Wanted to Share

[Rufus67]

So I get to the rec fall ball game late last night for our 10YO. He's the first catcher out of three sons and, thanks to Dave and Jay at NECC, actually has a clue what he's going behind the plate. So we'd worked this weekend on (1) getting his mask off on pop-ups and (2) once you find the ball throwing the mask in the other direction and going to get the ball. Sure enough, there's a foul pop up to his right and, being more a spectator than coach, I'm watching the ball as it arcs up and back down to impact the dirt while my son flops in a last-ditch dive to try and get to the ball. Great effort, parents are encouraging the try, and the game goes on.

It's only at that point I realize (1) he's not wearing his mask and (2) it's lying on the ground in a direct opposite path to where the ball was fouled. These are the moments you live for as a parent and a coach and it went completely unnoticed by everyone else including me initially (not the effort, the mask mechanic).

One more then I'll stop, this one was with our 15YO this past spring. I coached his 15-18U rec team and I'm fortunate to have him because I can plug him in anywhere and he does a good job (Getting him to clean up his room? Well, we all have our issues I guess). During this game he's playing 3B and the pitcher just made a pick-off throw to 1B. On the return throw back to the pitcher I notice my son jogging up the line to get in position to back the throw up, make sure the pitcher's got the ball, then jog back to his position. We've talked generally about the 3 Bs of baseball (i.e., you're either fielding a ball, covering a bag, or backing someone up) but nothing specific about backing up a throw back after a pick-off. I still chuckle to myself about that one.

I love these memories and would also like to hear from you about those small victories that probably go unnoticed but shouldn't.

[mudvnine]

We've talked generally about the 3 Bs of baseball (i.e., you're either fielding a ball, covering a bag, or backing someone up) but nothing specific about backing up a throw back after a pick-off. I still chuckle to myself about that one.

Hey, I like that one!

Once it's ingrained, they should all be moving (or at least thinking about moving) every time a play is sent into motion, regardless of by whom or to where.

[Standballdad]

Hey, I like that one!

Once it's ingrained, they should all be moving (or at least thinking about moving) every time a play is sent into motion, regardless of by whom or to where.

Son started to do some catching last year because he had the desire to do so. I was watching him in a scrimmage this weekend, a ground ball to SS no one on base. I see my son sprinting to back up the throw at first. I was pleasantly surprised. I guess he does pay attention on occasion.

[Roothog66]

Son started to do some catching last year because he had the desire to do so. I was watching him in a scrimmage this weekend, a ground ball to SS no one on base. I see my son sprinting to back up the throw at first. I was pleasantly surprised. I guess he does pay attention on occasion.

This is a move I taught at an early age. I had 9yo's doing this. I think it just puts a mentality into the opposing team at earlier ages that your team simply knows more baseball than they do. This one simple tactic by a young catcher gives the opposition the notion that your catcher really knows what he's doing (even if that isn't entirely the case).

[Ursa Major]

Every catcher should see the picture of Hank Gowdy stepping on his mask and losing the 1924 World Series for the Giants, and he should never forget the rule to find the ball first and then throw away the mask. It's funny, Ursa Minor was a pitcher and bullpen catcher in HS and only caught one inning, the last inning of the opener of the 2011 season. He'd never caught a pop-up as a catcher, and of course they're impossible to practice without a pitching machine, which his team does not have. With two outs in the last inning and the tying run up, the opposing batter his a pop-up straight up, and my first thought was that he wouldn't know what to do, but as you can see below he did somehow remember to hold the mask, and barely caught the ball when a gust of wind blew the ball behind him. You'd think after winning the game he'd get another shot, but he never caught again.

UMCatchingPopUpGW.gif

Son started to do some catching last year because he had the desire to do so. I was watching him in a scrimmage this weekend, a ground ball to SS no one on base. I see my son sprinting to back up the throw at first. I was pleasantly surprised. I guess he does pay attention on occasion.

I'm not sure why you mentioned that no one was on base. That's precisely when you do want to sprint down the line - to keep the batter from taking second on an overthrow. If there are runners on, you have to think twice before abandoning the plate.

[Standballdad]

Every catcher should see the picture of Hank Gowdy stepping on his mask and losing the 1924 World Series for the Giants, and he should never forget the rule to find the ball first and then throw away the mask. It's funny, Ursa Minor was a pitcher and bullpen catcher in HS and only caught one inning, the last inning of the opener of the 2011 season. He'd never caught a pop-up as a catcher, and of course they're impossible to practice without a pitching machine, which his team does not have. With two outs in the last inning and the tying run up, the opposing batter his a pop-up straight up, and my first thought was that he wouldn't know what to do, but as you can see below he did somehow remember to hold the mask, and barely caught the ball when a gust of wind blew the ball behind him. You'd think after winning the game he'd get another shot, but he never caught again.

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I'm not sure why you mentioned that no one was on base. That's precisely when you do want to sprint down the line - to keep the batter from taking second on an overthrow. If there are runners on, you have to think twice before abandoning the plate.

My only point was he knew what to do, and when to do it. I didnt know he if he even had a clue or not because he hadn't caught all that much.