cabbagedad posted:Kevin A posted:I wonder how many colleges utilize pitches called by the coach (including wrist bands) compared to catcher called pitches.
My son (15/u) typically calls his own games and even when playing for a team the first time, its not long before the coach feels comfortable letting him go on his own.
If you have an intelligent catcher next to a catcher who never has called his own games, I guess wrist bands level the playing field. Not sure how I feel about that since I know my son works hard at calling a good game and picking the brains of his coaches to improve at it even more.
Well, Kevin A, you're sure to get the thumbs up from the opening poster, Stats, on the catcher calling his own game (one of his favorite agenda topics) but reality is that it is far more common for pitches to be called from the dugout throughout HS and college. Even at the pro level, when catchers do call pitches, it is only after they have gone through the books and trends on hitters before the game, often with the influence of the P coach. There are several threads you can search where the pros and cons are discussed at great length. It is a blast for a catcher who is so inclined so tell your son to enjoy it while he can. It is likely to not always be the case.
I will see Cabbages comment, and raise the stakes. While what I'm about to say may not be popular with some, but I have found it to be true. Very, very few HS (or younger) catchers have any idea how to call a game. Calling a game is an art form and it's not the same for every pitcher. It's not the same for the SAME pitcher every time out. It takes years of experience to become adept at it. The more competitive the program (whether in HS or college) the less inclined the coaching staff will be to having anyone call pitches but themselves.