Pop to Pop time

Average?? I would guess around 2.2 would be average. Anything with a 1. in front is outstanding.

Arsenal222,

Krakatoa is right on. I hear from coaches that every hs team in the country has a kid throwing 1.9. Just not the case. 2.2 is a good time for a highschool kid. If he throw a clean 2.2 and the pitcher is 1.6 to the plate, a combined time of 3.8 will get tons of hs base-stealers out.

I have just updated my database from all the kids I have seen this summer and and now have data from over 1000 hs catchers and the game situation average is 2.24.

Average is training enviornment is 2.14

Catching Coach

I'm not trying to be a smart.... but those times won't throw too many kids out where we live.

A 2.4 will get you thrown out if you dont get a good jump. From my experience coaching hs and catchers in hs for several years 2.2 to 2.3 is average. The really good ones are 2.0 2.1 and the elite are under 2.0. The vast majority of kids fall into the average slot. If you think that the average hs runner can not get thrown out by an accurate 2.2 you have no clue what your talking about. Most kids do not throw 90. Most kids do not throw a game 2.0. And most kids do not run a sub 7.0 60. And way too many kids do not get a proper lead or jump off the pitcher. An accurate 2.2 with a staff that knows how to hold runners will throw out the average hs baserunner the majority of the time.

A kid can get thrown out with an accurate 2.2 if the pitcher is under 1.4 If the players in NC are slow enough to get thrown out with a 2.2 and 1.6 combination, they're in trouble. 1.6 to the plate is way too slow.

1.6 to the plate is crawling ...

I want to see a release time of between 1.1-1.25

You take a 1.15 and a 2.2 pop and THEN you'll get a lot of baserunners in HS. Regardless, the combo needs to be below 3.5 in order to shutdown an good HS running game.

Hey all: Just a little confused. When do you start the clock for a pop time for a catcher? I thought it is when the ball hits the cathcers glove till it hits the 2nd base receiver's glove. A good pop time for a catcher according to this thread is around 2.00. We just finished a showcase and I guess I was a bad parent by saying my kid's 1.8 and 1.9 should be better. Should I be apologizing to him. ( I know I was to hard huh?) Let me know so I can give him the credit that he is do!!!

CatcherMom:
If you were ragging on your kid for a 1.8 pop time, I do think an apology is in order.

Did he really pop 1.8 in the showcase? And you couldn't tell from the reaction that must have gotten that it was an excellent time?

(Others here have more experience with such things than I, but I have read a lot of showcase evaluations of catchers, and I'd estimate 1 out of 25 or maybe even 50 has a pop time recorded in the 1.8's. Is that about right PGStaff, CatcherCoach and others?)

If I were scout I didn't give any importance to "pop time" at showcases, only foot work and arm strengh. When a catcher knows that somebody is meassuring his time, he stands prior to catch the ball and change his natural movement to get rid of the ball faster, and usually the throws to second aren't accurate. Better to see how strong his arm is and how fast his feet moves. With strong arm and good foot work, by sure you are going to throw fast and accurate to second base.

It takes a LOT of practice to measure pop-times. It is really tough to get down to the 0.1 of 1".

I would be wary of times presented by anyone other than an experienced coach or scout.

Thank you all for the information. Yes he usually times around 1.8-1.9--these were the times recorded by the scouts. His Area Code Tryouts were the same times but like Racab said it is other things like foot work and strong arm-the scouts commented that he had a excellent transfer-clean they called it. I wasn't at the showcase with him so I didn't get to hear the reactions. So I guess I have egg on my face and now I will have to apologize to the Kid. He felt good about the showcase and that is what counts in the end. Does any one know what MLB times are? or do they not keep those stats? Thanks for all the information

Catcher Mom....you can tell your son you are proud of not only his efforts but also his time......he is in the elite category of high school catchers.

Thank you grateful, I am very proud of my boy-he is only 16 and taller than me but he is still my little boy. With his pop time of 1.8 is there room for improvement on the time or should we now be concentrating on improving foot work, mechanics etc. Any help will be appreciated.

Showcase or not, 1.8 is getting it down there. He's only 16? He's a stud. 2.0 is MLB average in game situation. Anybody tells you different, they have "no clue" what they're talking about.

My son turned 17 June of this year.

