Throwing the ball across 4 seams

Flipping the ball to your throwing hand is only one technique used by some catchers. Other catchers will turn the ball while its in their glove during the transfer process.

Generally, no matter the technique you use, if you don't get a good grip, don't throw it.

You're not going to get a 4 seam grip all the time...nobody does at any level. You try your best to get a good 4 seam grip during the transfer and then you throw. You can't take your time focusing too much on a perfect grip...be happy you get a good grip and let it fly. If your throwing motion and other mechanics are decent you'll be fine.

Usually the balls that tail off badly are a combination of things such as not getting the feet and shoulders aligned and opening up during the throw. Combine that with a less than optimal grip and bad things happen. Does that mean you don't throw...of course not. Nobody intentionally fails to stay closed or throw sliders down to 2nd but if you play long enough, you'll throw a few. Shake it off and call the next pitch.

Your throwing a slider to 2nd is a physical mistake...coaches understand those. You throwing to the wrong base, forgetting the situation,etc. are mental errors which you will hear about pretty quickly.

You don't have to get a perfect grip to throw, however at some point in your career you have to figure out when the grip is adeqate to throw and when to hold. As you move up coaches will sit you on the bench for mistakes because you aren't getting the job done, as they have other catchers to choose from.

I would suggest you simply take your mitt and a ball as you sit watching TV or whatever, and work on picking the ball up and getting your 4-seam grip by feel. It may be true that you can't get the exactly correct grip 100% of the time, but it isn't for lack of trying.

You can get to where it happens so automatically you aren't thinking about it, and you aren't losing any time.

An elite level catcher will come pretty close to getting the 4-seam grip 100% of the time. In the end, if you're not going to be accurate you are better off not even throwing it in the first place. A throw made badly but rapidly is nothing but an error (no out recorded + extra bases given).

Its a drill I teach all young kids and I tell all players to work on. "In with five out with two across the horseshoe." Its all about feel. If you close your eyes and someone puts a baseball in your hand you should instantly be able to tell where your at by feel. Take your mitt and sit down while watching TV and go in with five and come with two across the horseshoe. Over and over again. Its something we talk about when we are warming up before every practice etc. I am with Midlo it should be very rare that a catcher does not have the proper grip. The same can be said of all posistion players.

Catch43,
All the advice I'm reading is sound...but based on some of the other posts you've made recently I seriously doubt that how you are gripping the ball is your biggest issue. Getting a 4 seam grip isn't that difficult based on the seam pattern.

You have concerns about the legs and the correct arm action in some of the other posts you've made; pushing the ball is something you mention also...if you are getting a severe tailing action on your throws I'd be more concerned about how you actually release the ball.

I'd bet good money your hand/fingers aren't behind the ball at release and if you are drop the elbow at the same time, you could be letting the hand work under the ball at release instead of behind/on top of it. 4 seam/2 seam/however you grip it isn't going to matter that much if your release isn't sound.

Do the drills others have mentioned; they will help you get a consistent 4 seam grip. The where/how you transfer is something that you have to find what works best for you....some like the ball always caught close to the body and some like it out in front of the knees. What works well for someone else may not work so good for you. Watch MLB catchers and you'll see a variety of stances, glovework and throwing motions.

Even Brian McCann, an Allstar, isn't behind the plate for his catching prowess and throwing ability (horrible)but rather because he can hit. His backup, Clint Sammons, is easily the better of the two defensively, both throwing and receiving, but is struggling to hit his weight.

Well, its not like I have a problem in all these aspects. I know I made it seem that way, but I wanted to develop a better understanding in all aspects of the skill. The thing I'm working on most is to keep my elbow at shoulder height.

Catch43,
That's good to hear...haven't seen alot of college catchers with big problems. Good that you're willing to ask questions; alot of players won't at your level. Catching is one position that you can never stop learning about the game,teammates and the opposition.

Getting the throwing elbow to shoulder level will help... IF you have a pushing issue. A mental cue some catchers use is drive their left shoulder down as they throw.

Another thing that has helped some is to get into into your stance, square to the target, and slide your hips open by taking your left knee to the ground towards the target and throwing alot from that position. Front shoulder is down and to throw you pretty much have to keep your elbow up. Essentially how you throw from your back to the pitcher or picking somebody at 2nd.

I will say that fixing a throwing problem gets harder as you get older and the mechanics get engrained; not impossible but it takes alot of work....if you have a problem.

I sometimes struggled in college by throwing a screwball to 2nd. I could get there in a hurry...just in time to run my SS head-on into the runner as the ball tailed. We got the out but the SS wasn't very happy.

Good luck on the field and in the classroom.