Catching and Catchers discussion catching thoughts

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Since I'm a big Kobata fan, any extra movement is bad when fielding or throwing, so I would never want my catcher to have it behind her back. We would never allow our infielder to start to field a ball that way.

We would never teach our fielders to point out their toes at 90 degree angles and weight on their heels but that is what some catching clinics are now teaching......

Len

 

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I agree. Sometimes you wonder where some of these camps came up with what they teach. Sad to say it is all about money. You go to a fielding camp and they have not even heard of Kobata, you can guess you are throwing away your money. On young catchers I think part of the problem with dads teaching them to put the hand behind the back, is they are not being required to give signals to the pitcher. To me it effects your balance and your right elbow is exposed to injury, since it is now sticking out.

 

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My DD was taught to keep her hand on her hip. Keeps her hand and arm away from foul tips, and she's able to get her hand to the the ball a lot faster than coming from her back.

 

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Toes pointed more towards 2nd & short, heels very slightly off ground.
Throwing hand in fist behind mitt.

Len

I agree with this, except for the hand.

I was taught to place my hand on the outside of my right knee/thigh. It's not exposed. It's close for blocking purposes and it's close for throwing out would be base stealers. And it's relaxed, not in a fist which leads to tension.

And I agree with Les on the knee savers. Throw them away or don't waste your money.

 

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I agree with this, except for the hand.

I was taught to place my hand on the outside of my right knee/thigh. It's not exposed. It's close for blocking purposes and it's close for throwing out would be base stealers. And it's relaxed, not in a fist which leads to tension.

And I agree with Les on the knee savers. Throw them away or don't waste your money.

Knee Savers are a joke. If you need Knee Savers then you shouldn't be catching. If you use them for comfort then you are not setting up properly anway.

My theory is that if the throwing hand is properly behind the mitt then it is totally shielded from the ball. If the hand is anywhere else it is exposed at some point during the swing because the hand has to eventually get to the mitt in order to grab the ball. If a catcher waits until the ball is caught before moving their throwing hand, that is precious time wasted before transfer. This is just my theory; anyone can teach their catcher whatever they want.

Len

 

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On young catchers I think part of the problem with dads teaching them to put the hand behind the back, is they are not being required to give signals to the pitcher. To me it effects your balance and your right elbow is exposed to injury, since it is now sticking out.

It also stresses the shoulder socket a bit and it's not comfortable.

Len

 

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Meat hand behind the glove. I have experienced as the pitch comes in and there is a runner, the hand creeps to the glove anyway. Keep it behind the glove and loose, not a fist. We teach the jab step witht right foot, about 4-6" then a step with the left foot. The cathcer should never stand up, but the hands to the ear quick and fire out low. watch any catcher on TV and that's how they do it. The pivot or the hop is not how any good catcher does it today.

 

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behind the shin guard the hand is protected. behind the glove it is not once you move the glove to catch the ball. you're surely not going to move your throwing hand also to where you are moving your glove. and you surely are moving your glove to where the ball is going and before you know if the hitter is actually going to swing at it or not. If you expose your hand at all you risk taking a foul ball. And I'm sure all would agree the catchers with the slowest pop times are the ones with the broken throwing hand or their 2nd or 3rd string backup catcher. I don't get the hand behind the glove option. But as always, whatever works best go with it.

 

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Here is a catcher whose meat hand was behind the shin guard in his initial receiving stance. The pitch is outside to a right hand hitter. Did this catcher's hand get exposed?

My point is throwing hand exposure occurs in any teached setup depending upon the situation. In twelve years behind the dish, I was hit in the throat (before throat guards and hockey style masks), shoulders, biceps, forearms, the no-no area, thighs, and toes, but never in the throwing hand, and I had my throwing hand in a loose fist behind my mitt my entire career, so that's why I teach what I teach. It worked for me.

Len

 

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Can we get still shots of the hand behind the glove & inside (right hand batter) pitch? Like many others on here, I just can't picture of this can work.

I will have to try your way in the lesson I'm catching tonight.

I too never got hit on the hand and I kept my hand relaxed outside my right leg. But as its been stated, whatever works.

 

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Is he catching while sitting on his knee savers?

 

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Is he catching while sitting on his knee savers?

It looks like he is to me....

Len

 

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As a catcher i have been taught to pop and throw, as I get older stepping takes to much time due to the speed of most girls. But I have seen a step work for some catchers.

 

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We teach a progression of how to throw as a catcher increases skill level, strenght and skill set. A begining catcher ages maybe 8-11 is taught to take a step and line up their body on a "power line" to make the throw down to 2nd. Intermediate cather (age 12-13)is close to a pop an throw but they are still dragging the back toe as they as the get lined up. More advanced catchers 14-17 pop into position and make their throw down. And the exceptional catcher can throw down using entirely upper body strength.

As far as throwing hand position, I've always disliked behind the back and taught behind the right knee- shin guard. I toyed with behind the glove with runners on base but it seems to make the hands move as one unit and leads to balls getting by that wouldn't have otherwise.

Knee savers are OK if used properly. They are before the catcher moves into their ready position. First position is for givving the sign to the pitcher and it's OK to use the knee savers here. Second position is when catcher moves into ready position (no runner on base) to receive. Third position is with catch up slightly and ready to throw with runners on base. If I see a catcher relying on knee savers in 2nd or 3rd position we get rid of the knee savers.

 

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A lot of good points in this thread. Thanks.

 

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BuckeyeHeat 97----How you been???

you know my take on things...I'm right with Lenski....

throw the knee savers away....Lazy!
Toes pointed more towards 2nd & short, heels very slightly off ground.
Throwing hand in fist behind mitt with runners on. behind the shin guard with no runners on.

Never step toward second...you've heard me hollar more than once "you are going to be sorry if you step on that wet plate!" LOL remember those days!!! i miss em.

good luck to you this year!!!

 

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I teach whatever method is most comfortable to the catcher I'm working with. The free hand is ALWAYS behind the foot/calf. As the ball is caught the glove is brought across the facemask to the ear and free hand is there as well to throw the ball. A great drill for your catchers/all players IMO is get a football out and play catch. It will force your player to throw from behind the ear and put the arm in the correct position. Play long toss with the football or the softball. That, IMO, is the best way to strengthen your arm as well as condition it. There's a reason a lot of HS/College QBs are pitchers. Strong arms. Great example is John Elway.