I think your son (catcher) started with the right idea, but then hit a wrong nerve in the pitcher with the second part of his effort to help.
QUOTE:
"Anyway, son goes to mound when pitcher is having difficulty hitting spots and tells him to quit thinking about it and just get closer to his spots."
"Quit thinking about it" was probably a good start, but "get closer to his spots" probably has the reverse effect. The pitcher is trying to hit his spots, but is missing. Meanwhile, crazy mom is shouting advice that obviously isn't helping. Pitcher probably feels like telling his mom to do what he told your son to do.
If your son sees something specific that the pitcher is doing differently from what that same pitcher does when he's successful, he could point that out in an encouraging way. (Not try to change the pitcher's mechanics in the middle of a game, of course... just tell the pitcher if there is something about his mechanics that he notices he's doing differently.)
But most times, the catcher won't have that kind of advice for the pitcher. So he should make him laugh. Seriously, give him a reason to chuckle, to help him relax. Have a supply of one-line stupid riddles ready. Make fun of the batter's shoes. Whatever. Just help the pitcher relax. Don't tell him to relax; help him relax. Don't tell him to hit his spots. He's already trying to do that.
Good luck!
Julie
P.S. I am just a mom, not a coach or a pitching expert. But my son was a pitcher thru the college level, and I have a lot of experience watching pitchers struggle to hit their spots.
