Pitching practice without a home plate ?

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Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
Pitchers need to learn to focus on something other than the catchers glove because when they get older the glove won’t be there. When throwing with Dad it’s fine to move the glove around. They should be practicing with a catcher too and simulate game conditions.

I like a plate for practicing because you get immediate feedback. Any throwing is bound to help, but location is so critical I’d always want it as part of the focus. (Learned the hard way). You’d think eventually they’d throw enough pitches where it becomes automatic knowing where the plate is. Differing strike zones by level and by umpire make it ever changing though.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
Should have a plate. Preferably one with red, yellow and green colors to work edges. Also should always practice hitting dead red once it while to ensure she can do if ever needed.
Buy one on Amazon and before you use it take a sharpie and write your name and number on the back.
They tend to dissappear
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
That’s great if your catcher moves around. What If her catcher sets up middle of plate on EVERY pitch ?? You’ve conditioned her to hit the glove and that’s it.
Then practice by having her
Pitch to your knees or shoulders or whatever body part(s) you want. Pitchers who have catchers who set up down the middle often create a target in their minds eye to pitch to.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
She’s 12u probably B level travel. But I think people are missing the point as it’s more of a general question. I personally rarely don’t use a plate. Why because I find ( and I have found this warming up other girls she has played with not just my DD) that no plate is like a pass fail test. You either hit the glove or you didn’t. But just because she missed the glove doesn’t mean it’s a bad pitch. But my experience often that’s how a 10,11, 12 year thinks of it. With the plate I find it’s easier for them to be self aware that ok I missed my target but I missed in a good spot or I missed but that might still have called a strike. I find no plate of any kind and it’s much harder for girls that age to realize that.

I think this depends a bit on what level of development the pitcher is at.

I tend to not want a plate (or a catcher) when they're just learning, because all they focus on is throwing a strike when I want them to focus on their mechanics.

As far as needing a plate: I think it's (or something similar...even lines would work) probably necessary if you're at the point where you're trying to hit spots and every inch matters if for no other reason than to know if you're accomplishing your goal.
 
Mar 10, 2020
734
63
Zero compelling reasons to not use a plate when a pitcher can plan and have one.
Light weight strip of plastic works fine. This shouldnt be that hard to have ready in gear bag. No excuses.
 
Jul 1, 2019
172
43
We do both, with and without. While it is nice to be able to see if she really hit a corner or not, often times you're intentionally throwing just off the plate anyway. Especially as movement becomes king, why throw a strike if you don't have to. Make them think it's a strike, etc. DD has more time spent throwing to a spot rather than a corner of the dish. How many times is the strike zone inconsistent anyway, you've got to find "that" umpires strike zone and it's not necessarily on that plate.

Also worth noting that as movement develops, you're not "aiming" for the place the ball ends up. For DD to put her curve in the glove she's definitely not starting it there, she knows her pitch and finds a spot to aim at that will result in her pitch ending where she wants. If she wants the ball to finish at the catchers right knee, she may start that pitch at the catchers left knee. As they get better and more consistent it'll become aiming for the buckle on the left side of her left knee if she has to move the ball over to get the strike calls rather than the middle.

Plate, no plate, glove, no glove, it's about a pitch finishing where it's supposed to. Now, all this being said, yes especially with younger and newer pitchers, pitch with a plate when you can so they get some visual feedback, later on she'll know if the pitch ended where she intended it to regardless. Just my $.02, your mileage may vary.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Without a point of refference how can you actually see specifics in location.

Yes the catcher can be a point of refference to location.
But if the catcher moves a few inches each set up.
Or catchers who pureposely will set up in or out.
The catcher as a point of refference changes.
Also there are different catcher set ups.

The catcher additionally should be working on framing.
Sure can be done without a plate. But the plate helps shows what framing can do.
And how far or near the pitch really is to intended goal.

MUCH BETTER to work with pitch and the plate.

When its time to put a pitcher in cannot use trial and error to define a specific location.
imo
This is a topic of being properly prepared for success!
 
Last edited:
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Pitchers need to learn to focus on something other than the catchers glove because when they get older the glove won’t be there. When throwing with Dad it’s fine to move the glove around. They should be practicing with a catcher too and simulate game conditions.

I like a plate for practicing because you get immediate feedback. Any throwing is bound to help, but location is so critical I’d always want it as part of the focus. (Learned the hard way). You’d think eventually they’d throw enough pitches where it becomes automatic knowing where the plate is. Differing strike zones by level and by umpire make it ever changing though.

One of the guys that coached travel ball with me is a former D1 catcher. His focus was body parts. Catcher's knee for a low pitch. Catcher's shoulder for a high pitch. Not saying that is the best or only way to do it, but that was DD's focus. Certainly nothing wrong with using a plate. I just don't see it as a necessity.
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
One of the guys that coached travel ball with me is a former D1 catcher. His focus was body parts. Catcher's knee for a low pitch. Catcher's shoulder for a high pitch. Not saying that is the best or only way to do it, but that was DD's focus. Certainly nothing wrong with using a plate. I just don't see it as a necessity.

Throwing to knees and shoulders is what I meant by pitching to a catcher to simulate game conditions.

I re-read my comment and I did say “always” about using a plate. Poor word choice on my part. I just think it’s helpful.
 

NBECoach

Learning everyday
Aug 9, 2018
408
63
One of the guys that coached travel ball with me is a former D1 catcher. His focus was body parts. Catcher's knee for a low pitch. Catcher's shoulder for a high pitch. Not saying that is the best or only way to do it, but that was DD's focus. Certainly nothing wrong with using a plate. I just don't see it as a necessity.
Absolutely spot on. Our catcher always sets up down the middle and at the bottom of the strike zone for every pitch and then moves in or out as the pitcher is in her motion. Target- low pitches in and out - top of shin guards High pitches in and out - either side of catchers mask. How far in or out is part of the hand signals. Nowhere have I mentioned a plate. That is for the umpire, batter, and to a lesser extent the catcher to use.
 

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