The Catcher or the Pitcher?

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Feb 27, 2019
137
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On a 14u team, I've blamed a lot of issues on inaccurate pitching (walks/passed balls/wild pitches). After a recent game, the umpire stated that he had never been hit more than he had while behind our catcher. Thinking this over, I'm wondering if our troubles might have more to do with catching than pitching. I've caught in warm ups for these girls and know they aren't pin point accurate, but if the umpire is getting hit, then the pitch might have been in the area and the catcher isn't receiving/framing (or in this case catching/blocking) the ball. Any thoughts on this?
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
On a 14u team, I've blamed a lot of issues on inaccurate pitching (walks/passed balls/wild pitches). After a recent game, the umpire stated that he had never been hit more than he had while behind our catcher. Thinking this over, I'm wondering if our troubles might have more to do with catching than pitching. I've caught in warm ups for these girls and know they aren't pin point accurate, but if the umpire is getting hit, then the pitch might have been in the area and the catcher isn't receiving/framing (or in this case catching/blocking) the ball. Any thoughts on this?
No offense but it shouldn't be too hard to tell whether your catcher is handling pitches she should be handling and doing a good job of framing pitches..is somebody actually trying to pay attention to this during the game?
 
Feb 27, 2019
137
28
I'm just starting to learn what the catcher should be doing instead of just the obvious catching of the ball. My daughter recently had to catch in a game due to our starter not being available and she loved it so now I'm studying everything I can find on it. Our team struggles to get pitches called strikes and most runs scored and base advances are done on wild pitches/passed balls (I don't have the stats to see who is getting the blame catcher or pitcher). I'm thinking now that our catcher (probably important to note its head coaches DD and his wife does the stats) has been a bigger part of the issue than our pitching alone. Last tournament, I made the comment that the strike zone always seems smaller for our team, but I'm viewing the calls from the dugout not behind the plate. Things are adding up but I'm no pro, and I'll be paying a little more attention next time.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
I don't think this thread is about framing close pitches. I think it's more about balls in the dirt and the ability of a catcher to keep the ball in front of them and blocking the ball. Unless the OP is saying the catcher is whiffing on a catchable ball. If that's the case then the problem should be obvious. Also a catcher should be able to keep a ball in the dirt in front of them, especially if its hitting the umpire. I'll make a wild guess and say the catcher is trying to pick the ball out of the dirt with their glove instead of getting in front of it.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
It’s ultimately on the pitcher. A good catcher can make a pitcher look great by covering their mistakes. A poor catcher will simply reveal a pitchers weakness.

I thought pitcher's dads were supposed to ALWAYS blame the catcher. ;):p:ROFLMAO:
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I'm just starting to learn what the catcher should be doing instead of just the obvious catching of the ball. My daughter recently had to catch in a game due to our starter not being available and she loved it so now I'm studying everything I can find on it. Our team struggles to get pitches called strikes and most runs scored and base advances are done on wild pitches/passed balls (I don't have the stats to see who is getting the blame catcher or pitcher). I'm thinking now that our catcher (probably important to note its head coaches DD and his wife does the stats) has been a bigger part of the issue than our pitching alone. Last tournament, I made the comment that the strike zone always seems smaller for our team, but I'm viewing the calls from the dugout not behind the plate. Things are adding up but I'm no pro, and I'll be paying a little more attention next time.


www.cacthingcamp.com - you want to buy the last two video series under Exclusive content. More than you ever need to know about how to catch.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
I'm just starting to learn what the catcher should be doing instead of just the obvious catching of the ball. My daughter recently had to catch in a game due to our starter not being available and she loved it so now I'm studying everything I can find on it. Our team struggles to get pitches called strikes and most runs scored and base advances are done on wild pitches/passed balls (I don't have the stats to see who is getting the blame catcher or pitcher). I'm thinking now that our catcher (probably important to note its head coaches DD and his wife does the stats) has been a bigger part of the issue than our pitching alone. Last tournament, I made the comment that the strike zone always seems smaller for our team, but I'm viewing the calls from the dugout not behind the plate. Things are adding up but I'm no pro, and I'll be paying a little more attention next time.
At 14U(is this B/C travel or All star rec?) this should not be the case this is a 10U rec problem. Your pitchers should be within the batters box to batters box and ankles to shoulders on EVERY pitch and your catcher should be able to catch anything in that box. Balls that bounce on the ground are a shared responsibility IMO; the pitcher shouldn't be throwing them but having maybe one every few innings or maybe three to five a game is not a huge concern; on the flip side the catcher should be stopping the vast majority 90% plus of these balls in front of her and if the ball drops in front of her, which it should with proper technique, and she can reach down within a step or so a grab the ball she should be able to throw out any runner. If the catcher misses all five balls in the dirt and a few that are high or outside with seven or eight ball getting to the backstop she is the problem. If your pitcher throws fifteen to twenty balls in the dirt in four inninngs and another half dozen over everyones head that is your problem. I don't think this is rocket science watching maybe your one and two pitchers for a game or two and I would think this would be pretty obvious.
 

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