Coaches comment
 

Since I haven't had any games for awhile and won't for another few weeks, I have been thinking about some different things that have happened over the years.

I have had a few games where the pitcher was just missing the strike zone, but kept throwing the same pitches to the same locations. Eventually, I hear this from the coach:

"Hey, (F2 name), where are those pitches missing?"

The best case scenario is a good catcher that will reply with something like; "outside, coach", but what, if anything, do you do if the catcher just shrugs her shoulders or says "I don't know!"? How do you respond to this? Does it matter if the coach has been chirpy all game? Would you have a conversation with the coach? Just curious as to your opinions.

There was a great tip on this board that I’ve used to stop this very issue.
After I call “BALL” if it was close I tell the catcher in a low voice ‘bring it in 3 inches” or “that was a little low, bring it up 3 inches”. Now, when the coach yells “where was that?” The catcher yells “inside” or “low” and I don’t have to say a word.
It was a great tip that has worked well for me.
Now this hasn’t happened, but if a catcher then said he didn’t know, I’d tell him “I don’t like it when people try to show me up.” After that he might not get any close calls

Depends on the age... some kids just don't know any better, and aren't trying to show us up.

I don't like coaching the catcher as a habit, but if a younger catcher said they didn't know, then the next time that pitch was thrown, I'd tell them where it missed.

In a recent tournament, I had a catcher throw me a bit under the bus. The coach asked her, "how was that pitch?" to which she responded by waving her hand in a "so so" way. I politely and quietly told her that she knew it was inside and to answer that question from her coach after she went back to the dugout from now on. They went on to win 1:0 on a called 3rd strike. She turned around, handed me the ball and stuck out her hand to shake mine.