A Pitch Calling Cheat Sheet

Cindy Bristow - Softball Excellence

What if you aren't experienced at calling pitches, but you're the one assigned to doing it this year? Well, fortunately we've got a way to help you simplify pitch calling. Calling pitches isn't easy, and it can get pretty complicated. But if you're a rookie at it you'll want to check out a simplified way to call pitches.

Calling pitches is part science and part gut. You can learn the "science" behind pitch calling through reading (this article for instance), listening to good pitch callers, going to clinics, and studying games. But learning the "gut" part simply takes time. It takes time and experience to know that I need to call this pitch right now! It might not be the logical pitch, or the pitch that all our charts say to throw, but it's the pitch I just know I need to throw right now from this pitcher to this hitter. That kind of gut-knowing takes time and more than anything, takes a real-time-in-the-moment sense of the game.

What we'll look at in this article is a simplified way to call a game based on some of the easier factors present in a game that you need to consider. To me, the first thing you've got to do is simplify ALL the info that you'll either want to consider, or might have been conditioned to do so over the years. Information overload will kill your decision-making skills by overwhelming your ability to even make a call, and, by leading you down the wrong trail and forcing you to make the wrong decision.

Here's an example of what I mean. You're calling a game for your pitcher whose best pitch is a drop and whose worst pitch – as in she can't even control it – is a screwball.

OK, so you kind of know all this, but don't give it much thought, as you've studied a chart you got somewhere that said, against a batter that keeps her hands high (which this one does) throw her inside. Ok, great to know. So that means – call a Screwball.

Well, the chart left off the part about this hitter CRUSHING inside pitches and now your gut just got a little bit smarter after this hitter blasts the ball over the outfield fence. My point is, all those charts telling you if the batter stands like this, then you throw that – while they make us feel organized, in all but the rare cases can they serve as your main decision source (and those cases are an elite pitcher that has, and can control, all locations).

So now, back to reality. Here's the easiest way I've found to make pitch calling simpler, and also, more successful:

• Start with your pitcher:

  • What is her best pitch (its name)

  • Where is her best locations (where she best throws this pitch)

  • What are her pitches in order of control (best to worst)

• Go to the Situation:

  • What's the count?

    • If Behind, then get to even

    • If Even, then get ahead

    • If Ahead, then put the batter away

  • What do you need the batter to do?

    • Hit it in the air – throw high

    • Hit it on the ground – throw low

While it can get far more complicated than that, if you're just starting out calling pitches, or not real confident in your ability to do so – don't make it more complicated.

Basically, pitch calling is using the pitches your pitcher has to get the batter out. Period! It's not making sure you use all of her pitches, or call all the current favorite pitches, or even have pitches other than a fastball and a changeup.

So let's look at something you can use during the game to help you remember the Important Things regarding the pitcher you've got in the circle to help you call her best game.

The yellow card to the right is a 3×5 card with some information scribbled on it – information that's vital to this pitcher for this game:

1. Pitcher's name – ALEX. That's because you'll have cards for all of your pitchers and you want to keep them straight.

2. Name of the team you're playing – in this case the Pride

3. Pitches that Alex throws, in order of best to worst. The numbers listed next to those pitches are the signals the catcher is using to call those pitches. The F next to Change means "fist" as in, she signals this pitch with a fist.

4. Gives information on two hitters for the Pride, # 29 & #26 who are their best hitters, and it gives some quick info on how best to get them out (this serves as a reminder so you don't have to memorize everything.

5. Things you need to watch for with this pitcher. If her change up starts being short then it means she's hesitating at her release. Use her fastball for low pitches, when she gets even in the count use her curve to get ahead and when she's behind in the count use her best pitch to that point. The red writing tells you to slow her down in between pitches since she tends to rush.

You can wear this information on your wrist like the NFL quarterbacks do, and your catcher can as well so that both of you have a quick cheat-sheet.