Young pitcher with a catcher who can't catch her

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Feb 7, 2013
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Eric F - I know some catchers like your DD work their tail off to get better at catching but in my DD's time in the sport, not one catcher I can think of worked harder at catching than the better pitcher's on the staff. For example, DD is/was a typical pitcher who when first learning to pitch, would pitch almost every day for months at a time, pretty much year round. Many pitchers go to weekly pitching lessons and over time practice on average 3 to 4 times a week for an hour each session. The catchers I know will go to an occasional lesson and/or catching camp, but most of their work is in team practice or games. Case in point, our HS varsity catcher is above average but does not practice catching unless its at a HS practice or game. She is serviceable but could be much better with weekly private lessons and practices. The HS pitchers don't have that luxury. For my DD to stay in top pitching form she has to practice regularly and goes to see a PC every other week, year round. DD will not play in college but she still has to put in lots of work to be a starter.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
The pitching and catching positions suffer from a focus on less important skills which can be measured, at the expense of what cannot be measured. For pitching it all about velocity, and for catching it is about pop times. When pitchers and catchers are properly focused on the more important aspects of location and pitch receiving both will be far better off. But based on conversations around the field and on the message boards it is all about velocity and pop times, both of which are meaningless measurements of true ability.
 
Aug 23, 2016
359
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I didn't start this thread to pick on catchers. It's a tough job and I wouldn't want to do it.

DD's catcher did her best and until her injury she was making a big effort to get better. I think the whole experience was a bit intense for her but she worked hard to try to adapt.

I think DD has been working on her patience and not letting her frustration show. And soon the all-star season will be over and in the fall she'll have a new catcher to adapt to.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Aug 23, 2016
359
43
OP here with an update.

The fall has come and DD and her all-star catcher were picked for the same team again.

The catcher is doing much better. She and DD have bonded a lot and there's just better trust and better communication all around. You can see that the catcher looks more confident, and DD is more confident to pitch to her.

This weekend catcher had her best game so far this season. Very few passed balls, no dropped third strikes, a couple of caught foul tips, a great block of the plate to keep a runner from scoring on a hard grounder to third.

My favorite play was in the bottom of the last inning of the game, fast runner at third with one out in a tie game, and DD threw a pitch in the dirt that skidded past catcher. Catcher scrambled for the ball and fired it quickly to DD, then DD applied a great tag to get the runner. Each of them was more proud of the other than herself, even though it took both of them to execute the play so well. It was a nice piece of teamwork.

So long story short, DD is learning that she needs to do what she does and the catcher will learn. And catcher is learning by leaps and bounds. It's amazing how different things can be only a couple months later.
 
Jun 27, 2018
291
28
The pitching and catching positions suffer from a focus on less important skills which can be measured, at the expense of what cannot be measured. For pitching it all about velocity, and for catching it is about pop times. When pitchers and catchers are properly focused on the more important aspects of location and pitch receiving both will be far better off. But based on conversations around the field and on the message boards it is all about velocity and pop times, both of which are meaningless measurements of true ability.

I agree! My 16u daughter is working to improve her pop time, it’s probably the thing she needs to improve the most. It is getting better. Fortunately, she found herself on a pretty good team with a coaching staff that recognize her abilities in receiving and blocking enough to give her ample playing time and it doesn’t seem to be hurting her. That being said, she still is working hard to improve that pop time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Sep 3, 2018
87
0
Because of my nieces birthday (December 27) she was sent down from her first year 14 team to a first year 12s team a few weeks ago for a tournament when the 12s needed an extra pitcher. She throws a legit 58-59 mph on her fastball and her drop and rise balls are 56 or so.
First day of the tournament she had both of the '07 catchers crying after catching her for one inning. After that they stuck my niece at 1st base for the rest of pool play.
In bracket play she was only used at the end of games and the catchers got sting guards and I loaned them my better catchers mit so they could deal.
Now and then catchers show up at her pitching lessons looking to catch a lesson for 5 or 10 bucks. Now and then one will be a 10U or a first year 12. I shouldn't take them up on it but my ankles can use the break so I will sacrifice one of the younger ones to her now and then. It builds character.
She has one pitcher on her team who is a lefty and throws legit 62-64. She hurt a few straight from rec girls at tryouts, one kept turning her head and a rise ball caught her flush on the side of the helmet.
 

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