Catcher Mis-Fire - Anyone Ever Seen It?

kinda this summer Angels nd A's but it wasnt rilly a bad throw just the pitcher at the time (k-rod) dropped it and the winning run scored

I asked my son if he'd ever seen it...his response.."Oh yeah". I asked if HE had ever done it in college or the pros and he said he didn't think he had. (he wouldn't remember it if he had ) I do remember a few years back when he was catching against Mississippi State with a runner on first base. The MSU batter drew a walk and the runner "jack-rabitted" to second and drew a throw down from my then freshman son (with no one covering the bag). The ball went to the outfield fence and the runner advanced to third and later scored. After the game, Coach Ron Polk complimented my son by saying that was one of the best throw downs he'd ever seen.
Fungo

mistake.

In baseball we call 'em errors.

e-2

Linear - you don't know Fungo's 'wise man's humor' yet. Take it easy!

On the college level I've seen Pitchers drilled with rifled throwbacks they were not expecting/looking for.......not pretty....

Most everything that happens in youth ball occurs in college and MLB, just not as oftern of course.....I've seen at least a couple of college throws that sailed into the outfield.... with runners advancing...it happens.

Makey Sasser

Now there is a name....Mackey Sasser.....lost his job with the Mets in '91 because he could not throw the ball back to the pitcher....he would pump the ball numerous times before his mental block would allow him to throw...... it was pretty much what wiped his career out....

Mental blocks do happen. We had a catcher in high school that had a mental block about throwing back to the pitcher. Everything would be fine and then all of a sudden he would launch one to the centerfielder. This was not an errant throw, he was trying to throw it to the centerfielder. I also heard of a catcher at a NAIA college that suddenly one day started throwing to first base each time a runner attempted to steal second. He didn't know why he started but couldn't stop it. Needless to say he had to stop catching.

Krakatoa,
I know who "linear" is.

Son had a buddy in HS (rival team) who developed a mental block about throwing it back to the pitcher. He would have to walk a few steps in front of home plate and lob it back while the pitcher walked in front of the mound to catch it. Had no problem on steals, great arm. They won the 4A state championship his junior year. He couldn't shake the mental block and has caught maybe 1 inning in college.

I have seen it at the high school level as well. It seems it can occur suddenly at almost any age or skill level. To me, it is no different than Steve Sax or any number of pitchers who found they no longer could throw it near the strike zone such as Rick Ankiel as the most recent example. Once it becomes mental, it can de devastating.

Saw it in an MLB game this year.

Have seen it in AA & college.

Related question:
I see some catchers at HS level fire the ball back real hard to the pitcher, almost as if they are trying to show how hard they can throw. Others I've seen throw it back pretty average spped, maybe from their knees.

So the question, to pitchers: what do you prefer, if anything. Does it bother you if the catcher is throwing BB's back at you?

Good question. I think pitchers prefer not having to "think" about catching the ball from the catcher. Most prefer it at shoulder height on the glove side with a little bit of loft under it.

quote:

Originally posted by Walawala:
Good question. I think pitchers prefer not having to "think" about catching the ball from the catcher. Most prefer it at shoulder height on the glove side with a little bit of loft under it.

Disagree. The best thing a catcher can do it zip it back to the pitch at his glove shoulder. Not overpowering but definately not lofted. The pitcher then doesn't have to wait. Bang bang he has the ball. Now he can concentrate on the next pitch.

Also, no loft and some zip is much better for any baserunning shenanigans.