Do any of you guys ever call for a specific type of fastball ( 2 seam, 4 seam) depending on count and situation?

Sure, esp. if the particular pitcher has substantially different action on the two different grips.

Pretty much always. Pitchers working up in the zone throw 4 seam and when needing a strike over the plate (hate that one). Typically, when they working the lower half of the zone they throw a 2 seamer. The pitcher/catcher can change this up as they see fit if something isn't working that day.

I wish I could say this gameplan always works as planned but when dealing with HS pitchers things can get a little convoluted.

The HS coach lets the catcher call the game usually once he proves decent at it. Both Freshman and JV teams let the catchers call pitches so they get ready for Varsity. If the coaches don't like what they see, a quick meeting in the dugout happens when the catcher/pitcher come off the field.

Reminds me of a funny thing that happened last season. My son, a soph, was catching a senior pitcher not known for his charm, who had a habit of changing grip and throwing the 2 seamer without any warning. It would run up a bit and hit the padding of my son's glove.

So my son goes out to the mound and tries to arrange a sign for the pitch. The kid tells him: "Your job is to catch whatever I throw."

I'm pretty sure my kid found a way to disabuse him of that notion.

For pitchers who throw both 2 & 4 seam fastballs, most of the time catchers know what they are going to get based on the location & often the situation.(i.e.infield in/double play situation) The exception would be when you have a pitcher who has minimal situational awareness. In that case, you need to have a sinker ball signal(i.e. circling 1 finger).

The other situation is where the pitcher has one of those power turbo sinkers or is able to throw a backdoor sinker that starts off the plate & comes back.(i.e Maddux)If those same types of pitchers also throw 4 seamers down or just off the plate that are relatively straight(like Maddux), it's advantageous to have both a 2 seam & 4 seam signal. If you do not the late &/or unexpected movement will lead to lost strikes, banged up thumbs or passed balls.

With all things being equal, it is probably better to have both 2 & 4 seam fastball signals.Some pitchers however do not like it because it adds another layer to the signal giving process.

Most of the problems occur when you are not expecting late sink & get it. Unfortunately this can happen on a 4 seam fastball also & you just have to learn to deal with it. IMO any time the ball is down towards the pitchers arm side, you should not be fooled by sink.

JW

Rob,
Had to laugh at that story...kinda the same thing happened to me in HS except that I was the senior and we had a soph. stud who could bring it but was a space cadet who liked to freelance a bit. When he informed me what my job was, I was like "Oh, really...then you do yours and hit the mitt and we'll be fine". Told blue to stay behind me and be light on his feet because the next few pitches were going to get interesting.

Literally didn't move my mitt for about 4-5 pitches in a row. Obviously we had a few passed balls and an upset coach. Called time, went out to the mound and had a "prayer session" with my pitcher....Old Testament style. Waved the coach off as he headed out...he wouldn't have approved of my very un-Christian dialogue. Just glad I was a senior or the coach probably would have killed me in the dugout.

Did it work...yes and no. He never again threw something I hadn't called but he must have been rattled ( like I said, real Old Testament fire and brimstone) because he couldn't throw a strike to save his life for a couple innings. The opposition made us look good by swinging at anything close.

To this day, he still laughs about "our talk" that afternoon and that he thought I was going punch him out right on the mound. I tell him he was just lucky that we had nobody warming up in the bullpen and that his face that day looked like a baboon's butt after I finished with him.

Actually, it was fun catching him as he could really throw. He later signed D1,drafted and made it to AAA. He was a much better pitcher than I ever was a catcher.

S. Abrams: Great story!

I'm not sure that is precisely how my son went about explaining things, but it may have been close!

My son was catching one of "those pitchers" as well; the catcher's job was to catch whatever he wanted to throw . Fortunately he was middle relief, so the torture was short-lived.

After the game my son (who also pitched on occasion) took Mr Wonderful down to the bullpen and swapped positions, with the coach's support. It didn't take long for the pitcher to see the light.