Calling Pitches

Cheeze is trying to keep ya'll in check so respect is a must.

Actually I think that this is an awesome thread so please folks, don't screw it up for the rest of us who enjoy reading opinions on TBR.

Now, 2 strike count, 1. nothing to hit?,hhhhmmmm, you'd be suprised at how easy it is to get a batter out with 2 strikes when they are out thinking themselves into getting the obvious non strike.
I would'nt give up a meat ball but I'm with Gator, a rise ball up and on her hands at best will be fouled off, and if the batter lays off of one thats close enough, well maybe she's put in the books.
2. Funny thing to me is that I've posted many times that batters can actually set up pitchers in given situations and wheter ya'll beleive that or not is on you, but, if a batter crushes the first pitch foul and you throw a change up for the next pitch, that badboy is gonna be hit by good hitters.
Why?, because they are thinking about how the pitchers have been taught.
Back to #1. a batter is not looking for anything good to hit on a 0-2 count so I'd flirt around the plate with speed and try to outsmart typical pitch call thinking that the batter is relying on.

JMO

Fish

 

Certainly did not mean to cause friction, I also enjoy reading this post and getting various viewpoints from other softball nuts. Wish this post had been around 10 years ago as I had to learn what works through trial and error. I do enjoy the chess game of calling pitches, trying to pick out weaknesses and finding" holes" in a batters swing. Very few understand the strategy of setting batters up for a pitch either later in the count or the next at bat. I have seen great pitchers reduced to average by someone calling pitches that did not know what they were doing.

 

It really does depend on the hitter---quick bat speed is subject to off speed pitches.

However, if a good batter has an 0-2 count using the same pitch, I don't recommend to bring it again. Good hitters will adjust. In my opinion what works best is to change the eye level of the batter. In this case a rise ball out of the zone.

Even sophisticated college batters have a hard time laying off a shoulder high pitch after two strikes with a lower pitch. I believe people get too wrapped up in pitch selection instead of location. A good located pitch is always the best pitch no matter how it gets there...and changing batters eye levels is the key.

 

I love this post!

Pitching is like real estate . . . location, location, location. I hear way too much about movement. Many of the LEAST effective collegiate pitchers I see are the ones that have huge breaks. Most hitters have holes in their swings. The key is to be able to throw the pitch in the hole. It really doesn't matter much which pitch it is. You put a 65 mph fastball in the hole and it's not not likely to be hit.

 

This is good too

If you've gotten two K's low and away many hitters are going to look to protect outside thinking your going to go out again. If you can come with knee high inside third strike @ 65 mph your very likely to lock her up.

 

Here you go . . .

The next pitch that should be thrown on a 0-2 count (IMO) not only ways heavily on your condifence in your pitcher's best pitch, but also your confidence in your personel behind the plate. If I have an 0-2 count on a batter I feel like first you would not won't to come around the plate with anything close (unless you throw straight fuel). I feel like switching up the eye levels of the hitter is your best bet. You could possibly waste one pitch, and I think going up in the zone would work on at least 60% of the hitters or even more. Worrying about the rise dropping in the zone is a real concern. Just have your pitcher start it up in the zone more so there will be more room for error. Getting back to the personel behind the plate, if I have a catcher that doesn't block EVERYTHING then I am probably not going back with the drop. Giving her 1st on a missed 3K is worst then giving up a line drive off the fence. I believe your choice in the next pitch ways a lot on your battery and the condifence you have in them in that particular situation. (Certainly depends on who is at the plate also)

 

This along with a rise or even a change are all good calls if your talking about good hitters. On most of the high school teams there are only 1 or 2 of those. The person calling the pitch has to recognize this and call the right pitch. With a lot of the high school girls changing to a different pitch is just putting the ball in the only spot they can hit it. If she just swung at 2 drops and wasn't even close going to a different pitch would be just because the person calling the pitch is bored and wants to do something. Usually over thinking or just plain not thinking does more harm than good here. I know we all want to think our players are thinking up there about what pitch they just saw or what they are going to see next but in reality most (not all now) but most are just trying to hit the ball. Now there are a few exceptions but as a rule. If it worked before it will probablly work again at this level

 

On the other hand you never want to quicken up a hitters bat speed. If it's slow don't feed it with off speed pitches---even a blind squirrel might find a nut.

 

65 mph in HS? Please tell me Miss Leonard graduated. She sent us home from the Creek both years we were fortunate enough to make it. A pitcher consistently throwing in the mid 60's will K half the HS players in the state on fastballs alone.