That's what I was looking for - I was scrolling the blog posts, forgot to check the tips.
Little help?
- Thread starter BuckeyeGuy
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That's what I was looking for - I was scrolling the blog posts, forgot to check the tips.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
I guess your experience was much different than mine.
Yes! When a catcher jets out a few steps and turns their back to the infield it appears as a pop up like it does to any other infielder.
It appears Molina changed his mind about keeping the mask on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uefsbxCQsxw
Ruiz went back to the 2 piece system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uefsbxCQsxw
You can't compare hockey with softball/baseball. A hockey puck is being hit AT the goalie, not away from him/her. If the puck happens to get hit straight up over the goalie, you have up to 5 members of the other team, not to mention members of his/her own team, swinging hockey sticks all over the place trying to hit the puck. As far as a puck being hit straight up at the blue line, the blue line is about 60 feet away from the goal line so there would be no reason for a goalie to take his helmet off. The puck is out in front of him 50 to 60 feet away.
Just to clarify, I'm not talking about the 2 piece mask/skullcap system. I'm talking about the helmet/mask combo.
NECC only taught this for a very short time at the very beginning of it's inception. I believe on the DVD, Dave Weaver says that it was once taught but goes on to say that they now teach the helmet stays on.
But please, let me get this straight. You are saying that the reason many catchers remove their helmets because they can't see clearly and that it's a valid reason to put themselves in jeopardy? I'm sorry, I don't agree at all. There is no need to take a helmet off....period. There are no visibility issues...especially with the new hockey style catching helmets.
It all comes down to coaches teaching their catchers to take the helmet off without knowing the reason it was originally taught. It used to be about visibility with the old 2 piece masks. They had bars closer together and further in on those masks in the eye visibility slot. This affected the peripheral view which came into play on acquiring the ball quickly on pop-ups.
The new style masks have none of that. They offer a full 180 degree unobstructed view. If the players are complaining about not being comfortable with leaving it on for a pop-up, it's only because the coach and/or parents haven't worked with them enough (or at all) on that particular skill.
As for the tab on the back of the Wilson, it's not to take it off quickly, it's actually for putting it on.
There are many good reasons for leaving it on at all times. I've seen catchers break ankles from stepping on a dropped mask, I've seen them lose teeth when their unprotected mouths have been hit by batting helmets when runners slid in head first, I've seen orbital bones broken and cheek bones smashed the same way and I've even seen a beautiful girl end up with the ugliest scar going from just below her ear, along her jaw and ending on the front of her chin from a pair of cleats that unintentionally came in high according to her. Every single one of these things happened after the catcher removed her mask to catch a pop-up. Every single one of these things could have been avoided if whoever had taught them catching had taken them to the field and thrown them pop-ups so that they could get comfortable with leaving the helmet on while fielding them.
And if you or whoever else persists in teaching this because of a fallacy based on past perceptions, then shame on you.
Think of it this way. Even if the catcher leaves the mask on without being comfortable, what's the worst that can happen? They miss the ball? They don't get the out? Their team loses the game? Big deal. It's a game!
These kids aren't professionals and getting paid millions to put their bodies on the line for that game.
There are numerous reasons for leaving the mask on at all times. I haven't heard a valid one yet for putting the catchers safety and health on the line for a game.
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Stepping on the mask is the fault of the catcher (or the coach if not taught properly) not tossing the mask far away in the opposite direction that they are going.
Lost teeth from head first slides indicates a ball not hit high enough and in the field of play..........where I state the mask stays on.
Broken bones and scarring from cleats......again, a ball in play so the catcher should have kept the mask on.
I'm talking straight up pop flys.......not little pop bloops that fall into the field of play.
Riddle me this......According to Jay, he and his dad witnessed Ruiz and Molina catching pop ups with their helmet on during a game. I show VIDEO PROOF that they do not leave their helmet on when catching pop ups and the videos are very recent. Molina wears a hockey style mask and Ruiz switched back to the mask and skull cap. They both switched back and there has to be a reason. I wonder what that reason is? I will tell you what it is..........visibility! Nothing more, nothing less.
It's not putting yourself in any real jeopardy if you know what you're doing. It's an advanced skill so I would not expect very young catchers or minimally skilled catchers to be taught this, but upper level TB, competitive college ball, etc. I do not have a problem with it.
The tab on the back of the Wilson acts as a lever on the base of the skull, allowing ease of removal. Easy on.......easy off.......and it was intentional.
With any mask there is obstruction of vision because there are both vertical and horizontal bars in your field of vision. It is just easier to maintain a good field of vision looking straight out and slightly up, but looking straight up poses a bit of a challenge. That's why advanced catchers (almost all advanced catchers) take the mask off, even the hockey masks.
I have no problem if a catcher wants to keep the mask on at all times. However, I have no problem with teaching discarding the mask on straight up, high pop ups either.
