How technical, if at all, should pitcher/catcher discussions be, during a game or during a bullpen? -assume the college level.

Given that there would be major differneces based on the experience of the catcher and his relationship with the staff, bullpen discussions can be more technical than in-game.

A catcher is in the best position to see what's working and what isn't on any given day. If he is astute enough to see a difference in delivery (anything from foot position to release point), he can talk to the pitcher about it.

Of course, there are more questions --- they may be in the bullpen, but is the pitcher warming up to go into a crucial game? What is the psychology of that pitcher? Is the coach coaching in the bullpen as well (too many cooks)? Is it a Lefty ?

In-game, a minor adjustment might be discussed. But have your catcher think about it this way --- would he want the coach or the on-deck batter requesting time in the middle of one of his at bats to make a major adjust his swing?

Much of what goes on on the mound during a game is and should be between the ears --- pitcher support, ego adjustment, off-color jokes for relaxation, what to get Millie & Jimmy for a wedding present. Or threats and bribes (Recently my son, after being repeatedly shaken off by a pitcher not having a good day, went out to the mound to tell his pitcher "You will throw this guy your curve in the dirt. Nothing else. If he does not strike out on that pitch, I will pay you $50. Pitch thrown, K, money saved.)

Your catcher just doesn't want to get the old Gibby line to McCarver when he was trotting himself out to the mound: "Get back behind the plate; the only thing you know about pitching is that it's hard to hit!"

Most of what I told a pitcher during an inning I can't repeat here

Bulldog 19, same here, I am guilty of that as well. Although I have said some pretty bad stuff to my pitchers, one of my pitchers likes to tell the story- the most demeaning thing I ever said to him. Basically, he was trying to be too picky on the corners, with an ump who has a very tight strike zone. So he's walking the ballpark and its turning out to be a pretty ugly inning. There were two outs when I went out to the mound, and I said very angrily and slowly, "Just throw the ball over the plate." Two pitches later, we were out of the inning. But he says that was the most demeaning thing every said to him on the mound. At least we laugh about it now.

usually something along the lines of encouragement,or something positive.

Once again,there are times where I cant repeat what I say here.

So much of it depends on the catchers level of play, his preparation and knowledge of his pitchers, his coaches leeway for him with the pitchers. The above mentioned potst can be common. I never went to the mound to discuss mechanics though. It was usually pitch selection and my demands for what I thought would work in a given situation. I have had a few shouting matches with pitchers and some good laughs. Much depends on the individuals involved and the situation at hand.

It wasn't college ball, high school instead, but one conversation my son related to me about him and a pitcher is one I'll never forget. The pitcher's dad had worked out a system where he would call out a set of numbers from up in the stands to his son for what the dad wanted his son to throw. Only problem was, my son would call a pitch that the pitcher would nod to, and then the dad would call something different out to his son, so he crossed my son up several times. My son was getting pretty mad about it, and after the third or fourth pitch that went past him, he picked up the ball and asked the ump for time out. He then slowly walked to the mound and began talking to his pitcher, never taking his mask off so there was no way to figure out what he was saying. All I could see was the pitcher briskly nodding up and down as my son was jawing at him. You could tell that whatever he was saying, the pitcher understood it clearly.

After the game, I asked my son what he was saying to his pitcher. His answer, "Trentons's dad was in the stands calling out pitches to Trenton, and he kept crossing me up when I'd call one pitch and he'd throw whatever his dad was calling from the stands instead. I got tired of him making me look like a fool, so I went out to the mound and told him that if he ever crossed me up again by listening to his dad and throwing the wrong pitch, I was going to come to the mound and knock him out in front of everyone." I thought that was funny as heck!

He didn't get crossed up again that year by that pitcher....

06catcherdad, thats a great story. There's no reason for that pitcher to cross up your son, though. Why wouldn't he shake your son off, or if the dad yelled out the numbers too late, just step off and get a new sign. I'm glad your son took care of it his way.

Did the coach know the dad was calling pitches from the stands? I can't imagine putting up with that for more than one or two pitches before that dad got read the riot act.

If there is one thing I can't stand it is dads coaching from the bleachers. It looks so pitiful, and I just cringe for the kid.

At our game last night, for awhile I sat next to the parents of the new kid on our team. Nice enough guy, but his kid gets to the plate and it's a constant stream of instruction. "Toe in." "Get up to the plate." "Now protect." Etc.

We've all seen it. Every time I see it again, it reminds me to keep my mouth shut.

My son has been a catcher for many years. When he was 14, playing in a tourney in SoCal after an inning his coach asked him how the pitcher was doing (the pitcher was struggling). He flat out told the coach the kid was struggling so coach took out pitcher. The pitchers father was right near the duggout and got furious at my son. Dad then proceeded to go to parents in stands and rip my son. I was appalled at this behavior(never having experienced this) and told him quietly that on our team we, as parents, never critisize players or coaches in the stands. To this day, they're 18, the parents of that pitcher don't like my son. They have carried a grudge all through being teammates in high school!!! Personally I think my son has always been fair and can't understand why these parents have carried a grudge for so long.

Wow, thats unbelievable. Sometimes a catcher cannot act as a pitcher's friend- he's gotta tell the coach the truth.

Theres this story with Yogi Berra, he was catching and the game starts off with for straight hits. I forget who the manager was at the time, but he asks Yogi, how the pitches are and what they are doing. Yogi says, "I don't know, I haven't caught one yet."