Catcher's snap-throws to first base

[skipper5]

An enduring myth is that when strong-armed catchers make errant snap-throw picks to first base, attentive rightfielders can back up these throws and prevent the runner from advancing all the way to third.

Maybe it works out OK if the RF is favoring the line, and the grass is tall. But nothing doing if RF is playing his position and the turf is short, hard-baked, and fast. On a miscue, the ball is going well down the RF line and the runner is advancing to within 90 ft of home plate. Weigh the risks and rewards.

In this situation--strong arm, fast turf-- too many coaches give a carte-blanche green light for these throws,. hoping for the upside results, but criticizing on the downside if it doesn't pan out.

Hope is a good breakfast but a bad supper. When a coach gives a green-light to high-risk plays, he should credit the players when it works, and himself when it doesn't.

[Drill]

Of course it depends on situation and a smart catcher should know that and have signs for infielder to make sure out fielder is purvey to what is happening. Of course the right fielder should be alert in the baseball since anyways but 1st base and or 2nd basemen should turn just to say Hi.

Also if the throw is made' it would seem to me the best position for catcher to throw down is behind the batter. It is a low percentage. If you don't like the situation, at least you can do a simple pitch out with a fake throw to 1st and it will do the same thing. As you well know it depends on the situation.


IMHO,

Drill

[BGriff34]

I was always told that if you, the catcher, throw behind a runner he had better be out or at least getting back dirty. If he is back standing up he can advance easily even if the ball just gets away from the 1st baseman a little bit. And if it makes it to the right-fielder you at least have a chance of keeping him from taking second if he has to dive back, find the ball, get up, and take off.

[TG Coach]

When a coach gives a green-light to high-risk plays, he should credit the players when it works, and himself when it doesn't.

In public, isn't this what coaching is all about?

[skipper5]

When a coach gives a green-light to high-risk plays, he should credit the players when it works, and himself when it doesn't.

In public, isn't this what coaching is all about?

In principle, yes. But typically HS coaches "react" when this play goes awry. If the catcher has one foot in the doghouse, he's the goat. If the RF has one foot...

I don't like my goalies straying far from the net, and I don't give green-lights to risky throws. There are much better ways to slow down the running game and better ways to get an out.

[Emanski's Heroes]

What I see a lot, especially in high school baseball and below, is that a strong armed catcher keeps teams from trying to steal at all because it's just not worth the risk. Beyond that, teams often shorten their leads because they're afraid to get picked.

So what I see happen a fair amount is the catcher gets an itchy trigger finger. Nobody is attempting to steal on him, so he has to find another way to show off his gun. This is when he starts throwing the ball around a little bit. In particular, I know of a local HS catcher who I've seen do this several times. Teams generally don't run on him, and literally every game I've seen him play (probably 4-5 games at this point) he has thrown at least one ball away.

[skipper5]

What I see a lot, especially in high school baseball and below, is that a strong armed catcher keeps teams from trying to steal at all because it's just not worth the risk. Beyond that, teams often shorten their leads because they're afraid to get picked.

So what I see happen a fair amount is the catcher gets an itchy trigger finger. Nobody is attempting to steal on him, so he has to find another way to show off his gun. This is when he starts throwing the ball around a little bit. In particular, I know of a local HS catcher who I've seen do this several times. Teams generally don't run on him, and literally every game I've seen him play (probably 4-5 games at this point) he has thrown at least one ball away.

Emanski H--you nailed it. That's a scenario that I've seen a lot of.

[HYP]

IMO it depends on your catcher, as to wheteher you give him the green light or not.

Where I coach, high school, we give our catcher the green light because he makes good decisions. He generally will only try to back door a runner at first, if they try a bunt that is missed. The runner will normally have a bigger secondary anticipating a bunt put down.

[scorekeeper]

IMO it depends on your catcher, as to wheteher you give him the green light or not.

Where I coach, high school, we give our catcher the green light because he makes good decisions. He generally will only try to back door a runner at first, if they try a bunt that is missed. The runner will normally have a bigger secondary anticipating a bunt put down.

There’s no “set” strategy because all C’s are different, and heck, even C’s will vary from P to P. But the operative phrase is because he makes good decisions. But the most difficult thing to figure out is, how does a player prove he can make those good decisions without having the green light?

[HYP]

There’s no “set” strategy because all C’s are different, and heck, even C’s will vary from P to P. But the operative phrase is because he makes good decisions. But the most difficult thing to figure out is, how does a player prove he can make those good decisions without having the green light?

Guess I should have said that my catchers start every season with a green light. Until they prove that they can't make good decisions.

I know someone is going to ask, "will if he doesn't make good decisions then why is he your catcher"

Let me answer by saying that good HS catchers are not easy to find and if they can block and receive the ball good, they may be farther along then the next guy.

We then work with them on making better decisions.