Best techniques for old men(and young women) training with their sons

Great idea for a thread!!!!

For catcher throwdowns, give him a bucket of balls and make him throw from behind 2nd to Home!! Let the backstop catch the throws. Put a bag or trashcan target on the plate to make it more interesting. Also works from 1st base for POs and other throws to the short bases.

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Originally posted by CollegeParent:
For catcher throwdowns, give him a bucket of balls and make him throw from behind 2nd to Home!! Let the backstop catch the throws. Put a bag or trashcan target on the plate to make it more interesting. Also works from 1st base for POs and other throws to the short bases.

I would hit grounders and have them thrown into an L-screen or on of the 8' x 8' protective screens.

For long toss, he takes the bucket of balls to the infield and throws toward the outfield fence. When the bucket's all gone, we pick them up and do it again. I read it here but can't remember from whom. Works great though - thanks!

Doughnut Man

1. Last week I threw BP to one of our players traveling to Australia next week. If one of our players need extra hitting I will throw before or after the game. It will be 95º.

2. BP - sit on a chair 20 ft from the hitter, place the screen in front of your face, then underhand around the edge of the full screen. Rudy Jarmillo, hitting coach of the Texas Rangers show me this drill for "bat quickness".
3. Long toss - from Right field to home plate into a screen.Warm up before.
4. "High Tee" place the tee chest high. This develops "carry" on the ball *backspin]. Edgar Martinez and Mike Diaz show me this drill.
5. Tennis ball. bounce tennis ball of a wall [w/o glove] to develop "soft hands" and quick feet.
6. Take a large truck tire, tie a rope around your waist and the tire, Have the son pull this tire.
Jim Laferre your neighbor in Scottsdale show this to me in 1977.
7. Hit a 200 ground balls daily, never at the player, always have the player move but not dive for the ball.

Good Luck. Enjoy the sun and son.

Bob Williams

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When catching bullpens for your son, do it behind a net.

You're risking deflections off the net. I have two new strategies for bullpens: 1) have someone else catch him, and 2) if the ball is in the dirt dive out of the way.

What used to crack me up is watching my son and daughter play catch. My son would have a bucket of baseballs. My daughter would have a bucket of softballs. After going through the bucket they switch ends and throw another round.

Long Toss

2 buckets- son, with full bucket, throws long toss to "old man"with empty bucket - "old man" places balls in bucket. After all 20 or so balls are thrown, son runs over for bucket exchange- and runs back to his original distance with the replenished bucket- back to do another round of long toss

"old mans" arm feels great after long toss!

Pop ups for catchers, although any position could do it. Can be also be done alone.

Get a tennis ball and tennis racket. Player is in ready position with mask. Stand in front of player as if batting. Strike the tennis ball (up). You can get some good height with the racket and ball and due to the tennis ball "rebound" properties the player will need to "give" (soft hands) or the ball will pop out of glove.

It will save your back from hitting popups and you'll be a lot more consistent.

If the player wishes to do it on his own, he should place his glove on the ground in front of him, strike the ball, pick his glove, locate the ball, toss the racket aside......hopefully catch the ball

RJM,
If I could dive out of the way, I wouldn't need the net.

Catcher's throwdowns
Place empty bucket on the base. Catcher get behind the plate and have someone toss (from 10-15 feet is fine) ball to him and then he throws aiming for the bucket.

Outfielders' Throwing
Place empty bucket on homeplate and have outfield go to position. Hit them a groundball/flyball and have them throw aiming for the bucket. Good to have a "relay man" in the "relay" position with their hands up. Was always taught to aim for the relay man's logo on his hat. Throw "through" the relay; not "to" the relay.

When you reach my age the best advice is simple DON'T !!!!

These are great ideas! I found about three years ago that I couldn't handle the physical aspects of trying to give my sons a real work out any longer.

I used to be able to throw batting practice, fairly hard, for 200-300 pitches and hit another 100-150 balls to them, and catch their pitching for 20 or 30 pitches each - all in the same afternoon. No more! Again, these ideas are great.

