The Most Wasted 20 Minutes in a Catchers Life

[Catchingcoach]

The Most Wasted 20 Minutes in a Catchers Life

It seems that many players and coaches recognize how little time is allocated during practices for catchers to work on their catching skills: Blocking, Exchange drills, Pickoff throws, Proper handling of pass balls with throw to pitcher covering plate, just to name a few.

Often times it has been said to me that there just isn't enough time to fit it in a practice. I would like to challenge that idea by pointing out the most wasted 20 minutes in a catcher’s life.

The time is called "Infield Practice". I've lost count of how many practices I have observed where a coach is hitting infield practice with the starting catcher standing beside him taking the throw from the fielders and then handing the ball back to the coach. WHAT A WASTE!!!

Now I know that some of the items covered during infield practice do require the ! catcher's involvement in a true game situation play. However, I have seen at least 20 minutes go by when all they do is catch the ball and hand it to the coach.

I suggest that at the beginning of infield practice another player fill that role, and even maybe rotate with other infielders. During that time the catchers (all of the catchers if possible) are off to the side working on blocking, throwing etc.

When it is time to do the plays that involve the catcher, you can call them back over and run them all at one time.

I saw this next quote on a web site (www.baseballcatchers.com) about how much we depend on catchers to get it right, but how little time we provide for them to practice the skills they will need to get it right in a game.

"It will take a dozen outstanding plays by the catcher to make teammates forget a single disastrous E-2 that could have been prevented by practicing catcher skills."

I know that scheduling a meaningful practice is always a challenge. But here is an easy fix that will provide at least 20 minutes every practice for your catchers to work on their skills.

[Ursa Major]

Good point there that I'd never really thought about. Why not let one of the scrubs, who may not get much time in the infield at all, come in and take the throws? Certainly in youth leagues such players would enjoy doing that.

[Jake Patterson]

I suggest that at the beginning of infield practice another player fill that role, and even maybe rotate with other infielders. During that time the catchers (all of the catchers if possible) are off to the side working on blocking, throwing etc.

Coach - what specifically is the pregame routine you recommend for catchers? Like most, we usually have 30 -45 minutes on away games and up to 1.5 hours on home games. Away games are a problem for us as we travel in a bus as much as 1.5-2 hours and maximizing our warm-ups is of paramount importance.

Who warms up the starting pitcher?

[Catchingcoach]

Coach - what specifically is the pregame routine you recommend for catchers?....Who warms up the starting pitcher?

The article I wrote was intended to highlight the lack of time allocated to catchers training at a team practice, not prior to a game. Many coaches have said to me that they do not have available time to have the catchers go off by themselves. The article was intended to draw attention to this "lost" 20 minutes during many team practices that can be better used.

Jake's question about pre-game warmups is a whole other problem. The biggest problem of which is exactly what Jake pointed out. The huge difference between available time at home games versus away due to travel times and transportation schedules.

Here are some of the areas that are overlooked in in many catchers pre-game warmup.

1. Problem: When players start throwing to begin warming up arms very few catchers ever have the opportunity to throw a distance equal or farther then the throw to 2nd on their respective fields.
Solutions: Be sure that whoever is throwing with the catcher, (backup catcher maybe) makes sure that the catchers arm is warmed up with throws at least equal to the distance to 2nd.

2. Problem: The very position the catcher must stay in (his crouched position) is very demanding on the legs. Few catchers do any structured stretching program to fully loosen up their lower body to be fully ready to catch.
Solution: Catchers should be taught a complete stretching routine to fully warm up their legs. The one my catchers use takes about 20 minutes to complete. And yes that makes it tough if they only arrive 35-40 minutes before a game starts.

3. Problem: the area behind homeplate to the backstop fence is often not nearly cared for as the rest of the field can be loaded with disasters waiting to happen for an unsuspecting catcher running back there to get a pass ball.
Solution: Before every game have all your catchers make a routine of walking the backstop fence from dugout to dugout. They are looking for any problems that might be back there. Trash, holes in ground, holes in fence, (which they will report to plate umpire), sprinkler heads. This area needs to be policed so if there are any of these problems they are either fixed or at least noited by the catcher before venturing back there at full speed.

Here are my priorities for my catchers as far as pregame when time alloted.

a. good stretching time for lower body as well as arms

b. good warmup throwing, including throwing to distance of throw to 2nd or farther.

c. Walking and inspecting the area behind home, dugout to dugout

d. while warming up the starting pitcher block balls in the dirt. If none are thrown there during warmup have pitcher throw 6-8 in the dirt at end of warmup. From 15-20 feet away.

e. When pitcher is warming up from the stretch select 3-5 pitches to prcatice throwing mechanics to 2nd. Don't throw, just go through mechanics and get up into throwing launch position.

As you can read here I believe the starting catcher should be warming up the starting pitcher. These 2 need to be synched together, it begins during warmup.

[Jake Patterson]

I Think we're pretty close. We have the starting catcher do the following. Items 5 and 6 are usually done off to the side.

1. Dynamic stretching usually high skips, sliding jumping jacks, and helicopters.
2. Static stretching.
3. Light Jog
4. Throwing lead ups - with everyone eventually moving to game time distance.
5. Crab drill. (You may call this something different. It's the catcher setting and blocking a series of balls.)
6. Live block with a thrower throwing the ball.
7. Bunts, pop flies, and throw downs at the plate to each bag.

We use a back-up catcher to warm up the pitcher on the practice mound and two bench players to feed the coach during infield. One to receive the balls from the infield, the other to feed the coach.

The coach usually inspects the field, but I like your idea of the catcher doing it (or for that matter every player) as he's the one that has to deal with the problems.

Thank's for the input....