For coaches

The pitch-calling approach we taught our catchers

The call

We let our catchers call the game, but they always started from the same general approach. Everything else they did was an adjustment to the hitter, the pitcher and the situation.

Calling a good game in youth baseball is an inexact science. The “right” pitch is often several different pitches, and they’re young players, so they’re going to miss spots (sometimes by a lot!). We still let our catchers call the game. But before they could, they needed a starting point…

Get ahead. A first-pitch strike changes the entire at-bat. It puts the pitcher in control and the hitter on the defensive. Usually that means a fastball over the plate, but how juicy it is depends on who’s hitting.

Move outward when ahead. After strike one, work the corners. At 0-2 and 1-2, get off the plate — high, low, in or out. He has to protect, so make him hit something ugly.

Keep him off balance. This is a matter of changing his timing and eye level. Change speeds, change how long you hold the ball (a quick pitch or a long hold), and move the target around so the hitter can’t lock in on one spot.

No free passes (USUALLY). If you fall behind, throw strikes, even if that means a fastball down the middle. A walk gives your defense nothing to do. The exception is the hitter who’s at a much higher level than everyone else. Don’t let him beat you.

That’s the foundation. Then come the adjustments, and there are a ton of them. How strong is their lineup? What’s your pitcher good at today? Where are we in the order, and who’s on deck? What’s the umpire calling? What did this hitter do with the last two fastballs?

If your catcher is thinking about what to call and why, rather than putting down fingers in a vacuum, he’s doing his job. Some of his calls won’t be the ones you’d make, and that’s okay.

Still have a question? Ask Coach Fungo.

Coach Fungo says

“There's rarely a clear right or wrong call on any given pitch.”

— Coach Fungo

The numbers behind this, count by count: The Count.

I wrote the long version of this when I coached the Spiders: Calling Pitches: Part 2 on SpidersElite.

Next upDeal me another · More for coaches →

For coaches

A preseason personal inventory for every player

Each player writes down one strength, one weakness, three specific things he'll do about it, measurable team and personal goals and how he'll lead. Then the coach sits down with him to go over it, and again at midseason.

“It can't just be 'practice harder.' These need to be specific things you'll actually do.”

Open the card →

For coaches Rules of Baserunning · 1 of 5