We have found the best substitute for dear old dad is a teammate or teammates. If you cannot find someone to work out with you on your highschool, rec league or travel team on a regular basis, then the ideas here are good ones.

What 17 has done is enlisted the help of a player a year or two behind him that wants a starting spot. It then becomes beneficial for both, the older guy gets his reps in and does some teaching/mentoring, and the younger guy gets his reps plus hangs with someone older and learns.

17 works out with the other catcher on the team, and both of them are great for each other. It really makes for better team chemistry when the starter and backup at any position have a good relationship. When one is playing and the other protecting the bench, they are always fetching water, towels and managing the equipment for each other.

If your kid is in HS , pay a local college player 30 bucks to throw some BP. If your in little league find a HS player to make some money. Granted this cant be done all the time. I dreading the day , if, my son throws 60-80 and I will have to catch for him.

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What 17 has done is enlisted the help of a player a year or two behind him that wants a starting spot. It then becomes beneficial for both, the older guy gets his reps in and does some teaching/mentoring, and the younger guy gets his reps plus hangs with someone older and learns.

Wow - that's a great idea, Backstop! A similar situation has evolved here - 2B has become friends with a senior OF/P who drives. So they go to the field together to long toss and hit, and I get to stay home. I still work out every day, but I'm getting fat! It's either missing the bball workouts, or watching Paula Dean while on the elliptical machine. Can you smell the butter?

Similar to what LAball mentions, we also have a minor leaguer in town who's a great off-season hitting coach - $30 well spent!

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I have two new strategies for bullpens: 1) have someone else catch him, and 2) if the ball is in the dirt dive out of the way.

I hadn't caught my son since the summer of 07 when he was a 5'4" 14U freshman. He threw hard for his size.

He has a tryout with an elite team this weekend. Since he hadn't thrown since November 1, I rented a pen at an indoor facility for the next three days so he can get in some throwing. Fifteen months later my son is 6'. The ball was coming a bit faster than last year with better movement. And he wasn't even cutting loose. I felt like one of those ducks at the fair. After taking one just above the ankle it dawned on me I wasn't wearing a cup.

Tomorrow he throws to the strike zone on the tarp. I'm done!

Still pitch BP, even pitched to older son on local television. Still do long toss with both, as well as BP. Keep your beer close

Hearing your stories about minor leaguer's throwing BP for a few bucks, 17 has caught minor league pitchers in their offseason from his freshman year on. 2 or 3 often show up at preseason varsity practices before their report date and throw bullpens to catchers after the rest of the team is home sipping iced teas. Helps build stamina, ability and confidence in a high school catcher.

17 has also on occasion picked up a few bucks at pitching lessons for some of his team. Pitching coach comes to the pen and parents/coach are glad to have a catcher. Much more training goes on when the pitching coach does not have to also catch.

I'm sitting at home right now with ice on my shin becasue I let my leg drift out from behind the L-screen during soft toss. I throw right and he hits left. I threw an outside pitch and he pulled it around the edge of the screen. Next time, I'm wearing my cathers leg guard on my outside leg.

Get in the cage, turn the L Screen around so the tall end is to the right (for right-handed dads/moms), dump the balls on the ground beside you, sit on the bucket behind the screen, and toss underhand from about 15' away. After you release the ball, get the right arm back behind the screen. Quickly. This is how my sons' college team does it in the batting cage so it's really not a concession to a lack of arm, reflexes, and vision on my part.

Years ago I bought a full set of catcher's gear, sized for me, but when you feel like they're really gunning it, on perhaps their third warmup throw, time to go...

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it's really not a concession to a lack of arm, reflexes, and vision on my part.

There is a path (very similar to cart path on golf course) behind our house where son and I have been having a catch since he could throw. Now when we stretch it out he throws and I bounce it back down the cart path. Balls take a beating but who cares, I'm still in the game.

I used to hate that path, now I love it.