questions re:

[Jim Porter]

Originally posted by chris s
BELIEVE me, there is no redundancy!!!! Why call the QP when these kids are learning? To bring the house down on you?? All-star tourney play, I am gonna nail it, reg season...I hate cheap runs. The coaches got enough on thier hands...a QP call is gonna be prevented in my games.

It is because the kids are learning that keeping your hand down is even more important. The pitchers at that level need to learn that they are responsible, they have a potentially deadly missle in their hand, and they need to use their heads. I almost never use my hand, with the exception of the rare oddity, and I can't remember calling a quick pitch in 20 years.

When you see a quick pitch possibly developing, it is important to immediately get out from behind the plate waving your arms and loudly putting a stop to it before it happens. Then, you tell the pitcher loudly enough for all to hear that it is he who is required to wait for the batter to be set in the box - - not just in the box, but set and ready, and that you'll have to call a quick pitch if he does it again. In all my years of working ball, that has always been enough to get the message through.

However, if it hadn't been enough of a message, having told the pitcher his responsibility loudly enough for all to hear should be more than enough to avoid any problems if you do have to call the quick pitch. Everyone heard you warn the pitcher. Who can deny it's the right call if he does it again?

The only argument I've ever had at that level - 13 & 14 year olds - are with coaches who lack knowledge and argue that the batter only needs to be in the box. Of course, I love telling them how wrong they are.