I may have over-simplified my opinion by my last response. If the pitcher hits - or is very close to - C's target in the center of their body, there isn't an reason to shift. If the ball is very far off the center of C's body, I want to see a shift. As I have commented before, I have seen an improvement in the ability of young Cs to stick location better when their arm is in a stronger position. Reaching across the body is not a strong position. If it's a runners-on/2K situation, the shift also gets them moving in the right direction to block a pitch in the dirt.
My catcher-beast...
- Thread starter Eric F
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
I may have over-simplified my opinion by my last response. If the pitcher hits - or is very close to - C's target in the center of their body, there isn't an reason to shift. If the ball is very far off the center of C's body, I want to see a shift. As I have commented before, I have seen an improvement in the ability of young Cs to stick location better when their arm is in a stronger position. Reaching across the body is not a strong position. If it's a runners-on/2K situation, the shift also gets them moving in the right direction to block a pitch in the dirt.
Too much movement and head bobbing and tilting. Receive the ball in a strong position, rotate mitt around the ball to 6 or 12 position. If working in the river, set up in the river, not to concerned with tipping of location. Present good pitches to make blues job easier, throw back balls. All of the moving of the head, down and away and rotating the mitt upside down to present a pitch looks stupid, and is not helping your pitchers. As said almost everywhere in these threads, stay calm and quite. Even GREAT catchers can't make balls turn into strikes.
Coaches please stop teaching this. Awful......
Coaches please stop teaching this. Awful......
Last edited:
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
In other words, you only want the catcher to move if they think its a ball? IMO, ball v. strike is to be determined by the umpire and the catcher should treat every pitch the same in order to give the umpire a chance to call borderline pitches strikes. Center and stick, early and quietly.
No. I want them to move if they have to.
You guys have me examining this stuff much more closely.
It seems to me that I want to keep the pitch between the shoulders, so enough movement to accomplish that at the least. I do believe in the sight line, so I'd want to direct the Blue eye back over the plate towards the pitcher, but not with that stiff arm "Hey! Look at me!" pose.
I have no scientific basis for this opinion.
I think you hit on a very key point which is the age and ability of the catcher. Kids under say 12-13 yrs sometimes can't physically do the same things older girls can. Their shoulder width may only be 15"-20" so a pitch 10"-12" off the center line of the plate may be well outside their body. Getting the body a bit more centered behind the ball and catching the ball out in front helps to receive the ball more quietly since the ball momentum is less likely to pull the glove hand further away from the strike zone. A smaller kid will have a smaller window for body movement - in my opinion.
Line of sight is one of the most important things. Blue can't call what blue can't see. OK I Get the irony in that statement. But good point Buckeye. That is why I like to ensure mitt is moving toward the pitch to help the blue see the spot you are trying to hit. Again back to strong arm positioning. Present the pitch out front in the blues line of sight in the spot you were trying to hit.
Again IMO.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
There is no reason to do this.....IMO:
Whereas I see a benefit to catching the ball with as much of the catchers glove within the strike zone.
