What are some basic rules of pitch selection in the circle?

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Jan 25, 2022
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Long story short, by spring I'm expecting my kid (incoming freshman) to be at the point where she has enough location and movement to do more than just try to hit the zone and give the defense something to make a play on. She's only 18 months into pitching and three years into playing the game. Realistically, I expect she'll have solid location, a reliable change-up, and decent drop. Top speed goal is 50.

So in addition to working hard on the physical pitching, I want to start helping her understand when to do what. How to identify hitter traits or tells, situations where she should throw one pitch or location vs another, etc. I don't know how much her coach (who I'm directly involved with since I coached MS) can call from the dugout, but I'd rather she have a decent understanding of what's going on. Since I don't always know these things myself, I'm looking for some wisdom. Her catcher has some understanding of this as well, but she's a sophomore who has yet to have a pitcher with much experience throwing to her. They intend to be working together regularly this offseason.

What are some basic strategic rules of thumb to get us started?
 
Mar 10, 2020
734
63
It is fine to learn to throw strikes but it is better to learn to throw around strikes.
Immediately when a pitcher has found the strike zone they need to find the edges of it. Once our daughter was able to locate 4 corners of the strike zone
we found that the pitch calling by the coach had the worst effect on daughter's results. After a year of watching ridiculous pitch-calling by a coach who thought he was going to beat batters as if he was the reincarnation of Nolan Ryan living vicariously through the pitchers on the team he had no clue of how pitch location was so important. He would not call enough change-ups and would not mix in her pitches that were thrown at lesser speeds than her top speed. Curve and drops. Softball is not a sport where pitchers throw it by batters. Softball is is a sport where you have to challenge the batter. That does not come with speed. That comes with location and mixing things up.
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
It is fine to learn to throw strikes but it is better to learn to throw around strikes.
Immediately when a pitcher has found the strike zone they need to find the edges of it. Once our daughter was able to locate 4 corners of the strike zone
we found that the pitch calling by the coach had the worst effect on daughter's results. After a year of watching ridiculous pitch-calling by a coach who thought he was going to beat batters as if he was the reincarnation of Nolan Ryan living vicariously through the pitchers on the team he had no clue of how pitch location was so important. He would not call enough change-ups and would not mix in her pitches that were thrown at lesser speeds than her top speed. Curve and drops. Softball is not a sport where pitchers throw it by batters. Softball is is a sport where you have to challenge the batter. That does not come with speed. That comes with location and mixing things up.

That's what I was saying in the first paragraph. I expect she'll be able to move around in/near the zone. Her coach is not new to coaching, but new to softball and with the condition of the program when he took over, he hasn't had a pitcher yet who can do more than hit the strike zone at high 30's mph. I really don't anticipate him calling pitches next season, even if my kid is able to move it around and has a couple pitches to toss in there. There's an incoming 8th grader that as of right now will likely start. Despite what a few others think, she realistically has nothing reliable other than a fastball down the middle--which she does throw very well. I know because I coached her and I'm a realist. :) Unfortunately it's a beautiful pitch that middle school teams obliterated all last season. I sincerely hope she has more by next season, but my kid also doesn't to be stuck pitching JV for a few reasons that I agree with. I don't push her or put unrealistic expectations on her, but I try my best to support her goals and put her in the best position for safety and success. We're working now on strength, body control, coordination and reflexes. It seems to me that strategy should be on our list as well.

My daughter is even newer to pitching than yours but I wonder this same thing.

I can't say for another kid, but from an experience level and her age/physicality I (and her coach) think we're at that point. If she was 10 with the same experience level I don't know where my mind would be. I take a very active role in her pitching. As far as I'm concerned, her guy instructs and implements once a week, and the days in between are my duty to get her reps and reinforcement using whatever knowledge I retain from the previous lesson. I don't understand why other parents don't do more of it if they're physically capable of it. I'm in the lane with them at most lessons for a few minutes to clarify any adjustments or new things, and her guy is more than receptive to that. I'm very respectful of his role, always making sure that my thoughts or adjustments are in line with his plans, and I don't coach her from the waiting area. If your kid has a coach I would definitely start asking about it.
 
May 21, 2015
116
43
South
I am not a pitcher's dad so take my comments based on that lack of experience. I believe most pitchers focus on the pitch called and really do not think about strategy when attacking a batter. Pitch selection and location is best handled by a competent coach or an experienced catcher. Very few softball pitchers actually shake off a sign. They focus on executing the called pitch to the best of their ability.
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
I am not a pitcher's dad so take my comments based on that lack of experience. I believe most pitchers focus on the pitch called and really do not think about strategy when attacking a batter. Pitch selection and location is best handled by a competent coach or an experienced catcher. Very few softball pitchers actually shake off a sign. They focus on executing the called pitch to the best of their ability.
I appreciate the response whether you share DNA with a pitcher or not.

I don't think our catcher or coach will be doing much pitch calling, this UPCOMING season. The only thing I have the ability to influence is my own kid. The primary HS catcher is sharp and a great player, but aside from some recent travel ball she's never had a pitcher with any skill beyond a semi-reliable fastball. That's just due to the program being neglected for several years until a few of us (her dad being the ringleader) took the initiative to keep our kids from having to suffer more awful seasons.

I've never really understood why a catcher has such a role in pitch calling unless it's simply because the pitcher doesn't get to see as much due to having to focus on the pitch and looking at the mitt. I would be 100% fine with that, but I just don't see us being in that position yet. I can only try my best to prepare my kid for her role--even if it's just some very basic strategies or rules of thumb.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Just some (personal) general tips:
  • don't throw a changeup over the plate (it should be on the edges of the strike zone);
  • try and throw a strike on a 2-1 count;
  • don't give up hits on a 0-2 count;
  • throw on the high side of the strike zone if you are 100% sure it's a bunt (or they should be bunting).
  • try and "miss" at various ball lengths depending on the count
As far as pitch selection I would really examine your role in his process. Your random isn't better than the catcher's or coaches random. Your daughter should throw her primary pitch early and often in all areas of the zone and at different speeds. There isn't some magical pitch-calling sequence that will lead your daughter to success (or defeat).

Hitting is timing, pitching is disrupting that timing.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Both my kids were pitchers at some point. Thankfully, we saved our sanity by letting that experiment fade into history. I coached in some capacity through 18U. I rarely called pitches during games. At younger ages, I just wanted at least as many strikes as balls, and no hit batters. At older ages, I took every opportunity to allow catchers to call games when the boss was away. I found the outcomes at least as good as the HC calling, but I'll caveat that with the fact that the catchers and pitchers on DD's team were highly experienced and had played together for years.

Without prior experience with a batter, it can be tough to know for sure how to pitch to them. This is especially true for a pitcher. Some "rules of thumb" from my experience...

1) Most hitters (including college) don't swing at the first pitch their first time up, so take that opportunity to get ahead.
2) Look at the practice swing; it will often show you where the hitter likes the ball...don't throw it there.
3) If a batter is pulling, make them reach.
4) If a batter is fouling the FB off late, be real careful with that off-speed pitch.
5) Learn and adapt to what the umpire is calling a "strike".
6) Sometimes, a walk is OK, but don't walk the bottom of the lineup...pitchers (including OU's) drove me nuts with this during the WCWS...make that 8, 9, or 10-12 hitter beat you.
 

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