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True. I've also seen catchers bring their hands out from behind the back or the leg and have the same situation. So hopefully the catcher does their work and does all they can to minimize the dangers they are exposed to.
Catching and Catchers discussion Catchers Hand placement with runners on base
True. I've also seen catchers bring their hands out from behind the back or the leg and have the same situation. So hopefully the catcher does their work and does all they can to minimize the dangers they are exposed to.
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The one thing they have to be is tough, They get beat up back there , keep the first aid kit and plenty of water around .
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Below is taken from an instructor talking about common catching mistakes:
Next, if you advise your catchers to place their closed fist behind their back or knee, I want you to perform a long study using videotape. Videotape every catcher you can find who puts their hand behind their back or knee. At the moment the ball is about 5 feet from the hitting zone, note where the catcher's hand is now located. At least 90% of the time, the catcher will have pulled her hand out from behind her and brought it towards the glove. This is a natural human reaction. Most people cannot help this. Most people cannot be trained to keep the hand back because it is a natural motion to put both hands in front of you in order to protect oneself.
If you force yourself to think about a frontal knife attack, you probably think the best and most natural move would be to dodge the incoming weapon. But, in fact, most people who are attacked like this do not react that way. Instead, what they do is instinctively try to protect themselves by putting up their hands. Obviously your hands and arms are not much defense against an incoming sharp knife. But that is what people do. That is what is commonly discussed as an instance in which the victim "put up a fight." But they put up their hands and arms because the body's most reactive tendency is to protect the vital organs. You can live with injuries to your arms and hands but you cannot live with a knife wound to your vital internal organs and rather than chance the injury and dodge the incoming person, the reflex action is to protect using the extremities.
So catchers are just as ill advised to put their throwing hands behind them as they are to make a punching fist. The first reaction is to pull the hand out from behind you. And when the ball is fouled, you are more likely to be struck. If you have a punching fist, that strike is going to bust a finger. catchers would be better off if they made the catching fist and then placed the throwing hand behind the glove by a few inches. If you watch a catcher who does this, what you will most likely notice is the throwing hand moves in tandem with the glove hand. The "fist" remains behind the glove and protected.
As side notes to this discussion, you do not want the hand right up against the glove because if will absorb shock on hard pitches. rather keep it back those few inches so that when the pitch is caught, it won't be struck by the shock absorbing glove and so that as the glove slows down, the throwing hand will be right there next to the glove. Lastly, the catching fist, with the thumb on the inside, is a much more natural way for the hand to go into the glove to get the ball. Because the four fingers are not tightly wrapped and because the thumb generally springs open immediately upon releasing the fist, it is just a hair quicker.
Next, if you advise your catchers to place their closed fist behind their back or knee, I want you to perform a long study using videotape. Videotape every catcher you can find who puts their hand behind their back or knee. At the moment the ball is about 5 feet from the hitting zone, note where the catcher's hand is now located. At least 90% of the time, the catcher will have pulled her hand out from behind her and brought it towards the glove. This is a natural human reaction. Most people cannot help this. Most people cannot be trained to keep the hand back because it is a natural motion to put both hands in front of you in order to protect oneself.
If you force yourself to think about a frontal knife attack, you probably think the best and most natural move would be to dodge the incoming weapon. But, in fact, most people who are attacked like this do not react that way. Instead, what they do is instinctively try to protect themselves by putting up their hands. Obviously your hands and arms are not much defense against an incoming sharp knife. But that is what people do. That is what is commonly discussed as an instance in which the victim "put up a fight." But they put up their hands and arms because the body's most reactive tendency is to protect the vital organs. You can live with injuries to your arms and hands but you cannot live with a knife wound to your vital internal organs and rather than chance the injury and dodge the incoming person, the reflex action is to protect using the extremities.
