Should coaches or catchers call pitches?

[_MIA_]

Not exactly, and I apologize my addition to the conversation was lost on you.

Lol..yes your intellect was too much to overcome. I will make sure to double my dose of nootropics before reading your posts from now on.

 

[Bullseye]

The reality is that a coach in concert with the pitcher and catcher are executing a predetermined series of pitches to give themselves the best leverage possible against a hitter. It's mostly based on the pitchers primary pitches, any data that you might have available on a particular batter, and what the catcher is seeing (from the pitcher, from the umpire, and from the batter).

Said the guy explaining how to quantify pitch-calling.

 

[Eric F]

Not exactly, and I apologize my addition to the conversation was lost on you. There's a difference is in the subtlety of what I'm describing more than just "shaking it off." I was trying to describe the constant back and forth the battery and coach have.
To put it another way. that hopefully meets your approval...
My opinion as to the conversation at hand which started as "who should call the pitches;" I believe it's best to be a very quick conversation initiated by the catcher, guided by the pitcher, and depending both players skill level and experience overseen by a coach or coaches. Ultimately it is however the pitcher's responsibility because they wear the stats so to speak.

No. Exactly. My comment was SPECIFICALLY in response to LEsoftballdad who said that his pitcher-DD calls her own pitches. I was curious about what method she uses to communicate to her C about what pitch is coming. That's all there was to it. This had nothing to do with what usually happens, or who should call pitches. It was ONLY about this one unusual circumstance.

You said that you've never seen it. I haven't either. Apparently, however, it exists whether or not we have seen it happen.

 

[PapaBear]

If they don't call games they should have input each inning on what is working and what is not. As kids get older and games are secured I had no issues handing the game over to the catcher to call pitches to build their IQ of the game but also give them more say/leadership opportunities. Pitchers should interact and be part of pitch calls with the coach each inning if the coach is calling.

 

[Jeffrey]

No. Exactly. My comment was SPECIFICALLY in response to LEsoftballdad who said that his pitcher-DD calls her own pitches. I was curious about what method she uses to communicate to her C about what pitch is coming. That's all there was to it. This had nothing to do with what usually happens, or who should call pitches. It was ONLY about this one unusual circumstance.

You said that you've never seen it. I haven't either. Apparently, however, it exists whether or not we have seen it happen.

I wasn't referring to your post w/ "not exactly." I understand you're asking what method that particular person has seen - I'm interested as well in what that poster has seen. My point was that my response to you wasn't exactly the same as the other poster re: MLB. We've both never seen a girl yell out #'s or send in signals to initiate the pitch call. My point was, albeit apparently not clear, was what I have seen: I've seen catchers told to throw down a random pitch...or a guess if you will...then the pitcher has 2 or 3 motions at her disposal to communicate the exact pitch. It's a little different than the traditional idea of the battery working together as the catcher is "guessing" what the pitcher wants more than "suggesting" or working together.

Specifically one method I've seen is the catcher puts down "2-1" and the pitcher rolls her glove up to get to "3-1" or down to get to "1-1." Or perhaps shakes to get from "2-1" to "2-2" and so on. That's all I was getting at - just hoping to add to an interesting conversation. Not really trying to pass a reading and comprehension test on an internet message board, LOL.

 

[softgabby]

I play on the college level and my coaches allow me to call games on my own. I will meet with my pitcher and an AC in between innings and we'll discuss what worked and what didn't and how we can tweak and improve upon. Usually, we can make the necessary adjustments to our game sticking with what worked and improve upon what didn't.

 

[Fury_Mike]

My DD is a first-year 16U pitcher who calls her own game at the varsity level. Her sister is the catcher, who also plays 18U for a high-level travel program and is playing D3 in college. My pitcher's logic is she's the one who has to throw the pitch, not the coach or catcher. And, it says winning or losing pitcher in the box score, not losing coach or catcher. She's trying to get her current TB coach to let her call her games. In fact, one of the reasons she left her previous team, other than the coach being a low-life thug, was they never allowed the pitchers to shake off the pitch call.

I get all of that, but it’s a team game, and it’s the coaches job to put the best TEAM on the field. That includes the coaches and their in game performance to make the team better.

 

[Fury_Mike]

1. Pitch calling is not a skill.
2. ERA is attached to pitchers not catchers or coaches.
3. If the coach is being paid they are most likely calling the pitches directly or heavily involved in the process.

Just my observations.

That’s like saying slapping is not a skill….

There is a lot of skill involved with calling pitches. Base runners and the game situation, will challenge the skill to different levels.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

That’s like saying slapping is not a skill….

There is a lot of skill involved with calling pitches. Base runners and the game situation, will challenge the skill to different levels.

Slapping is definitely a skill, that is not a good comparison. There are good, average, and bad slappers.

I am saying that absent any data your pitch calling is not better than random. That's it.

 

[Jeffrey]

Slapping is definitely a skill, that is not a good comparison. There are good, average, and bad slappers.

I am saying that absent any data your pitch calling is not better than random. That's it.

I don't know how one could use data to prove effective pitch calling...too many variables involved, not the least of which being was the pitch called executed properly?

However I could make a somewhat logical argument for good vs. bad pitch calling. For example can we agree any of the following is a bad pitch call:
1. Batter is late on 50 MPH fast ball grooved down the middle.
Change up middle is a bad pitch call?
2. 0-2 count on batter who swung under and foul tipped 2 straight 2nd level rise balls.
1st level rise a bad pitch call?
3. Batter hits a 0-2 change up to warning track for an out.
Next time up 0-2 / 1-2 change up a bad pitch call? (I admit there's other variables here, but you get the idea)
4. Tie ball game bottom of the 7th runner on third and back-up catcher in the game.
Drop ball in the dirt a bad pitch call?

Okay that's enough - even if you don't like those examples, you can come up with one on your own, right? To agree that there can be a bad pitch call is to admit that there is a good pitch call and therefore good pitch callers, no?