I'm not picking on you here, since a few others have mentioned how bad Barrett is at calling games, but this just isn't a strong argument. Chances are, unless the signs are coming from the dugout, the pitcher has every right to shake him off until he gets the sign he wants. (And if the signs are coming from the dugout, that's not Barrett's fault.) Bottom line, the pitcher is in control of what he throws more often than not. Other things to consider is that even if Barrett is calling for an 0-2 or 1-2 fastball, he's certainly not calling for the pitcher to throw it in the middle of the strikezone. Depending on the hitter, a fastball thrown to the right spot might be the right call in that situation, but it's still up to the pitcher to execute. Pitchers who blame their problems on the catcher's ability (or lack thereof) to call a game are simply looking for a scapegoat. I think I've hijacked this thread enough, if you want to copy this to a new thread, I'd be glad to reply. Also - this is a really good conversation :D