Post videos of DAD! (funny)

If he thinks that hurt, wait until he catches one in the face or throat, or elsewhere...

We all have to learn to put prudence before pride & start wearing gear when we catch our HS aged sons. You'll find me in mask, chest protector & shin guards.

Not that it helps prevent getting a fractured gloveside thumb from those darn two seams...

You raise a good question. Wonder how many pitchers' dads use a mask and other protective equipment when catching their son?

My main safety device is an extra 15 feet behind the plate and a hair-trigger instinct to bail out on really scary pitches. I've taken a few off the legs, never worse.

I went to shinguards and a mask when we started working on breaking stuff. Fastballs I could handle, but not nasty stuff bouncing in the dirt.

Later I added a chest protector.

Then I discovered that as we both got older, he got faster and I got slower.

Last spring, a darting fastball took off one of my toenails.

I don't catch him any more! We set up a net with a strike zone over home plate and he throws a bucket of balls. When he runs out of balls, the bullpen is over.

Anyone need a great deal on some used catching gear?

Not only no equipment but on his knees limiting his "OH SHOOT" let me get out of the way of the ball in the dirt.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
Then I discovered that as we both got older, he got faster and I got slower.

Ain't that the truth!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Novice Dad:
Not only no equipment but on his knees limiting his "OH SHOOT" let me get out of the way of the ball in the dirt.

Yep. My knees won't take crouching any more. Have to use a bucket, and that also limits the ability to bail out. *Of course, it gets hard to bail out anyhow once they start throwing in the 80's.*

I caught for my son last year. It was the last year. He is getting faster, but because I'm older I can hardly see the ball in time, my knees hurt from crouching more than 30 seconds at a time, if I get up too fast I get light-headed, and the two seam really can do a pretty good job on my thumb. I'm done................ Oh wait. I gotta go. He just yelled to me. I gotta go play some catch.

I built a mound and a permanent backstop with very large conveyor belt material maybe 6'x8' with a rectangular strike zone painted on it, my sons have been throwing balls at it for 5-6 years and it still looks great. Still the same paint and it's never come loose, very durable. I do take some abuse if I have to warm-up the little one (13) at a game so I got a good laugh at the video.

quote:

Originally posted by 2008 Beebe:
...and the two seam really can do a pretty good job on my thumb.

He thinks the past two months of no bullpens was to let his arm recover, actually it's to let my fractured thumb heal.

Sure wish there was some catchers around here who had some work ethic and wanted some extra work.

2008 Beebe:

Crouching? I gave that up YEARS ago. Those ball buckets make great seats if you turn them upside down.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
I went to shinguards and a mask when we started working on breaking stuff. Fastballs I could handle, but not nasty stuff bouncing in the dirt.

Later I added a chest protector.

Then I discovered that as we both got older, he got faster and I got slower.

Last spring, a darting fastball took off one of my toenails.

I don't catch him any more! ...

I hear ya' Midlo. At about age 11, maybe earlier my guy's stuff was very dangerous for me. I took a few off the toes before I finally understood what his different glove signals were trying to tell me.

I refuse to catch a pitcher other than my sons. Each pitcher has his own quirks. I pretty well know what my sons' pitches will do. We've worked out some rules...they tell me what they're going to throw beforehand.

Wonder how much that dad has caught his son. Kid threw several nearly identical curves, but dad seemed utterly unprepared for them.

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I worry especially about eye astigmatisms. Worry that what I perceive as a breaking curve is actually a straight fastball 1/5th second away from my face!

I use the coaches' stool, the one mounted on a spring. It lets you sway a little to get to some balls and you can bail out pretty quickly (as I frequently do). But my thumb and forefinger (even outside the mitt) are pretty much numb for a couple of days after a bullpen. So far goose eggs on shins are as bad as I've suffered, but he's just 13 so I've still got time for an emergency room visit.

funny what you say about catchers and work ethic Texan, my best freind is a catcher and it is so hard to get him out to catch me my dad has offered him up to 10 bucks to catch a darn 35 pitch bullpen

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like a pretty easy $10 for a young able-bodied catcher.

Full gear - including cup - for this dad... As for the thumb bruise - try a batting glove with extra padding... I haven't done it yet - but I am thinking about taking one of those gel inserts you put into shoes and sliding that inside the batting glove... Anything for more padding...

I also no longer try to stick anything - I have the softest hands you have ever seen on a catcher - everything is caught with the hands retreating

Way back when I was young (somewhere around 1850 if I recall) I mentioned to one of the neighbors that there wasn't anyone around to safely catch for me anymore. He said he could no problem. We played a little catch, then he got down in a crouch and I threw a pitch. Probably didn't get over 80 mph as it went by a few inches from his left ear. His glove never moved until he threw it down got up and walked away.

I'd buy full gear now but every time I've spent money on something my son comes down with an injury before he/I get a chance to use it so I'm giving in to superstition and not buying anything. The HS has enough catchers to keep up with the throwing he's allowed to do for now.

Just watched again...I truly like the deep concern the kid has for his Dad!!!

"I'm tired anyway" great Kid

I solved this problem the most effective way I could think of: I brought up a catcher!

That guy was out of his mind.

Is that rshard?