Catching and Catchers discussion Catcher's Caught Stealing %

[default]

What are your experiences at the different levels of fastpitch with the catcher's caught stealing percentage (CS%)? As a comparison (I know, I know) MLB catchers rarely reach 50% throwing out baserunners...

From my years in rec league I think I have only ever seen one runner thrown out at 2b attempting to steal...just about the same amount at 3b. All catchers, at all levels of rec leagues seem to be around 0.0001% making stealing bases just about automatic. Ok, maybe not that bad as there are some quality arms out there...

but...

How about travel, 10u and up? When does the merry-go-round start to slow? Not just your own catchers' CS% but of all catchers in total from all the teams you have watched or played against.

Thanks in advance for your comments...

 

[default]

A very good catcher can pick some off at 2nd with a bit more regularity, but it really starts to jump at 14u.

 

[default]

Even if a girl has a good arm..... if her transfer time ( ball from glove to hand ) is slow, she'll have trouble throwing girls out. Plus after transfer a quick release is a must. Not sure about %'s of girls being thrown out? Too early in the season to tell.

 

[default]

A very good catcher can pick some off at 2nd with a bit more regularity, but it really starts to jump at 14u.

I agree, our catcher started being consistent at 14U and on offense we started only sending our quicker runs to steal second. And almost never stole 3rd except for a pass ball. The other thing that changed for us at 14U is the number of time the catcher would throw it with just a lead off. I proud our catcher/3rd baseman combo, they got 5 runners in run downs and got all 5 of them out. Don't know about CS% we never kept that detailed of stats.

 

[default]

At Ashland University, the 2 catchers last season for 59 games combined for a .357 CS %. I have not looked at other stats from other teams in the GLIAC, but that probably ranks near the top.

 

[default]

25% to 30% -

 

[default]

25% to 30% - If you are throwing out a greater percentage - look at your competition.

 

[default]

At higher levels even though the catchers are pretty much all studs, CS% is lower than I think you'd expect.

Coaches at that level don't waste outs and are not running when they don't have the right runner, right pitch count, or right situation to have a high probabilty for success

 

[default]

A very good catcher can pick some off at 2nd with a bit more regularity, but it really starts to jump at 14u.

Totally agree. At 16u, when you see pitchers in the mid to high 50's, and catchers that are physically mature and are trained at their position, you really see the number of steals dwindle. Usually teams wait for a pitch in the dirt or passed ball to advance.

 

[default]

Like others have said 25 to 30% is about right. Any catcher throwing out over 30% is doing pretty well. Of course, this assumes 1st-3rd situations are not given a SB for indifference and SBs aren't awarded when the runner wasn't originally going on passed balls and wild pitches.

 

[default]

1st & 3rd, 1 out, runner on 1st goes. Coach has a "play" on, 2b cuts throw 10+ feet in front of bag and no plays made. Safe at 2, runner holds at 3.

SB or indifference? Not trying to hijack the thread. Just curious.

 

[default]

I posted this awhile back.

http://www.thesoftballzone.com/vb3/general-softball/49794-catching-statistics.html

 

[default]

1st & 3rd, 1 out, runner on 1st goes. Coach has a "play" on, 2b cuts throw 10+ feet in front of bag and no plays made. Safe at 2, runner holds at 3.

SB or indifference? Not trying to hijack the thread. Just curious.

I would say it depends on a couple of things:

Does the catcher or the runner play for the home team? Or it is the game being played at a neutral site?

Catcher on home team = indifference
Runner on home team = stolen base
Neutral site = indifference (most times)

 

[default]

The previous thread Jaxson mentions is a good one on this. While it does depend on how it's being measured (e.g., counting indifferences or not), I would say that at a 10-U/12-U travel level, maybe only 10-20% get caught at 2B, and it goes up at 14-U to the 20-30% level. It doesn't get a lot higher than that at the higher age levels because coaches are reluctant to send a girl if the success rate is going to be below 70% One other note ... I think at the young age levels, where there's often only 1 umpire anyhow, that they tend to give the defense close plays at 2B.

 

[default]

we saw stud catchers nail a higher % starting at 12u, 2nd year. No data, definitely saw very calculated stealing attempts vs crazy running on our catchers just as we didn't on others. All was dependent on the stopwatch timing for their practice throw downs between innings. Now, this must be prefaced upon accurate pitchers and a SS or 2nd baseman that can cover and apply the tag. Throw downs to 1st and 3rd started at 11u/12u are rarely got a girl leading off unless she is asleep (trailing runner usually). Must also say that elite teams that face good to average teams the % goes up. 13u/14u the attempts go down but the base-runners are so highly skilled that they actually don't get caught. Skills that include "slide-by" technique and incredible timing or even cheating without being caught raise the likelihood of success for the base-runner. Our last weekend at Sinclair our catcher was 100%. The catcher's success rate is also dependent upon the umpire this gives mercy outs... or the "automatic out" if the throw is even close.

When my DD left travel and went back to her rec team she literally stole 2 bags every single time. One game she stole 3 times, 2 bases each time, back to back to back times on base. And, she isn't what I'd call super fast. The point is, it's all relative till they all have high-end skills and to use the word consistent, my opinion is it really slows down across the board at 13-14u for the tougher teams and for sure just beyond that. Again, there are many 12u teams that shut-down stealing quite well.

We did face a 10u catcher waaay back that was 5'9", she drove ;-), and could probably had overhand speed of (guessing) 54-59mph and she was lights out when we played in Panama City for the USFA WS. She was the exception by far at 10u, period, and yes I did say 10u. Many good 10u's don't have success due to fear of a launched ball, pitch location success or lack thereof, and poor coverage timing at the bag for the tag.

 

[default]

I would say it depends on a couple of things:

... is the catcher's mom or the pitcher's mom keeping the book?

 

[default]

Finally a thread where I put on the daddygoggles .. last year teams wouldnt run against my dd ... her % percentage was 99% .. the other 1% that dope on 2nd missed the ball ... her pop time is measured in nanoseconds . Heck there has been times the hitter wont even approach the plate due to my dd's glare . They just take an out . true story bro ' MD

 

[default]

Finally a thread where I put on the daddygoggles .. last year teams wouldnt run against my dd ... her % percentage was 99% .. the other 1% that dope on 2nd missed the ball ... her pop time is measured in nanoseconds . Heck there has been times the hitter wont even approach the plate due to my dd's glare . They just take an out . true story bro ' MD

LMFAO

Thought your DD is an outfielder.

 

[default]

HS needed a catcher as a freshman and no one else would do it .... been catching ever since . Prob hasnt played more than 1-2 innings anywhere else .

 

[default]

Well then all that was stated above must be true.

My sincere apology, kind sir.

You may return to your daddygoggles.