Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
I agree 100% for baseball. I think the field dimensions on most softball fields make backing up the catcher less important than in baseball which is why some start to use the pitcher as an interior cut. Backstop is supposed to be 25 to 30 ft off the plate and foul lines in softball and at many dual purpose fields (slowpitch and fastpitch) that's likely to be 20-25'. Baseball is 60' backstop distance. Assume a catcher can move 10 - 15' on an offline throw from the outfield, there just isn't that much room to play backup to the catcher and a real limited area the ball can end up if it does get by. I'd rather see the catcher agressively sliding into the fence with pads on to retrieve an errrant past ball and throwing to the pitcher who's taken home than see a pitcher trying to finagle the ball at the fence line.
SnoCatz - while I absolutely agree that catchers should be taught how to slide into the fence quickly and safely to retrieve passed balls, as a rule an overthrow of home plate should be the responsibility of the pitcher for the following reasons:
1. Some associations allow metal spikes.
2. Catcher wear protective gear, pitchers don't
3. Catcher's have more training/experience covering the plate than pitchers
4. Defensively, an exceptional pitcher generally has more impact on a game than an exceptional catcher, and therefor is more difficult to replace if injured
5. To retrieve an errant throw, catcher will take at least 1-1.5 second to run from plate to backstop (generously assuming 20 ft from plate to backstop and 3.0 sec home to first speed (w/out gear!) and then have to turn up to 180 degrees and make an accurate throw versus the pitcher, who, properly positioned, should be at the backstop and usually only has to move laterally to get the ball and throw to the plate w/out having to make a 180 turn.
While there always are exceptions (e.g., crazy ricochet,), its faster and safer to have the catcher making the play at the plate and the pitcher acting as backup