Catchers height in stance

A couple of the the check-points I use with my DD and the other catchers I work with is the height of their head and the ability to touch the ground with their mitt. It doesn't matter which stance, the top of the head is very close to the same distance above the ground. In a runners-on stance, the stance widens, the hips raise, and the torso flattens to maintain the same head and shoulder height. If the head, shoulders, and torso raise, the ability to effectively catch a low pitch (not in the dirt) is compromised significantly, the umpire has to adjust their view, and the pitcher is presented with a very different look.

Using the top of the bat rack as a reference, we can see that height of the helmet doesn't vary a whole lot between stances.

Sign-giving...

No Runners...

Runners-On...

I've personally been a fan of having your throwing hand with a soft fist with your thumb tucked inside as described, but I prefer it to be in space between your mitt and chest protector. I learned long ago about getting my hand spanked when it was behind the glove.

Watching MLB would be a huge reference for any young players. The best catcher in the world are on the field every night. Even rookie A catchers are phenomenal. Pudie, kid Carter, Bench, Santiago.......

625ender said:

I've personally been a fan of having your throwing hand with a soft fist with your thumb tucked inside as described, but I prefer it to be in space between your mitt and chest protector. I learned long ago about getting my hand spanked when it was behind the glove.

Watching MLB would be a huge reference for any young players. The best catcher in the world are on the field every night. Even rookie A catchers are phenomenal. Pudie, kid Carter, Bench, Santiago.......

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In a runners-on position, with the fist behind the glove, the fist is pulled back to the chest protector while receiving, in the "shadow" of the mitt. It might take a bump from a foul ball that bounces off the ground, but it's protected from a direct shot from a pitch or tip.

Eric F said:

In a runners-on position, with the fist behind the glove, the fist is pulled back to the chest protector while receiving, in the "shadow" of the mitt. It might take a bump from a foul ball that bounces off the ground, but it's protected from a direct shot from a pitch or tip.

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If you say so. I caught for a ton of years and learned all of my lessons well.

625ender said:

If you say so. I caught for a ton of years and learned all of my lessons well.

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You commented about putting the fist "in the space between the mitt and the chest protector". Isn't that essentially the result of what I described? Maybe I misunderstood your comment.

What about where salvador Pérez keeps his hand?

burlap1980 said:

What about where salvador Pérez keeps his hand?

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There are quite a few MLB catchers who put their hands in that position. Not my preference...but I'm just a dumb dad.

Eric F said:

There are quite a few MLB catchers who put their hands in that position. Not my preference...but I'm just a dumb dad.

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It's mainly out of laziness. They rest their forearm high on the thigh.........

625ender said:

I've personally been a fan of having your throwing hand with a soft fist with your thumb tucked inside as described, but I prefer it to be in space between your mitt and chest protector. I learned long ago about getting my hand spanked when it was behind the glove.

Watching MLB would be a huge reference for any young players. The best catcher in the world are on the field every night. Even rookie A catchers are phenomenal. Pudie, kid Carter, Bench, Santiago.......

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625 - I believe you are dating yourself! Recall that some of the oldies but goodies you mentioned didn't necessarily have the mechanics that you'd want to teach a kid today e.g., Bench tended to field rather than block (I know because he was my first role model), Santiago pretty much always threw from his knees even on pitches that didn't require it and had that crazy one leg out straight/butt on the ground stance with no runners on. FWIW, there are some MLB catchers who have terrible mechanics and can't block or keep a strike looking like a strike - Saltalamachia is a prime offender, Yadi's best blocking days were in his youth etc.

ETA - moved blocking comments to a new thread!

burlap1980 said:

What about where salvador Pérez keeps his hand?

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This is great as long as the pitch is perfect. The problem is that the resting hand stays where it is on a high or low pitch. This makes it vulnerable to a foul tip. I would not recommend this one.