Throwdown Mechanics

Catch43,

My observation could be because of the camera angle, but it is almost like you are stepping too far to the left and not enough towards your target. Then on your follow through you fall away to that side.

Your feet should be square when you receive, then when you jump pivot your right foot should land out front and in the middle of where your feet just were in the receiving position. You should be gaining ground with your right foot but not lunging. In the video, to visualize, it was almost like you were stepping around a bucket with the right foot.

Then your left foot should stride directly towards second. Staying low is a good concept but imagine yourself uncoiling out of your crouch on the way up so you have the ball right behind your ear ready to throw as soon as that right back foot hits the ground from your jump pivot. Then you explode toward the target on the throw.

Just think of where the ball goes when a pitcher falls too much to either side during and after delivery. It is the same concept.

You can practice the whole jump pivot up to ball release over and over again without throwing if you prefer.

Watch some catcher throwdowns on MLB.com (Search for MLB Draft Central) and see how some of those catchers do it.

Others on here will provide other advice, and I hope you get the right solution. Then you can also seek some local catching coach help if you want.

Good luck.

A camp I went to basically says the same thing Backstop-17 has relayed to you. Try to visualize a T with your feet at the ends of the top of the T and the "stem" of the T pointing out to 2nd base. When you throw - pivot so your right foot is in line with the stem of the T and stride straight thru with your left foot. Also it looks a little like you're throwing a little more 3/4 than over the top. Does your ball tend to sail on you?

Thanks for the responses.
Backstop, I hear what you're saying but I notice a lot of pro catchers replace left foot with right foot. I always thought it was taught this way because you don't want to step on the plate because your spikes could give and result in injury. Also, my front foot lands right next to home plate every time, how much farther forward is a catcher supposed to be? Too much and its a serious waste of time, no?

stayinside, it hasn't been when I've been working on letting the ball get to me before moving my feet to throw it.

Catch43,

Check out the clip at the link below. You will see the mechanics I teach. You will see the catchers right foot just come halfway accross towards his left. I do not want him to replace his left with the right. I do not want to take all that additional time and generate all that additional lateral momentum. Just bring the right foot to your midline, turn your right foot so your instep is towards the target and drive the left leg towards 2nd. I do not want to have the right foot go forward at all. There is no need to for it.

http://s115.photobucket.com/al...fterLesson1-5-08.flv


Coach Weaver

Coach Weaver,

I agree on the footwork. What about his throwing hand?!?

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
Coach Weaver,

I agree on the footwork. What about his throwing hand?!?

Biggest issue is the front side opens way too early so the throw is almost all arm. No extension out front over the front leg at all.

Catching coach
In that clip the catcher's right foot does replace the left.At least within an inch or two.

quote:

Originally posted by cball:
Catching coach
In that clip the catcher's right foot does replace the left.At least within an inch or two.

The target I give my students is to have the ball of their rt foot land on the intersection of the T pattern on the floor. He is a little past, but if he did a complete replace as some teach the ball of his foot would be nearly the length of his foot farther towards the left foot.

Coach, do you not want them to gain any ground with the right foot? I agree on not replacing and getting the right foot only to the midline, but I want them to gain ground with it. A drill I use is to take them down the foul line and use that to get them to get across it (first without receiving a ball with their hands behind their back, and then receiving and throwing). I might add a perpendicular line to simulate the T. I like that.

quote:

Originally posted by JMW37:
Coach, do you not want them to gain any ground with the right foot? I agree on not replacing and getting the right foot only to the midline, but I want them to gain ground with it. A drill I use is to take them down the foul line and use that to get them to get across it (first without receiving a ball with their hands behind their back, and then receiving and throwing). I might add a perpendicular line to simulate the T. I like that.

Let me answer you question first with a question. Why do you want them to gain ground? What does it add to the throw?

Mainly to gain some momentum which should translate to a stronger throw. Also, on a smaller note, to shorten the throw (even if by a few inches).

I used to be a "gain ground" guy up until a few months ago. After watching a ton of video of MLB catchers and college catchers, I have changed my view. I now teach something similar to Coach's way.

