Jose Molina.....SMOOOOOTTTTTHHHHH:
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My catcher-beast...
- Thread starter Eric F
- Start date
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No wierd glove turning and twisting necessary:
http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4355821/Carp_knuckler.gif
http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4355821/Carp_knuckler.gif
Just something to ponder.......do the better fielders (non catchers) recieve balls the majority of the time with a strong and straight arm or do they maintain soft hands and stay as quiet as they can............
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
On all the clips shown we don't see if the catchers set up too early to give away location (but presumably they didn't), the pitchers are professionals who can be expected to routinely hit their spots as they did in the shown examples (but that isn't always the case), and they all "pulled" the pitches (which may or may not have had anything to do with the professional umpire's calls). But, forgetting all that for a moment, the physics are different - these are grown adult males who weigh 50-100+% more than most female FP catchers AND they caught baseballs, which are roughly 2/3 the weight of a softball. Maybe a high-level FP catcher can learn to do this if its what you want, but this isn't what you should be teaching young catchers who are catching developing pitchers. JMNSHO
YMMVOn all the clips shown we don't see if the catchers set up too early to give away location (but presumably they didn't), the pitchers are professionals who can be expected to routinely hit their spots as they did in the shown examples (but that isn't always the case), and they all "pulled" the pitches (which may or may not have had anything to do with the professional umpire's calls). But, forgetting all that for a moment, the physics are different - these are grown adult males who weigh 50-100+% more than most female FP catchers AND they caught baseballs, which are roughly 2/3 the weight of a softball. Maybe a high-level FP catcher can learn to do this if its what you want, but this isn't what you should be teaching young catchers who are catching developing pitchers. JMNSHO
Young catchers are not catching 95mph pitchers. Yes the softball weighs about 25% more than a baseball, but the ball is also thrown with about 35% to 45% less acceleration. Most causes of a ball feeling heavy to a catcher is due to improper elbow and wrist alignment, not because the ball is too heavy for them or the pitcher throws too hard for them.
When my dd was 12 she was at a summer camp being held at a college. She might have weighed about 100lbs or so. A pticher was there that the college wanted to see pitch. My dd was asked to catch this pitcher for the coach because of all the kids there my dd was the oldest catcher. The coach came over to me and asked if I thought my dd could handle a pitcher that threw in the low 60's. I told the coach that my dd would be fine. I really didn't believe the pitcher could throw in the low 60's anyway. Sure enough the pitcher threw her fastball about 62mph according to the juggs gun. The asst. coach leaned over to me and said that he couldn't believe how confident and smooth my kid was. He said that the way she looked back there was like a walk in the park to her. My dd was not an elite, high-level catcher....she was a kid that knew how to properly receive a pitch with soft hands while remaining quiet. So, you can stab at the ball and put your head behind the mitt if you wish or you can receive with soft hands and remain as quiet as possible.....it's up to you.
Is there a situation where a fielder is concerned about maintaining and showing off the location of where they catch the ball?
Your DD may be an exception, but in my experience, a young catcher trying to catch a softball with that trajectory, with her arm in that position, will get her mitt pulled much further down and outside from the impact of the ball, and will look like a fool trying to keep it looking like a strike. Also, if they miss the catch, the angle of the mitt is going to deflect the ball away. Get the mitt positioned outside the ball, with their body in a strong position behind it, and they will have a much higher probability of making a good catch. Also, of they can't make a clean catch, the ball is also more likely to stay in front of them.
Clearly, we have a different opinion about how to approach mitt positioning. I'm okay with that.
- Feb 12, 2014
- 648
- 43
I think there's on variable that hasn't been brought up yet in this discussion - the umpire. In the MLB clips, we don't get a full view of the set up of a professional catcher. In the MLB clips, we have a professional pitcher trained for thousands of hours to hit their spots throwing a baseball from 60'6" away. In the MLB clips, we also have umpires who are professionals, get computerized feedback on their zones, and who are simply the very best in the business. This is a far cry from the umpires, who are mostly doing the best they can, we see even in the best tournaments we attend.
The feedback we have gotten from umpires on my daughter's technique, which is NECC based, has been universally positive.
The feedback we have gotten from umpires on my daughter's technique, which is NECC based, has been universally positive.
The feedback you get from umpires at the travel level is positive if the umpire felt safe behind the catcher......not her catching mechanics pertaining to stiff arm / soft hands, head placement, and quietness vs. busy. NECC has many good things going for it. Years ago I would I would converse with Dave Weaver about catching. If I remember correctly, Dave was not a catcher. He compiled a ton of information about catching to help his son, and being a man of community he opened up his knowlege to the kids in his area. Eventually it grew into what it is today now with Jay leading the way.
I am in no way bashing the NECC. I bet I agree with over 95% of what is taught in their camps and clinics. All I am offering is a different perspective on how to receive a pitch......nothing more. We can all have different opinions and agree to disagree.
I am in no way bashing the NECC. I bet I agree with over 95% of what is taught in their camps and clinics. All I am offering is a different perspective on how to receive a pitch......nothing more. We can all have different opinions and agree to disagree.
Never have taped her. I will see if I can get you some at next practice or game. Never had the need for video.
