Long Toss for a catcher

Catcher09,
Probably doesn’t make that much difference because both ways will increase arm strength---but---- a catcher does rely more on pure arm strength and snap throws than say an outfield that compliments his loopy arm action with the “crow hop” and the pitcher with the wind-up. Personally I see no benefit in having a catcher using a full windup and/or a crow hop during long toss drills. Muscle memory plays a big part in your son’s ability to execute during the game therefore I think he should try to mimic his throwing motion as a catcher. While my thinking may be a little far fetched --- I think it COULD alter his throwing motion on throw downs. I also think a catcher should consider his catching equipment when long tossing during pre-game and normal team practice. This was S.O.P at my son’s college. As Fentress Ferguson used to say: “Practice it the way you expect to play it!”
Fungo

Throw with a catcher and work on your skills, throwing mechanics, together. My HS son does long toss like an outfielder (I witnessed it in warmups) and started getting too wide and long armed. I like the idea of equipment, at least the leg guards. Since my son's coaches have limited knowledge of throwing I have to correct him myself( I train catchers and was one myself)
without butting in (I'm a coach as well). I like catchers to also catch, get in there squat and work there feet as well when warming up. I like the gaining ground method. My son was throwing wrong, leading with his elbow more and throwing a little more sidearm because of it. Keep your thumb under the ball and throw more over the top with momentum coming forward ALL THE TIME. Be a CATCHER, TRAIN like a catcher, THROW like a catcher or find another position.

You can have the catcher do both and improve his arm strength. After all, thats the point in long toss. I always have my catchers throw catching style up to 100-120'. If they want to air it out more, and I suggest they do, then they crow hop and use a full range of arm motion. This will only strengthen their arms. Then when we move to drills, its snap type throws always. Most young men are capable of handling both styles, ages 15 and up I would say.

...have to agree with the posts above. However, one point of caution...

In long toss drills, the catchers will be the only players who will be clotheslining the ball. From personal experience, with my son, the catchers need to do a bit more stretching and limbering before long-toss drills to avoid injury.

Along those same lines, keep in mind that stretching routines are typically "middle-of-the-road" for most teams. They are designed to get the team, as a whole, ready for a game. HOWEVER... Each boy must know his own body, and the specific demands of his position. The catcher, more than any other player on the field, including the pitcher, must take pre-game and pre-workout stretching to a personal level to insure that he's ready to do what's expected of him.

I agree, about the need for warming up longer for us. One thing that really irritates me is that our coaches give us less than ten minutes to warm up each day, and for JV its even less because we have to get the balls, then run to the other side of the field, and then run back after that. I don't feel like I get enough time to warmup, and then when I tell my coaches my arm hurts in the middle of practice, they gripe at me. I don't have great throwing mechanincs, but they are not bad by a long shot. I also prefer more of a snap throw, and that may be why I need more time to warm up.

what you guys said is what my coach said to me

He wants the ball up by my ear and throwing it with authority to my partner

I like to do half of my long toss trying to really obliterate the arm aka throwing it with everything and using a long drawn out throwing motion. Then I do the rest of the long toss with snap throws going from my number 2 stance and pretend like im throwing to second base.

Thank you all for the very informed thought out responses.

We started offseason today for baseball, and we had all week last week off, to rest, and today we were throwing, and I threw so much harder and more accurate today, I could throw it on a rope about 150 feet. That, is pretty good for me. When we moved out to long toss, I was actually out throwing one or two of the varsity guys (juniors) and I am only a freshman. I think that all the throwing I have done this season, along with the much needed rest, has made my arm much stronger. I also have been using mainly snap type throws, and I think that has also been making my arm stronger.

My son was instructed by a pro coach that there are two parts of long toss, both of which should be of equal duration - the spreading out period in which you "air it out" (long motion, high arc, crow hop at farthest point), this is the stretching out of the entire arm as well as the upper body - then the closing part in which you'd throw on a line (the strengthening part). The "air balls" go strictly against the grain of a cool teenager, but my son has had great benefits from this technique, and he throws a lot with no injuries , soreness or arm fatigue.

wat is your number two stance?

quote:

Originally posted by NY-CATCHER:
I like to do half of my long toss trying to really obliterate the arm aka throwing it with everything and using a long drawn out throwing motion. Then I do the rest of the long toss with snap throws going from my number 2 stance and pretend like im throwing to second base.

i would imagine it is something like start already squared to the target, and then do a quick jab step with left foot (or right for lefties) and then a quick, hard snap throw, like a pickoff throw or something of the like.

Long toss is to stretch your arm out and strenghthen it. It does not matter how high you throw the ball as long as your stretching it out.

I am from old school, and although I never played long toss as a kid, I did play pro-ball (AAA) and managed to have a pretty strong arm without the long toss. Being a catcher, I would always always always warm up throwing with my catcher throw. I would get my feet in the right position and throw with a quick snap trying to put the ball on a line and hit my catching partner right in the bill of the hat, no matter what distance he was at. Usually 90 to 150 feet max. I have seen my kids use the long toss, and they throw "Mcdonald Arch type throws" where there is absolutely no such throw in baseball. I don't get it. I would much rather see a kid start out close and master a throw slowly and increase their distance until they can accurately and powerfully throw to consistently and efficiently. I would rather see a catcher use a football and try to throw on the line about 90 feet max and build his strength that way. A football has to be thrown from the ear just like a catcher throws. But for all you young catchers, remember, if you do things to extreme, like long toss, make sure you at least start off within your capabilities.

Remember, never go through the pain, always go to the pain and stop.