Funny how things work out. I was thinking about how several parents have recently complained to me that their high school coaches don't let their daughters throw all their pitches. In fact, many seem to be so risk-averse all they want is fastballs. Then came a thread at DiscussFastpitch.com which showed it's not just a local thing.

When I hear stuff like that it just makes me cringe. It also makes me wonder if these coaches have ever watched a game on TV or attended a game they weren't actually coaching. I have to guess not, because if they did they might have a different view of pitch calling.

Fastballs are essentially training tools. They're not used much in college softball or high-level travel ball. The reason is they tend to be the easiest pitch to hit — particularly after a team has seen a bunch.

It's like hitting off a pitching machine. If the speed never varies, sooner or later even mediocre hitters will figure out how to get the bat on the ball. And now that the pitching rubber has moved back three feet it's even easier. Hitters who used to be just a little behind are now right on time, or even early.

Movement pitches — drops, curves, screwballs, riseballs — offer more challenge. It's sort of like a magic trick: now you see it, now you don't. The ball looks like it will be in one location, then suddenly, at the point of contact, it's somewhere else. Including off the plate or out of the hitting zone.

Good movement pitches can definitely keep a hitter off balance. But even a weaker movement pitch can help a pitcher.

Let's say you have a pitcher who is throwing her fastball high. What do you do? You can let her continue to throw it high; you can yell at her to bring it down; or you can have her throw a drop ball.

Even if it doesn't drop, the odds are it will be a low pitch. Same with throwing in and out. If she is having trouble hitting her spots with a fastball, throwing a curve or screw might make it easier to get there.

Of course, the more you throw those pitches (assuming the pitcher actually has them in the first place) the more likely they are to work. When that happens, the hitter's job becomes infinitely more difficult.

You might think you're being conservative or safe by restricting a pitcher to throwing fastballs. But what you're really being is shortsighted.

Open up the pitch calling, keep those hitters off-balance and you just might find you have a lot more success. You'll look a lot smarter, too.

Anyway, that's the way I see it.

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Want to learn more cool tricks for keeping hitters off-balance? Hal Skinner shares a bunch in Winning Fastpitch Softball. Available via instant download - click here to become a more dominant pitcher today!

How about you, what do you think?

View Original Post at softballperformance.com

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