Tracking Pitching Stats

[Who's on first]

Looking for information on how and why coaches/parents track their pitchers stats.....

What do you track?
How do you track?
What is the most improtant stat to YOU?
How do you use this information to develop pitchers?

 

[jay]

i think it depends on the age. i coach 12U. they don't care about WHIP or ERA. i give them a number they can do something about. thus, at this age and the skill level of my pitchers, i track ball/strike % over time. this helps them understand if they are trending in the right direction and it's something they can do something about. if my girls were hitting corners and demonstrating impeccable control, ball/strike % probably wouldn't apply.

i meet them where they are and track something that a.) means something to them and b.) they can do something about.

 

[SBFAMILY]

This might help. Baseball: Coaching Tools - Charting Pitchers and Hitters

 

[TowPilot]

When I track as a parent it is KISS, A simple tally sheet with these columns. Each inning get it's own row:
BALLS STRIKES OTHER Ks W HBP 1 2 3 HR

OTHER is for tracking pitch count, i.e. foul ball with 2 strikes goes in other.
Most of the time I simply track HITS and not 1,2,3,HR. i.e. I don't keep track of doubles just hits.

I just keep this to keep myself honest on my assessment of her performance. After the game I tally up a few of the columns and throw it away. At the bottom of the page is a row for each at bat.

 

[quincy]

We have always had an honest umpire but we have had quite a few that have had strike Zone Issues.

Do you even try to keep track of that or what happens in the game, happens in the stats?

 

[sluggers]

The purpose of tracking stats is to give your DD some kind of yardstick. Parents use stats in order to mask their DD's shortcomings. Nothing matters except walks, runs allowed (earned or otherwise) and strikeouts.

We have always had an honest umpire but we have had quite a few that have had strike Zone Issues.

You are giving your DD an excuse by blaming the umpire for "strike zone issues". It doesn't matter what the umpire's strike zone is. The pitcher has to adjust to the umpire's strike zone. Even if the umpire's strike zone is a 2 inch tube, the pitcher must be able to put the ball into that 2 inch.

No two umpires have the same strike zone, and no umpire in softball consistently calls the edges of the strike zone. A successful pitcher has to adapt to the umpire.

 

[mdgtoothy]

Ray is right on the money. Just like you tell a hitter to adjust to the strike zone, you tell your pitcher to adjust to the strike zone. Early last season our girls (U10) had a game where they were complaining that that called 3rd strike "wasn't a strike." One of the coaches enabled the girls by commenting that the ump had a really bad strike zone and for the remainder of the game we were getting mowed down like blades of grass (8 called 3rd strikes in game).

Coaches and I had a long talk about not enabling the girls to blame someone else, then explained to girls that as hitters it is your job to not allow the umpire to decide your fate. We still struck out our fair share, but not too many backward K's.

Ray's point to the pitchers is the same. You have to take command of your own fate in the circle. Sometimes it really stinks and can be frustrating to pitchers, but that is the life of the pitcher. You have to adjust.

 

[changeupskill]

Who's On First..... Great Questions. This is what I do, but I have to tell you I have a real GEEK for a DD with her pitching. She is all about her performance in the circle and behind the plate as a catcher. So, she has me take pitching stats for herself. I am her pitching coach, use to be team coach, but can't stand parental sideline drama so I don't coach a team any more. However, her team coach DOES like what I/we do, and asked me to do the same for all 3 pitchers and work with them. So I have been doing that much. Her team has 3 pitchers, 3 catchers. Sort of. (#3 rarely catches) My DD is starting Pitcher AND starting catcher when she is not doing the other. I've taught my DD how to call pitches for games, and she is very solid at it. Calling setup pitches and knowing batters strong and weak zones etc. So, she is the only catcher that is trusted to call a game on her own right now. When the other catcher(s) are behind the plate, I am in a position to see him give the signs and see the general spot the pitcher hits. We aren't / don't get bent out of shape for fractions of inches, but my DD and the coach wants to pour over the info later to know if they are putting the ball CLOSE to where its called. Called low inside and hits high outside, needs a little refining. Now, when my DD is catching and calling the pitches, I obviously can't see what is called, so we worked out a system. After she gives the sign and she tucks her right hand behind her leg/calf, she VERY subtly gives me the sign she called. Now, unless you know she is doing that, you cannot tell she is doing anything. We have worked on it. So, I know the called pitch, now I log in where it hit. Simple as that. I also number each pitch like you can do in the scorebook so we can tell how many first pitches are strikes, what happens at full count etc. My DD wants this info to see where she is weaker when pitches are called. If she is shying away from those deep inside pitches or laying it fat over the plate when its suppose to be just outside for a ball etc. And thats what she works on in pitching practice. We also record all of the games from behing home plate to see if she is giving away her differant pitches in the circle. SHE watches the tapes and goes over the stats like crazy. Did I call the right pitch and read the batter correctly, did I hit the right spot that was called. She has talked to college coaches and they have told her in just a few words, "to pitch for me, you'd better be able to hit where its called." Sounds like most coaches, but she heard it straight from them, so its the Gospel I guess and has made that her quest to perfect. Haha. She has great grades in school in upper level classes, not basket weaving, and she makes time for all her stat stuff along with her practices, so I don't see it as unhealthy yet. She is 14 now, playing on the
18A level, so she will have alot of time to work out any kinks she wants to. Some or all of this may be overkill, but I don't care, its great time spent with my DD doing something we both love alot. She will play golf, but won't go fishing -- 2 out of 3 aint bad. Haha. Hope I answered some of your Q's.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Looking for information on how and why coaches/parents track their pitchers stats.....

How do you track?

I have seen a few teams that use an Apple iPad application (electronic scorebook) that tracks anything and everything statistically you can think of during the game and it can be downloaded to a PC, create stat sheets, etc.

 

[starsnuffer]

The best use for one of those insane dads with a pitcher for a daughter that can't keep their mouths shut is to give them a "fourth coach" position in your staff and have them keep the book for pitching stats. These detailed books include a list of every pitch thrown to every batter, what that pitch was, where it was, and if it hit it's mark or not, and then what the batter did with it. Great information when you play the same teams repetitively. It's also a very consuming task to keep track of it all, hence why it's good for those annoying fathers (you know who I'm talking about).

-W