So catchers are just as ill advised to put their throwing hands behind them as they are to make a punching fist. The first reaction is to pull the hand out from behind you. And when the ball is fouled, you are more likely to be struck. If you have a punching fist, that strike is going to bust a finger. catchers would be better off if they made the catching fist and then placed the throwing hand behind the glove by a few inches. If you watch a catcher who does this, what you will most likely notice is the throwing hand moves in tandem with the glove hand. The "fist" remains behind the glove and protected.
As side notes to this discussion, you do not want the hand right up against the glove because if will absorb shock on hard pitches. rather keep it back those few inches so that when the pitch is caught, it won't be struck by the shock absorbing glove and so that as the glove slows down, the throwing hand will be right there next to the glove. Lastly, the catching fist, with the thumb on the inside, is a much more natural way for the hand to go into the glove to get the ball. Because the four fingers are not tightly wrapped and because the thumb generally springs open immediately upon releasing the fist, it is just a hair quicker.
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As a catcher... again.. show me a professional catcher that has their hand right behind the glove.
If you are catcher and you pull your hand out in front of you as a " natural reaction"... after a couple shots to the elbows and hands.... that "natural reaction" will stop....lol You'll learn quick the proper way to do it.
About like the " natural reaction" to turn your head on a bouncing pitching in the dirt. Take a couple shots in the side of the head and neck... and you'll learn to stop turning your head.
If you are catcher and you pull your hand out in front of you as a " natural reaction"... after a couple shots to the elbows and hands.... that "natural reaction" will stop....lol You'll learn quick the proper way to do it.
About like the " natural reaction" to turn your head on a bouncing pitching in the dirt. Take a couple shots in the side of the head and neck... and you'll learn to stop turning your head.
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I'm not promoting the hand behind the glove, my DD puts it behind her leg but I won't go by what a "professional" does. Pitchers, third base, infielders don't wear a game face so should we not have out kids? Just a thought.
This hand behind the glove is a new teaching or thought that if it flies will take some years to catch on. If it flies.
This hand behind the glove is a new teaching or thought that if it flies will take some years to catch on. If it flies.
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JMHO Catchers are a rare breed. In small schools they are hard to find great ones. Point is you must protect them all you can! Behind the leg or back just makes the throwing arm and hand safe. My catchers still pick off and throw out runners. Good Luck, good Fundamentals= Great success!!!!
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Take one off the elbow or forearm and you'll know what the proper technique is...
somebody's going to the hospital for X-rays on that arm, elbow or hand.... being there is a huge knot on it.
Take a second and squat down like a catcher and put that hand behind the glove and see what is exposed. That elbow is just waiting to be crushed.
somebody's going to the hospital for X-rays on that arm, elbow or hand.... being there is a huge knot on it.
Take a second and squat down like a catcher and put that hand behind the glove and see what is exposed. That elbow is just waiting to be crushed.
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Good points on all techniques , just have to go with what works bestdd keeps hers behind her back , It was more natural behind the glove but sometimes when things feel natural you forget about them and they end up in harms way.
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A's catcher
I-Rod catching
Posada catching
Astros catcherLen
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...m=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&ndsp=20&tbs=isch:1
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I was always taught to put my hand behind my glove. That is what they taught at all the clinics I ever went to and at Kent State. My husband was a baseball catcher and he put his hand behind his glove. It isn't new.
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Nope, but at almost the same spot as I teach my catchers to place their hand, when blocking a ball.
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It comes down to #1 a catcher trusting in their gear to protect them, #2 the catcher having confidence in their ability to catch the ball, #3 the catcher being able to watch the ball until caught with out closing their eyes, #4 what is comfortable and effective for them to do very efficiently.
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What it all comes down to is shaving off every possible millisecond you can to get the advantage. If a catcher is pulling her hand from behind her back, she will not be as quick as the catcher who's hand is on the ball as soon as it is in the glove. Just like the catcher who's butt is down on their heels isn't going to be as quick as the catcher who's butt is up and ready to throw. Whatever works for you works for you, but there is always a quicker way. As a catching instructor I'm always on the look out for the best ways to do things and any new techniques, but so far I haven't found anything that is near as effective as having the hand behind the glove.
