch, 2nd pitch? Which counts etc

That's the cat and mouse aspect. We throw a change up when we KNOW with full belief the hitter is going to swing. And if we know they're gonna swing the last thing we wanna do is throw it in or near the zone. 0-2 count typically means the hitter is not going to swing full blast, sometimes they shorten way way up just for contact. When they're simply looking for contact by shortening way up, the change up will be less effective. It's usually less effective with a hitter taking a shorter swing.

So, there's no such thing as a perfect situation. Sometimes a pitcher can just see it in the hitter's eyes, they're gonna swing and they shake off the sign until they get the change up. Sometimes the catcher can see or detect something from the hitter that they'll be swinging.
 
Aug 21, 2008
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Blanket statements like
Bad things happen when the ball bounces.
Are easily replied with blanket statements like
Bad things happen when powerful hitters can reach the pitch.

Would MUCH rather have a change up bounce than float/stay up.

However because of Change Ups spin and trajectory are often more difficult dirt pitches to handle.
Obviously harder to throw out runners waiting for pitch to arrive.

As for pitch calling and sequence of.
Also has to do with what the batter looks like.
What the pitchers strengths/weaknesses are.
The catcher.

Gleened from video,
The narrator in the video was speaking directly to waisting the change up in the dirt.
Would/Could a pitcher do that. Yes.
As a blanket statement to throw 0-2 change ups all the time. No.

"bad things happen when the ball bounces" -unless the catchers are trained by RAD!!! Better? ha ha. You're right, blanket statements are sometimes tough. Good point.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
*That's the cat and mouse aspect.
* there's no such thing as a perfect situation.
*Sometimes a pitcher can just see it in the hitter's eyes, they're gonna swing and they shake off the sign until they get the change up. *Sometimes the catcher can see or detect something from the hitter that they'll be swinging.
This right here! 👆

Want to say this about Catchers.
just about every catcher I have met and work with knows that we have a role that is to support the pitcher. If that means we need to work harder because a pitch is going into the dirt we know it is part of being a catcher and we are already willing to do that.
Use everything on the field including the dirt!
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Just goooogled to see any info
Bit of a read
But there are some stats mlb stuff.

Screenshot_2021-02-22-09-21-03-1.png
Screenshot_2021-02-22-09-21-17-1.png
 
Last edited:
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
Just goooogled to see any info
Bit of a read
But there are some stats mlb stuff.

View attachment 21134
View attachment 21135
I've had this exact argument. Having runners on base INCREASES the reasons I want a pitch in the dirt. This is when a catcher really earns their spot. I absolutely hate needing to change pitch calling based on who is catching. Of course, this assumes you have a pitcher who can execute the pitch consistently and a catcher who has worked with them enough to know how their pitches spin/bounce.
 
Feb 15, 2017
920
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Like that
Change up
And
Even slower change up
With a drop & its locations!
Great Stuff!!!

A PHENOMENAL pitching instructor
Bill Owens called half speed pitches
'Half-A-Bucks'
What a joy to catch for his pitchers.
Multiple pitches and Speed variations!
ATTACK WITH THE ARSENAL
When she first started pitching she was able to attend one of Bama's camps and Alexis Osorio was her camp counselor and told her to learn to throw all pitches except fastball at two different speeds. He changes are 5 and 12 mph slower than her fastball and her drop is just a bit slower than the fastball but has tons of drop. Still working on a drop that is a little slower but with more drop. This will be the 43 foot drop ball.



Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
Okay...I admit not reading every post of this thread. That said, I tell and teach my catchers that, as they develop, there is a time and a place for each. Part of their development is determining between when it's okay to glove the ball, when it's absolutely necessary to glove the ball and when dropping and blocking is the way to go. A BR on 3rd, dropping and blocking is a necessity if they are trained properly and keep the ball within 2-3 feet of home. BR on first, field it and throw from the knees assuming no runner in 3.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Okay...I admit not reading every post of this thread. That said, I tell and teach my catchers that, as they develop, there is a time and a place for each. Part of their development is determining between when it's okay to glove the ball, when it's absolutely necessary to glove the ball and when dropping and blocking is the way to go. A BR on 3rd, dropping and blocking is a necessity if they are trained properly and keep the ball within 2-3 feet of home. BR on first, field it and throw from the knees assuming no runner in 3.
Ohhhh like that absolutely necessary philosophy/verbage!

Puts a standard in perspective of getting runner's out!
ZAP
 

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