His pop time ranges from 2.1 to 1.9. If he has had a few days rest watch out!

The best way to measure pop time is on video. Since video records at 30 frames per second, just frame forward and count the number of frames.

I have Tivo and have done it several times when watching major league games on steal attempts. Game pop times are around 2.0 for certain.

I've yet to see one break 1.9 in a game, and have done it about 10 or so times.

Just another great use for TIVO.

Catchermom,
Great time for your son!! A question for you. Has your son ever had his velocity checked when he was throwing to 2nd??

The sub 2.0 pop time is great. Compare the 2.0 of the catcher to the 90 mph fast ball of the pitcher. Not uncommon but it does puts you in a “league of your own”. Are there many sub 2.0 catchers in high school? I think there are quite a few. During the years my son showcased I would see a lot of sub 2.0’s. I found the best way to measure the pop time of a catcher was with my eyes closed using only the sound of the ball popping the catcher’s mitt and the pop of the second baseman’s glove to start and stop the stop watch. Using the sound would keep me from anticipating the start and stop of the pop time. Similar to Rob Kremer, I would use the video camera to record the pop times at games and check the times at home but again I would use the sound to trigger the measurements. I mostly agree with Racab (as usual). I too think scouts tend to look for things that cannot be taught like arm strength…. but pop time will always be a key measurement of a catcher’s ability. While 2.2 may be adequate to throw out the majority of high school base stealers, a sub 2.0 will throw out more than the majority. I might add that the 2.2 catcher will be “tested” more frequently than the 1.8 catcher.
Fungo

To catching coach: No we have never had his velocity checked when throwing to 2nd. Where do I need to go for that? Can you tell I am new to this whole thing. Also wondering if it is a good idea to throw to 2nd from your knees? Have heard this from several people that it is something that one should do, but of course these people aren't experts. Any help you can give would be great. Have a wonderful day!!!!

CatcherMom

Sometimes we tend to get caught up in velocity etc

Even pop times can be misleading--- I am more concerned how a catcher throws in a game when a runner is trying to steal a base--if between he and his pitcher he is throwing out a good percentage of would be base stealers then he is doing fine

Catchermom

How many pro/college catchers do you see throwing to second from their knees? There's probably a good reason they don't and I'm sure it's not because of a lack of arm strength.

When my son was catching, he could throw from his knees as well as anyone. Two scouts in So Cal told me they wanted to see his footwork and they said it made catchers look lazy.

WVMTNER: Thanks for the information. Makes perfect sense. We will continue the throw as usual. Thanks for the advice.

Catcher Mom,

The reason I was curious about his MPH is your interest is wondering where he may still be able to improve.

Most showcases that time pop times also have a radar gun on the players as well to record MPH. If you told me that his velocity was under 80MPH then that would be an area of possible improvement to lower his time even more.

If he is already throwing over 80mph then he may be near his max MPH he will be able to achieve and any further improvement will have to come with continued refinement of what is obviously already very fast, efficient mechanics.

And as TRHit said, the proof is results in game situations.

Thanks Catching coach for the information. So what I need to do now is get his MPH measured. Do I just find someone with a radar gun or do I need someone "official" to measure the MPH. I think we all have something to learn and improve on and I want to make sure that my child has everything available to him to improve and grow as a person and a catcher. HIS dream is to make it as a catcher and he works very hard at trying to achieve his goal. Anything that I can do for him with the help from the experts out there I will be doing. I thank you all and especially catching coach for all the help we receive. You all have a wonderful day!!!

Catcher Mom,

The best way to evaluate this is to have his MPH timed 2 ways. First have him throw like a outfielder, with a good strong crowhop. This is ususlly how most players, any position, can develope the most MPH. Then have him put the ball in his glove, get down into his crouch and then throw like he's throwing to 2nd. Alternate back and forth 3-4 times.

If you are able to do this send me all of the readings and I'll let you know what I see. Basically we want to see no more then a 3 percent drop in MPH from crowhop to crouch velocity. Anymore then that and he is sacrificing some MPH due to something in his mechanics.

Any questions feel free to email me at coachweaver@catchingcamp.com

Thanks catching coach for the information. We do need a radar gun for what you want us to test correct? Or a stop watch? Can you tell I am new to this process. I tried to track down a radar gun but having a hard time finding one as of yet. Have a wonderful day!!!