"Baseball guy" catches softball pitcher

[Nuwin]

The conversation usually revolves around hitting. This is the first where we switch to receiving that I've seen. (It found me, I didn't go looking.)



Interesting watching a guy that teaches "modern" catching techniques receive movement patterns he's never seen.

Recently had DD at a Dominate The Dish camp which uses similar receiving techniques for the same tactical advantages as baseball. Yet I don't think he looks too great out of the gate. I wonder if that is why so many guys I've talked to are seemingly scared of softball. Is it just not being used to what has been seen for a lifetime so the introduction is akward?

Some interesting one-liner observations made contrasting the two games.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I catch for my daughter all the time, and she throws up to 64 MPH. I wear a full set of catcher's gear, including steel-toe sneakers and a Jadier Molina HOH mitt. While it's not the most fun I've ever had, I'm not scared to do it, unless the lighting is poor.

With that said, I would never get behind the plate and catch a guy throwing 90+ MPH. The movement of a baseball pitch is much greater, and while the reaction time might be similar, I'd probably soil myself if I did have to catch for a baseball pitcher. The only aspect that might be easier is to squeeze the ball since it's smaller.

I suspect given a few sessions of catching for her, he'd do fine.

 

[Nuwin]

That really wasn't what I was going for. But I absolutely would risk having my hand permanently mangled or my collar bone shattered to bits to see if I could keep up with Aroldis Chapman or any other 105mph flame thrower. To each their own lol.

It was more about the technique. I'm in the camp that catching is catching. Hitting is hitting. Throwing is throwing. Yes there is nuance in strategy and adjustments between baseball and softball. Size of field, overhand vs underhand pitching.

So it was interesting to me to see the technique break down, knowing what he teaches, the first time seeing softball pitching. It's more than just stopping the ball. I have no argument that it should not matter, and the strike zone should be it's own independent being. But observation and knowledge of humans tells me it does, and arguing against it isn't going to help anyone be successful.

I have no doubt that a good player would be able to adjust in short order.

I almost double posted this in pitching to see how the pitching community reacted to WHAT he was saying. But I don't know if we need a battle of her technique, does a rise ball rise, etc dead horse beaten again. LOL. Maybe when the weather is too cold to enjoy being outside but not cold enough to produce safe ice for ice fishing, I'll go scorched earth over there.

 

[bsbs]

I caught my daughter while waiting for a hitting instructor in a baseball facility a month ago. After we finished up the owner of the facility, who I'm friends with, walked over and said, no way I'm catching that without equipment on. I think a lot of it is what you're used to catching.

 

[diamond14]

So much is about learned patterns. It is why a baseball player (Pujols) cant hit a softball pitcher (Finch). Going to tough learning on a top performer as opposed to building skills starting with a 12u player. Somewhere "on the line" is a vide of a pro baseball player catching Paige Parker riseball and he literally bails because the ball did not perform the way his brain expected.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I hope you can see this video link from Instagram on here. As I said earlier, I have no problem catching for my daughter, even at 64 MPH, but I would never try to catch this guy. Granted, he's a former major leaguer, but still, these pitches are nasty. You cannot compare any pitches in softball to baseball. What do you think, @Vertigo ?

 

[Vertigo]

I hope you can see this video link from Instagram on here. As I said earlier, I have no problem catching for my daughter, even at 64 MPH, but I would never try to catch this guy. Granted, he's a former major leaguer, but still, these pitches are nasty. You cannot compare any pitches in softball to baseball. What do you think, @Vertigo ?

Yeah - no. Again, my ds throws mid-80’s and when he throws his curve or slider, I bail. He’s a D3 pitcher. I want no parts of that. My hand bruised up like crazy, too, after catching him. I couldn’t imagine catching a former MLB pitcher!