Coaching Question... In Front or Behind the Batter???

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Do you have your catchers throw to third in front or behind batter?

  • In front of batter.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

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    6
Nov 12, 2009
365
18
Kansas City
As a catching instructor, one of the biggest issues I find with catchers is when their H/S or competitive team coach provides instruction that may differ from what we are working with them on. (I know this is occurs in other positions/skills as well as catching) One of the biggest differences of opinion I see with catchers is where you do have your catcher set up when throwing to third... Ahead of the batter? Or behind the batter? I am curious to what advice is being given to catchers and would appreciate your input.
 
May 22, 2008
351
0
NW Pennsylvania
At a clinic this weekend, during the catching segment they taught a righty catcher to step ahead & sweep the batter back with the glove hand & a lefty to throw behind
 
This depends on the position of the batter in the batter's box. If she is even with the plate or up in the box I am going to drop my right foot behind my left foot and crossover like coach dorsey. If they are in back of the box I am going to step forward plant on my right foot and fire to 3rd base.

The timing with the SS or 3B is the most crucial part of this play. The catcher should have plenty of time to get the ball there. However, if the 3B or SS are sleeping for a split second this is trouble no matter how your catcher tried to get the ball there.
Generally I only have the 3B cover when there is 2 strikes on the batter.

Sean Hall
 
Nov 12, 2009
365
18
Kansas City
I instruct my catchers to move behind the runner in the fashion demonstrated in Coach Weaver's video. [video]http://s115.photobucket.com/albums/n294/catchingcoach/Throw%20to%20third/?action=view&current=TF3B-Revised.flv[/video] (Much like how Coach Dorsey described) The two-step and launch is extremely quick and adapts easily to different batter locations in the box. Throws to pick off runners at the corners must have some type of communication between the catcher and the third or first baseman.
 
Last edited:
Nov 12, 2009
365
18
Kansas City
This depends on the position of the batter in the batter's box. If she is even with the plate or up in the box I am going to drop my right foot behind my left foot and crossover like coach dorsey. If they are in back of the box I am going to step forward plant on my right foot and fire to 3rd base.

A couple of things I have observed... With the batter back in the box and the catcher moving out in front to throw, I know a lot of catchers are told to sweep the batter back as they throw. I have seen many batters that just don't move back too quickly on this manuever. It's one more thing to do as the catcher concentrates on throwing to target.

The one constant I have found is that no matter where the batter is in the box, front or back, the catcher stays back far enough not to get hit by the bat during the batter's swing. This means they are far enough back to clear the batter on the throw to third. Going behind the batter also utilizes the batter's body to breifly hide the catcher's initial movements to throw to third, giving the runner less time to react.
 

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