Infopimp:
I read a lot more than I type here and have noticed that you claim to have caught at the college level and later, as an adult, coached high school catchers. I respect that.
Like you, I hate bad advice and seek the “truth” when it comes to baseball instruction. The “whole truth and nothing but the truth” when it comes to teaching the necessities of every defensive position, hitting, pitching and base running. Backed up by video of what the best players in the world do!
But unlike you, I support and respect many fundamentalist views from the baseball “establishment”. I believe in constant learning, but think we can learn far more from history than from the present and future.
After two weeks, have you been able to “edit” any of the skills that I teach catchers? Were you able to compare each of them to what the best MLB catcher’s do in slo-mo video to be sure? Please take your time as many catchers (and teachers of catchers) frequent this particular board.
I know that the secret is in ALL of these skills, not just superior pop time or what kind of footwork I used to throw behind the 3b runners back in the day. I know that catchers who can instinctively (I did not say perfectly) execute ALL of these skills during games before they reach high school will catch for their Varsity teams before they graduate (regardless of which high school they attend and what their pop time was as a 14-15 year old freshman)! In fact, if they have a good make up and hustle, I can guarantee it! Superior pop time might earn someone a spot on the team, but it’s ALL of these 35 skills that will earn them the most playing time.
Please share what you teach. I would appreciate your input.
THop