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

[PJR202]

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.

This is the kind of thing I'm looking for. And I'm definitely not expecting a recipe for success....just some general rules she can implement as the at-bat progresses, or situationally based on number of outs, runner position, or very obvious pitch preference or swing tendencies by a batter. That kind of thing. I'm looking to help her learn the job. This season while working out, I helped her learn to focus on the psychology. Controlling her emotions, lifting up her teammates, etc. She far surpassed my expectations there.

We know some of those situational things, and the MS head coach (also new to softball but a lot of success with baseball at all levels) probably knows them all, but we weren't in a position to call pitches and she's no longer in MS. I don't intend to call her pitches unless I'm asked to do it. I'm on the field with both schools in the offseason but I have no idea what my role will be with the HS. I'll be around, but not necessarily in a dugout/on-field role. I honestly would rather just watch games as a parent for the first time, and work with the pitchers during practices.

We did try calling pitches in MS once this year with an arm band, because our primary pitcher's mom requested it. The situation was complex and delicate, and too long (even for me) to describe, but we gave it a shot. The kid didn't even acknowledge him or even look at the band. We just let her mom continues call the pitches with hand signals from the stands. She's a very hot and cold pitcher, so sometimes it worked very well and sometimes maybe 50%. We really weren't in a position to resort back to the more reliable pitch, which was a fastball down the pipe, because decent teams destroyed it.

 

[CoachJD]

A couple things: Don't use that dumb cheat sheet that calls for all kinds of stuff based on stupid things like how a batter stands or the phase of the moon or whatever. There's like 3 good things on that sheet.

Generally, focus on your strengths more than the opponent's weaknesses. It doesn't matter if nobody on the other team can hit a changeup if you can't throw a changeup.

Learn to recognize which batters just cannot hit. It usually takes one pitch, if that, to realize she's new to the game, afraid of the pitcher's speed, etc. Throw them fastballs for strikes.

It's OK (and, in fact, necessary) to throw pitches off the plate. It's OK to walk the occasional hitter because she lays off tough pitches. Take this from a coach who has a pitcher who would rather give up 10 300-foot home runs than walk a single hitter. It's not fun, and it's way, way more demoralizing for a team to see a ball clobbered all over the park.

 

[Sweetclemens]

12 u travel this worked for me but I’m no expert. If batter is close to plate make the pitcher pitch inside including screw. Batter standing far from plate outside pitches including curve. Batters standing way back in the box-CU always works well. I stopped calling CUs when there were runners on 3rd or 1st.


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[PJR202]

I'll tell you why. How will a pitcher call pitches? She gonna give signs to the catcher? The logistics don't work.

Thanks. As someone said below, she could call to the catcher. But as I think I said before, the catcher has a fantastic skill set, but has very little experience yet with a competent pitcher. She could benefit from these same pieces of information, and honestly if it went well I would be fine with her handling all of it. I still want my kid to understand this stuff and take initiative when necessary. I'm buddies with her dad so I'm confident he would be on board with anything that helps his learn more as well.

 

[El Oso]

She could call or signal a number.

So that the batter can see it and know what's coming. Good plan.

 

[PJR202]

So that the batter can see it and know what's coming. Good plan.

Could the pitcher not have lots of numbers for each pitch?

"If it ends in 6 or 7, change-up."

Teams essentially do that with arm bands from the coach anyway. Or am I missing something?

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Thanks. As someone said below, she could call to the catcher. But as I think I said before, the catcher has a fantastic skill set, but has very little experience yet with a competent pitcher. She could benefit from these same pieces of information, and honestly if it went well I would be fine with her handling all of it. I still want my kid to understand this stuff and take initiative when necessary. I'm buddies with her dad so I'm confident he would be on board with anything that helps his learn more as well.

I think personally as a catcher I would be irritated if I didn't know if it was going to be fast or offspeed. It's best to have the catcher/coach call it with the pitcher having the ability to shake it off.

Just my opinion, others do it differently.

 

[PJR202]

I think personally as a catcher I would be irritated if I didn't know if it was going to be fast or offspeed. It's best to have the catcher/coach call it with the pitcher having the ability to shake it off.

Just my opinion, others do it differently.

Understandable. I'm gonna hit up the catcher's dad and see what she does and doesn't know about this stuff. She just went to a catcher's camp, so maybe some of that was taught. I'm totally fine with her calling it, but she would obviously need to know what to call, and my kid would need to know what to shake off. Also, if mine pitches JV she'll be working with a very inexperienced catcher who definitely won't know these things, or even try to call a pitch. We've made (as an overall program from LL to HS) tremendous progress the past two years, but are just still pretty far behind with regard to depth at positions.

 

[cncsoftball]

Could the pitcher not have lots of numbers for each pitch?

"If it ends in 6 or 7, change-up."

The essentially do that with arm bands from the coach anyway. Or am I missing something?

Yes, DD (2023) called her own pitches for the first time this weekend at a showcase tournament. They use wristbands, and she signaled the numbers before stepping on the rubber. Several different numbers for each pitch, and no one must have picked up on them because DD threw a no-hitter in her first game. Obviously, very few travel games go a complete seven innings, and we have different cards for each pitcher for when we face a team a second time.

Following the tournament, she received an email from a D2 coach, whom she had never contacted or seen before, wanting her to visit campus and discuss her future as a .... The coach said she was super impressed with DD's ability to call her own game, especially how she utilized her changeup.

I know this is not typical and she probably won't be doing it in college, but it is possible.

 

[Strike2]

So that the batter can see it and know what's coming. Good plan.

How is that different from the coach calling out a number? With even a half-way decent system, it would be extremely hard for any batter to know what's coming based on a number.