catcher question

[watchtonsofsoftball]

Im with blue on this one. Not necessary for them to call pitches. There are a lot of things that go on in a game or something that a coach sees that a player might not. The coach sees the game in a different view IMO. I'd rather the coach have the responsibility of which pitches are called.

[onlooker]

...........

[Iluvblue]

to draw a line like that is foolish. The shoe is the same at 12, 18 or 40, and apparently fits......if you don't empower the athlete with more tools, their toolbox will come up short one day. Simply.



Before you call me foolish, you might want to ask some people that are actually around my teams if I teach and the players learn.

I just disagree with you on what needs to be taught.... but I wont go as far to call you foolish.

[Old Darter]

Start watching all of the college games and see how many catchers are calling the games.

Actually, I do. I watch a LOT of NCCA D1 softball games every year in person, including OKC. There a more than a few catchers who call their own games, and their coaches look on it as a huge advantage.

And BTW, let's all remember that the pitcher still has to throw the pitch called, and hit the spot, regardless of who calls it. Not always the case.

[onlooker]

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[ontheblack]

Pitchers rarely have the understanding of what the batter did in the last at bat that the catcher has.

My kid remembers hitters and their at bats. She considers that to be part of being a good pitcher.

Also, pitchers sometimes need to be pushed out of their comfort zone, if they are calling the pitches they will not push themselves. For instance, call a riseball right after a riseball missed and went over the fence.

This I agree with 100%. It also applies to the catcher calling pitches.

In TB I have mixed emotions about the catcher calling the game as I dont think half the coaches out there calling pitches are very good at it.

[CheckWriter]

Never played or coached this game but I have seen a lot of skills, many life or death, taught and learned. Only one way to find out if the student can learn and maybe some day be better than the teacher. To me that is the goal for every teacher, to have the student be better than the teacher some day - teach them everything you know and let 'em loose. You start in a controlled environment and give them more and more rope - sometimes they will hang themselves with it. Maybe you never let them do it that once in a lifetime national championship game, but to never let them do it is, to me, unconscionable.

I just disagree with you on what needs to be taught.... but I wont go as far to call you foolish.

Won't call you foolish and I don't know which coaches held back teaching because they thought my DDs couldn't handle it, but wouldn't choose to have them play for a coach that, up front, told me he/she wasn't going to try to push them and teach them everything they could soak up.

JMO

[luv2teachthegame]

Have to agree with ILB on this one. I think it is fine to let them call pitches when you have a decent lead because there is no pressure on them if they make a mistake. I think there are a couple of reasons for coaches to call pitches:

1. Right now many don't have the experience to see holes in the swing, which I think is equally or more important than placement in the box.

2. If we lose a game because of pitch calling, then it is on the coach and not on the catcher.

3. I think it is great to teach them what you see and think, but with only a few hours of practice per week, there is so much more they need to be taught. I think it is a great skill but not a necessity to get them to the next level. It can also take a long time to teach the skill.

4. Some college catchers may call games, but I would feel safe to say a large majority don't. For those that do, they have hours of daily practice and ability to study the game with staff. Much harder to do in ASA.

[smash]

A catcher has a better view and can see what pitches are working. Before I have them call their own games I have them sit down with me during games while I am calling pitches with the other catcher and explain why we are calling specific pitches. By calling their own games they gain confidence and will take charge of the game completely. A catcher needs to know every position on the field and when they master pitch calling you see them positioning players and completely controlling the game. I started doing this at the 14U level and have them calling games by 16U. Also: my pitchers tell me it flows much faster and smoother when they are working with the catcher and they get in to a grove.

[ICMTM]

If the catcher displays a good knowledge of the game have her call it. I've seen too many coaches who call a predictable game to say they're doing it better.

I'm going to rephrase the question. At what age should coaches let kids call the game? I have never called pitches when coaching baseball. On my daughter's team the catcher calls some games. She did a great job of it. Kids usually do a good job of calling games. It's not a big deal to me.