DD called off her HS coach's pitch....

[Herlers Tunnel]

I coached 13 & 14 year old boys for 8 years & then 18U girls for 11 years after that. I always had my catchers & pitchers call their own games. But it was done after we had many discussions after practices. Myself, all my catchers & all my pitchers with the whole team involved, were shown how each opposing batter was going to be pitched to. I even gave my catchers the authority to set up the defense accordingly. Once the teams realized that it actually worked, then I never had the desire to call a game. I have always been blessed with players who understood what I was trying to teach. Positive Communication.

 

[Gtrips07]

Of course, you are correct and that changeup could have been hit out. Still, I believe that I put a little more effort into all that I do when coaching than I think most do. That is why some SEC schools and others have asked me to critique their hitters and give advice. I also believe that I have made it clear that I did allow my catcher and pitcher to call pitches. However, when I called a pitch, that was the pitch that was to be thrown. I have stated on this site many times and I have been here since this site was created, that I am past my prime for coaching. For whatever reason, I keep going back. I am absolutely positive that sometime this year, as with every other year, I'll be second-guessed. Some may judge me as a control freak. I believe that I am someone who outworks all others, keeps up with the latest information and knows how to win. To each their own.

I can tell Bama has not reached out to you...

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[Cannonball]

I can tell Bama has not reached out to you...

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No and to top it all, I am a has-been that never was. It doesn't get worse than that.

 

[Gtrips07]

No and to top it all, I am a has-been that never was. It doesn't get worse than that.

Well you couldn't do any worse?

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[Towny9]

Thought of this thread today after we finished a one day tournament where several opposing teams all made similar comments to me.

“You let your pitcher/catcher call their own pitches? That’s cool.”.

Here’s some thoughts on why I let my 12U team call their own pitches.

1. Sometimes they throw the wrong pitch (or at least not what I would have called.). This is ok - they often do things that aren’t correct. They fail. This is how we learn. We talk about their thinking behind it and move forward. My own kid gave up the winning run today in the last inning. She said she got fastball happy and abandoned the change up the last inning. She was right. What a great lesson to learn at such a young age!

2. They genuinely like doing it. It’s a fun part of the game where a lot of learning can occur. I don’t want to take that from them.

3. If I am smart enough to call a game as a coach then I am smart enough to teach them to call their own game.

4. It’s amazing the other stuff you can teach or coach when you aren’t calling every pitch.

Now hear me out - if winning is the main goal of a team (and not development) then go right ahead and call all the pitches. It’s your team and I’m good with it. When I coached HS baseball I called about 60% of the pitches probably. We wanted to win and me calling them gave us the best chance to win. Let’s just not pretend that a coach calling pitches is better for their development than letting them call them.