The other thing I have noticed from doing this is that my catchers do not rush out to the ball like they used to, they let it come in more. By doing this they keep everything over their feet more and have better balance. Before they seemed to get out front too much and were off-balance quite a bit of the time when they threw.

quote:

Originally posted by JMW37:
Mainly to gain some momentum which should translate to a stronger throw. Also, on a smaller note, to shorten the throw (even if by a few inches).

JWM37,

My instruction on throwing begins with the basic premise that the ball never travels faster then when it's in the air. I want to get my hands and feet into a powerful pre-throw position as fast as I can so when my front foot hits the ground I can explode and make the throw.

Since the legs are slower then the hands I need to be sure my footwork is as quick, yet as efficient as possible so my throw does not slow down to the speed of my legs.

My goal with my high school age and older catchers is to get them to a point in their mechanics where they achieve 95-97% of their max velocity out of their crouch. Their max velocity is probably out of a crow hop. When they get to this point then there is no need to take a step forward with the right foot and gain momentum since the additional time that will add to the throw will negate any possible increase in velocity.

Not only does the forward motion of the jab step take more time then a short pull straight across as I have explained earlier in this post, once the right foot hits the ground now the left hip is trailing the right hip when the left foot begins to drive to the target. Some additional amount of time will elapse just to get my hips even, let alone my left hip driving in front of the right hip. By coming straight across as I teach the hips stay even and as soon as the left side begins to move it is ahead of the right side.

If I can shave 1/10th of a second off a catchers release he has achieved what would have required a 5MPH velocity gain to achieve.

CC05 has also brought up the other points I have taught. Most players taking that jab step tend to get the top half out ahead of the legs and balance is sacrificed, and ultimately throwing efficiency.

Catching Coach,

You teach your high school catchers to throw between 95% to 97% of their max velocity from the crouch? That is amazing! That would mean that a kid that can throw 90+ from the mound could throw approximately 86 from behind the plate?

I realize that all catchers are different, but just in general about how long does it take to teach the average high school aged catcher the mechanics to achieve this?

I am asking because my son is a high school aged catcher that has been clocked on many occasions at 90 plus from the mound yet he does not throw near 86 from behind the plate. We would be very interested in the mechanics you teach.

32 -
What can your son throw on flat ground? Probably not 90 plus. I think catching coach would say 95% of max flat ground velocity, not 95% of downhill velocity.

Rob,
I am not sure what he throws from flat ground. As a general rule, I have seen most players throw from the outfield position at a higher velocity than when they pitch.

My son is a catcher that sometimes pitches when he is called upon. We have seen him cruise at 87-88 in the spring high school season and max out at 91-92 during the summer in relief apperances.

Just following other players, I would assume he can hit 90+ with a crow hop from the outfield based on what he offers from the mound.

I am not being argumentative or even questioning the catching coaches comments, rather I am highly interested in the mechanics that he teaches to deliver that type of velocity. I personally seen several catchers in the midwest that have pretty impressive arms, but no where near the velocity they can deliver from the outfield or other positions.

We have seen some very impressive throws from behind the plate, sometimes at very high velocity. late last fall young son was at a college camp and they recorded his velocity to 2nd base at 84mph. Frankly we thought they had a faulty gun or was a reading something else, becaues he more commonly is somewhere around 77-78 mph to second. I am not educated enough to understand how velocity like this can be repeated consistantly.

I thought I saw that the Catching Coach is coming to Kansas City for a clinic in November, and would like to gain a bit of insight on the mechanics that can produce 95% to 97% of max velocity repeatable from the crouch. If this type of result is commonly attainable from high school aged catchers with proper training, I would very enthusiastically send my son for the clinic.

32FB,

First off the MPH I am referring to is definitely on flat ground not off the mound. I also will clarify that I take this reading by taking the average of 4 throws each alternating from crow hop and throwing from the crouch.Total of 8 throws.

I have many HS catchers that are able to achieve the 95% number. I also have many that are at 90% and others lower. However when I have had a catcher that can throw 80+ max the majority that I work with on a regular basis do achieve the 95% number.