Bullpens and more bull pens

BB328:

Do not throw back to the pitcher. Have the extra pitcher standby by your son and your son "flips" the ball to the extra pitcher who can throw it back to the pitcher throwing.

Also stretch the catchers legs every 15 minutes. There should be 2 catchers for rotation.

Bob

This is always the burden of being a catcher. People will say "Catching pens is a great way to get reps and practice your craft!"

But, that's BS.

Too many catchers get over burdened with preseason and fall bullpens to the point where they are risking injury or actually getting injuried.

There has to be a better way. But, that probably costs money.

Facility where mine trained at in the offseason would pay 3/4 high school catchers to catch each weekend. They'd hang out on a Saturday or Sunday and make a little money each session. They got to hit/lift for free if it were quiet, place usually had football or something on. It wasn't much but let's say it was $15-20 for an hour session? You do 5 over 8 hours, get to hit/lift and watch football and leave with $100 cash? Pretty good for the avg 16 year old.

I don't think I'd ever charge a teammate but I'd also be willing to say no if I felt it were too much. I'd just pick a set number of pens he feels comfortable with every week and wouldn't go over that.

BB328:

The "Coach in Charge" of the workouts needs to schedule the "bull pen" catchers with instruction as to eliminate "bad habits" in catching.

Did you son sign a "wavier"?

Bob

My son always either paid the catchers ($25 was minimum), or, if they were teammates or former teammates, bought them lunch in the offseason.  I hope your son makes some spending money.  Learning how to say "no" is also a life skill, lol.

He does get paid for the lessons. Its not a lot but he also gets to catch more advanced pitching then he's exposed to at his HS.

It's just a bit of out of hand right now with 3 different team's bullpens  and 3 other instructors keep asking. It's that the time of year and my kid is passionate about receiving and getting spending money. He also has trouble saying no.

I really wishing that it was more of thing during practice where the pitchers could warm up each other and just let the catcher catch instead warming up every single pitcher themselves.

It's one thing to catch in a game, sit back there for 15 to 30 pitches, and then get a half inning off until you have to do it again. It's another thing to sit back there for an hour straight just catching pitches with no break. Watch his knees.

Also, for whatever reason, some pitchers are as wild AF in the bullpens. And, nobody cares that the catcher is getting the wrong end of it.

Lastly, right or wrong, in college, the older classmen catchers always seem to come up with minor excuses to not catch pens. I'm sure there's some of that in HS too. Be ready for it, although there's little you can do about it.