Hardest Throw to Second

That's a tough one if he's not expecting the pitch at that location. If he is, he should be set up in a good position to make the throw prior to the pitch in case the runner goes. If the pitcher just misses, throws the ball off your son's left knee instead of where he's set up, then I think it's all in the quickness of his feet, getting into a strong throwing position as quickly as possible. He's throwing the ball left because that's probably the direction of his momentum. He's not going to throw everyone out. If the runner goes on a pitch that's hard to handle like that then he guessed right. Tip your cap and move on.

i agree completely. that is the hardest pitch to transition. but sometimes there is just nothing you can do. i think that this would be an instance.

This is one of the hardest pitches to throw down on because your hands have to travel from your left knee up to your right ear to put yourself in the best position to make an accurate throw. In this instance you hands end up lagging behind your body, your body is performing the same foot work but because you hands are dragging behind you are not able to utilize your footwork to get any velocity on the ball. You are basically throwing all arm, no lower body.

My suggestion would be to have your son work on his transition from glove to throwing hand. Or possible alter his set up on the inside pitch, it will also help to work on catching this pitch fingers up and hand outside the ball ... if the glove hand goes fingers down the hands are going to be even slower. He is throwing out 70% plus so he is obviously doing something right.

I am assuming you are from Atlanta based on the Lanta at the bottom of your post. Great baseball and players out there. 3 guys on my college team came up playing for East Cobb, man were they players. They all went to Lasiter High ... what a program. Good luck. If you are not from Atlanta sorry for going off on a tangent.

a good runner will be trying to pick up signs, and if he has figured them out, and sees a breaking ball, and suspects it will be in the dirt, that is the best pitch to steal on. You will never throw out a runner who is already stealing if you have to drop down and block it, unless they are slow, like myself, but even I'm not that slow.

In terms of handling the pitch outside the left knee about the only thing you can do is to try and move to the ball before it gets there so that you can try and catch it within your frame. Its not always possible to do that and many coaches will yell at their catchers for "taking" a potential strike away from the pitcher for moving.

Adam Carlton,

As an aside, I once yelled at my kid for attempting to pick a ball in the dirt with a runner going. He matter of factly told me afterword that I didn't know what I was talking about becuasue:

1-If he blocked the ball the runner would still advance to 2nd
2-If he tried to pick the ball and missed it, the runner would still advance to second - unless the area behind home is huge
3-If he picks the ball he has a chance to throw the runner out

His point, depending upon the situation and backstop, blocking a ball with a runner going is not the always the correct play.

As stated earlier, if the pitcher misses that badly, there is little the catcher can do.

As in the example mentioned, if the catcher does make the attempt to pick the ball, the possibility increases for the ball to get by.

I have watched various levels of youth ball where coaches yell that the catcher should be catching pitched balls that bounce in front of the plate or to the side of the requested spot.

These coaches should understand the differences between a blocked ball, a passed ball and a wild pitch.

Some bases are stolen on the pitcher.

Even the best catchers cannot make every pitcher look good.

I agree with you college parent, I guess I just didn't state it very clearly, but if a runner is stealing, and you block it, you won't get the out, but usually a catcher will be geared up and expecting to have to block a low and away breaking pitch, so he may not be able to see the runner going, and process it quick enough to pick it and throw, if he is already geared up to block the pitch, but if the catcher is extremely talented, I don't see why they couldn't do that, but it is more likely that a catcher who is trained to get his body on the ball, will drop down and block it, rather than pick it and try to throw it. But since your son made it to the college level, you very well may, and probably do, know more about baseball than I do. Just my opinion.

There was a play a few weks back where Paul LoDuca picked it, way to his right, and fired a 2.0 strike to the bag, just missing the guy. In this case though, if he misses it, runner is on 3rd.

I must have missed that one. Hes a pretty good player though, might have made it, who was the runner?

70% of the runners? If he has a 70% and is tossing to second at 2.0 or under---just keep his knees healthy and he will be able pay his own way through college! Dont be to upset Pop! As he moves up the runners get smarter..start stealing on the pitcher, see down angle pitches and are generally faster...by the way...the scouts look for hitting first, arm second, catching can be taught...look at the percentages of the pros...mid 30s to 50s at best! Posada, McCann, and Veritek are a few of the best and I think if you asked them...they would say--stop it first, throw it if you can...eat it if the risk is too high...good "agressive-conservative" catchers are hard to find. Sounds like you have a "potential" in the family. I did a stint in A ball and never got any better than 35%.

Posada pulled the same move against the Braves last Tuesday....ball in the dirt to his right..picked it and threw Pete Orr out at second by at least two....moving his glove to the right side was a perfect setup...moved his weight back to his right foot...shoulder closed to pick the ball and came out low and firing...Orr could have mailed that one in.

that is a hard throw.often its hard enough just to get it there off a pitch like that.it has worked for myself though to put my front foot a little more to the first base side on a pitch like that and throw slightly across your body and it may go to that side of the bag.things like that you just have to experiment with in practice though.good luck with this.

The down and to the glove side pitch is the hardest to deal with.

I highly advise not moving the body to center it more.

You have to maintain your balance, over you center of mass, and reach for the ball, all while loading the lower body against the upper (meaning while the shoulders are starting to line up with second base and the hips are opening)

And then the transfer feels like it takes place as the throwing shoulder is moving forward. I believe video would show it is different but that it what it feels like.

It's been mentioned once, but bears highlighting. The catcher has a responsibilty to get the strike call first. Setting up outside the zone (should he be expecting the pitch there) and/or early concern about body position could mean he either loses the strike call or pops up in front of the ump to lose the strike call that way. This, of course, goes by the way if there's no danger of it being called a strike!

quote:

Originally posted by Orlando:
It's been mentioned once, but bears highlighting. The catcher has a responsibilty to get the strike call first.

THIS, is nonsense.

There are many many kids playing s****r that could "get the strike call"......that couldn't throw, field or hit.

What is the name of this site? What age group is this site geared to? It takes more than framing pitches to compete at that level.

The poster asked for help with a certain throw. I believe you'd help him by staying on point.

Every catching coach I have ever talked to disagrees with you here, chameleon.

So, they all agree that when a kid walks up to you and says..."I'm having trouble throwing off of the low glove side pitch, can you help me".....you're supposed to respond with....."well, you know the most important thing you do is get the strike"?

Ridiculous. Help the kid with his question.

OK, well you ARE the chameleon.

quote:

Originally posted by Catch43:
There was a play a few weks back where Paul LoDuca picked it, way to his right, and fired a 2.0 strike to the bag, just missing the guy. In this case though, if he misses it, runner is on 3rd.

Thge key word in your post is "pick". LoDuca picked the ball and did not attempt to block it. (same with Posada) I wouldn't advise any catchers to try to "pick" balls.

As for the original question...without seeing video, I am assuming his momentum is carrying him toward the SS side of 2B. Depending on velocity of the P, he may be going too far out to get the pitch rather than receiving it. This causes him to move toward SS rather than the bag.

There are times when the strike is more important and then there are times when throwing out the runner is more important. If the catcher knows its not going to be a strike there is no point in trying to make it a strike. The situation in the game will dictate which is more important at the time.

I'm a catcher and if you wanna help your son out then get like a bucket of baseballs and go to your local field or something and just have him get in a sqat. I mean its still a hard throw but pratice makes perfect even if you cant predict where the balls gonna be at then the pitcher throws it