softgabby
Gear Empress
Pitchers are the ones that need to be responsible for pitch sequencing and knowing their own strengths. The pitcher is going to change teams multiple times in their career from travel, to hs, to college and can't 100% depend on new coaches or catchers who don't know them nearly as much as they know themselves. There should be a lot of conversations before games and between innings as the pitch caller is getting to know the pitcher. I don't reccomend shaking off every other pitch but its ok to shake every once in a while or call the catcher to the circle for a brief chat. The sooner the pitcher takes ownership of her own success the better.
Totally agree. A pitcher has to know what she's capable of and how to string sequences. The catcher has to know what the pitcher is capable of and how to help her along. I think that's what helped me when I went from pitcher to catcher. I knew the pitchers mindset and knew what a pitcher should be capable of. Yes, a pitcher is going to change teams from little league to JV to varsity to travel ball to college during her career and can't depend on others to 100% know. But in the same vein I think it's the pitcher's responsibility to help the catcher know what she's capable of. Also it's up to the catcher to let the pitcher know as well. As a catcher, we can't always know what's going on in the pitcher's head...we have to take the best possible guess and talk to the pitcher as much as possible. I remember the first game Jamie, one of our Sophomores was pitching in, and I talked for an hour and a half going to an away game against a district opponent. I thought we were on the same page. During the first inning, she had runners on first and third, one out and the other teams best hitter at the plate. She kept shaking off pitches the prior at bat and was doing so here. I had to go out to the circle and have a heart to heart with her for about 45 seconds assuring her she's got this. She eventually settled in after a few more visits and a bunch of foul balls later. But, I had to help her gain confidence within herself that she could do this.