The Catcher or the Pitcher?

[Filterbing]

This is 12U travel and our catcher does seem to spend more time running to the backstop than the opposing team and I've always blamed our pitching for that. What really concerns me is the pitches that seem to be good enough from the dugout but don't get called our way (can't see the lateral placement but elevation is on). Last tournament I stated that "it seems our strike zone is smaller than theirs." Things are adding up now that I'm learning about framing and such. Basically, I'm asking what has been answered, can sub par catching, doom mediocre pitching and it seems the answer is yes. Maybe next game I'll keep a tally on my own of bad pitches vs passed balls. Catchers dad is head coach and mom keeps the book and I doubt the book is accurate.

 

[The Man In Blue]

This is 12U travel and our catcher does seem to spend more time running to the backstop than the opposing team and I've always blamed our pitching for that. What really concerns me is the pitches that seem to be good enough from the dugout but don't get called our way (can't see the lateral placement but elevation is on). Last tournament I stated that "it seems our strike zone is smaller than theirs." Things are adding up now that I'm learning about framing and such. Basically, I'm asking what has been answered, can sub par catching, doom mediocre pitching and it seems the answer is yes. Maybe next game I'll keep a tally on my own of bad pitches vs passed balls. Catchers dad is head coach and mom keeps the book and I doubt the book is accurate.

You know there is a reason we umpires don’t call pitches from the dugout, right?


I’m just having fun with you ... but ...

“SHE’S OUT!!” [umpire really sells the call]

[Coach erupts from the dugout] “Blue, she was three feet off with bag and you are all the way over there! Can you go for help on that?!”

“Ehh, no. It looked good enough from here.”

 

[Eric F]

From my spot behind the fence...."Oh, man. That sure sounded like a strike!"

 

[Eric F]

This is 12U travel and our catcher does seem to spend more time running to the backstop than the opposing team and I've always blamed our pitching for that. What really concerns me is the pitches that seem to be good enough from the dugout but don't get called our way (can't see the lateral placement but elevation is on). Last tournament I stated that "it seems our strike zone is smaller than theirs." Things are adding up now that I'm learning about framing and such. Basically, I'm asking what has been answered, can sub par catching, doom mediocre pitching and it seems the answer is yes. Maybe next game I'll keep a tally on my own of bad pitches vs passed balls. Catchers dad is head coach and mom keeps the book and I doubt the book is accurate.

It's pretty easy for a catcher with poor receiving skills to make good pitches look bad. Good receiving keeps strikes looking like strikes. If the catcher's mitt and arm are getting moved a lot by the impact of the ball, they are probably not doing a great job.

One of the first things I work on with new catchers is learning how to stick the location of the pitch - catch and freeze, no movement. It takes practice, it takes strength, and it takes good body position. Don't try to move the mitt into the strike zone after you catch it. Just stick it where it is.

Here's some video of my DD when she was 12. The first part (0:10 - 0:25) gives a good look at her receiving...

 

[Filterbing]

It's pretty easy for a catcher with poor receiving skills to make good pitches look bad. Good receiving keeps strikes looking like strikes. If the catcher's mitt and arm are getting moved a lot by the impact of the ball, they are probably not doing a great job.

One of the first things I work on with new catchers is learning how to stick the location of the pitch - catch and freeze, no movement. It takes practice, it takes strength, and it takes good body position. Don't try to move the mitt into the strike zone after you catch it. Just stick it where it is.

Here's some video of my DD when she was 12. The first part (0:10 - 0:25) gives a good look at her receiving...

Thanks for the video, I've been working on this form of framing with my DD now that she wants to catch. I know our second catcher has her glove fly everywhere when receiving ( I just started paying attention to that) I'll watch the starter tonight and she how she looks. Catcher was a position I completely ignored until lately someone else's kid was always in there LOL.

 

[Dabears17]

As someone who umpires rec games, I can tell you there are a lot of pitches that everyone is sure was a strike that are 2-3 inches outside, and a lot that everyone is sure is a ball that catch an inch of the plate, or catch the front corner.

I also have some catchers that move after I'm in my set position and get in my way of seeing the outside corner.

The C1 on my DD's team 'frames' pitches (moves the glove some) versus 'receives' pitches (what Eric's DD does), and loses several close strikes a game in my opinion. The framer will get their pitcher a smaller strike zone than a receiver.

Last summer in the championship game of a SoCal (PYL) 12u-B tournament, the plate umpire told the coaches at the pre-game meeting he was not going to call strikes on pitches the catcher had poor glove work on.

 

[Dabears17]

From my spot behind the fence...."Oh, man. That sure sounded like a strike!"

I think I heard someone say that a time or two last weekend!

 

[julray]

Our coach wants our pitchers throwing the change up in the dirt

 

[MadBandit22]

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?

I’ve found it tough to find good catchers. A good catcher really needs to embrace the position and be all in.
Currently I have one daughter catching for the other. The DD catching just won’t sell out and hit her knees on low balls in the dirt. She knows proper technique and I’m constantly reminding her to drop down and block low balls. She is good with everything around the plate & high balls. I think it makes our pitchers look bad.
Now the pitchers should recognize low balls are a problem and stop throwing them in the dirt but just not that accurate yet.
I think extra practice and camps/clinics are in order. First I think we need to make sure the kids we have catching really want to catch and are willing to work hard to get better.

 

[NBECoach]

I’ve found it tough to find good catchers. A good catcher really needs to embrace the position and be all in.
Currently I have one daughter catching for the other. The DD catching just won’t sell out and hit her knees on low balls in the dirt. She knows proper technique and I’m constantly reminding her to drop down and block low balls. She is good with everything around the plate & high balls. I think it makes our pitchers look bad.
Now the pitchers should recognize low balls are a problem and stop throwing them in the dirt but just not that accurate yet.
I think extra practice and camps/clinics are in order. First I think we need to make sure the kids we have catching really want to catch and are willing to work hard to get better.

Totally agree that the player has to want to be a catcher to become a good one. The amount of energy expended wearing all that gear in stifling heat is enormous. Yet you are expected to make someones DD pitcher look good by framing, blocking and throwing out runners all while also working on your offense. I respect all the catchers who choose to do this and excel.