Great, great thread. One for the ages.........
When he just needs to throw a few from 60' in the back yard, I'm still on the bucket at 85-88, but I bail out with no hesitation or shame. For me it's the bifocal contacts and the bruised shin that's still bruised from like 4 years ago at 76-78. And I too am very picky about the background colors. I prefer green trees in background not neighbor's white washed clapboard! Always annoys the kid when I ask him to "take three steps to your left!"
Now, day or two before a big summer outing and he doesn't have a "real" catcher to throw a true bullpen to? Then I get the 4x6 screen out (best screen I've ever had for around the house, 4x6 upright rectangle) and simply sit on the bucket with my catcher's glove up in receiving position BEHIND the screen. Even drag a dummy batter out and put him in front of screen, but me as catcher, sitting safely behind the screen with a camera, or a radar gun. Obviously, I don't catch the ball (almost do, but netting is always between glove and ball, so it gives the pitcher about 90% of the sound and feel of a true catcher behind the plate) but it's about as close to real game/real catcher scenario he's gonna get when he's really bringing game like speed and effort.