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Klump,
Have to agree, I have always taught hand out front and have found it dramatically speeds up exchange for throwing and helps keep the front side postioned correctly. The clip below shows a drill that starts with the ball in the glove. See how quick the ball gets in her hand and how having her hands out front allows the left elbow to be directly over the left hip at the time the throw would begin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8tK2PPQWGA
Coach Weaver
Have to agree, I have always taught hand out front and have found it dramatically speeds up exchange for throwing and helps keep the front side postioned correctly. The clip below shows a drill that starts with the ball in the glove. See how quick the ball gets in her hand and how having her hands out front allows the left elbow to be directly over the left hip at the time the throw would begin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8tK2PPQWGA
Coach Weaver
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The catcher's mitt is facing down... the catcher is too squared up of a position for a runner being on base.
Do you guys teach a catcher's shoulders are square with the plate/pitcher when a runner is on base? Never heard such a thing in all my life.
By being squared up the catcher is losing time having to shuffle her right foot to a throwing stance when she should have her foot in a throwing position before the pitch or at the minimum while the ball is coming towards the plate.
Do you guys teach a catcher's shoulders are square with the plate/pitcher when a runner is on base? Never heard such a thing in all my life.
By being squared up the catcher is losing time having to shuffle her right foot to a throwing stance when she should have her foot in a throwing position before the pitch or at the minimum while the ball is coming towards the plate.
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Think catchers mitt down just for drill. Also some coaches teach glove down until pitch is thrown to rest then raise up as pitch is thrown.
Also If your shoulders are square easier to move left and right on bad pitch. A lot harder to block pitches if your not square
Also If your shoulders are square easier to move left and right on bad pitch. A lot harder to block pitches if your not square
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Will give a more complete response tonight at home but a few items.
First off notice I said this drill is done with the ball already in her glove at start of drill. Glove is down as I told her to simulate receiveing a pitch that is up in the zone a bit. So she is holding her glove as if she just caught the top half of the ball. Then drill begins.
I'll speak to other issues hopefully tonight.
Coach Weaver
First off notice I said this drill is done with the ball already in her glove at start of drill. Glove is down as I told her to simulate receiveing a pitch that is up in the zone a bit. So she is holding her glove as if she just caught the top half of the ball. Then drill begins.
I'll speak to other issues hopefully tonight.
Coach Weaver
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Having shoulders squared up is very important in receiving, for the exact reason WWolf states. Also, I teach my daughter to pivot on back foot as both hand and glove come to the ear. If the shoulders aren't square, blocking the ball more often than not will not stay in front of the catcher.
I'm currently watching the Reds/Astros game. Hannigan's meat hand is all over the place when a runner's on base and the Astros catcher has his hand in front of his crotch.
Len
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Watching Georgia and LSU both catchers hands /arms are beside there body kinda behind right leg
Well actually Georgia's starts there and then wonders up more to her side but neithere have behind her mitt
Well actually Georgia's starts there and then wonders up more to her side but neithere have behind her mitt
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Pertaining to transfer in the video clip, I teach our catchers to bring the glove up to the side of the ear during transfer (the actual tranfer starts at the beginning of the move) so the glove hand elbow is pointing in the direction of the throw. The throw tends to be stronger (more muscles elongated in the back, shoulder, and tricep to compress) and more accurate without losing precious milliseconds.
The young lady in the video clip uses what I call a back slide step and is a very good direction and a quick move for a plant foot. I teach my dd to pivot on her plant foot, but sometimes she back slides about 6 inches, which is still okay in my book. The one thing you do not want your catchers to do is to take a forward step with their plant foot. Valuable time is lost and many times the catcher will step on home plate, which is also not what you want your catcher to do.
Len
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