Double clutching catcher

[jpabs]

We won the 2nd tournament of our fall season, and my 14u "B" team beat out 4 "A" teams....and I am very happy for the girls. But as always, there is always something that can be improved.

My catcher, which is my DD, has a tendency to double clutch throws to 2nd and 3rd, and I am looking for a fix.

I have a new SS this year, and she is basically new to the position. I have her cheat over towards second with a runner on 1st ( I don`t like the gap this leaves in my D) and cheat her towards 3rd with runners on 2nd. My DD (catcher) has a very strong arm, and is very capable of throwing out base-runners.

When I ask her why she double clutches, she tells me no one is there and she is afraid of throwing the ball away. What I see, is a fielder who is on the way to the bag, but not looking at the catcher when she is on the move, but concentrating on the bag.

I really don`t believe in throwing to the bag in the hopes that coverage will be there (like one of the coaches says) and blowing a game with an error of this kind.

Is there something I can do with my SS,3b, and catcher to elim. the double clutching? What am I missing here? Eye contact?

 

[Catching Coach]

As a coach that runs a school for catchers I have looked at this situation from every possible angle I could find. In the end, years ago I came up with the motto: "Runner Goes...Catcher throws" I see no other way to ensure that my catcher is executing her mechanics clean and without hesitation. If she has to go looking for some validation (making eye contact with a SS that is a 45 degree angle off her throwing line) that someone will be there then she will not be 100% focused on her job, delivering the ball for the tag.

It is indeed a matter of trust of her team mates. Trust that the infielder will be there, and just as important that the appropriate outfielder will be charging the bag to back up if needed. I have seen infielders miss their assignment to cover, the throw go right through the infield and the center fielder make the back up cleanly and hold the runner to 2nd.

With so little time to make this throw I just don't see a way to build into the play a signal to the catcher that all is well.

Will be interested to see if others have come up with a way to do it.

Coach Weaver

 

[stephanie]

Here's what I see...
Your SS needs to ignore the bag. She doesn't have to tag the bag; she has to tag the runner. So, she needs to be watching for where the ball is going to end up, so she can catch it and hope all of that happens before the runner gets to the bag.

I set up a bucket on the 1B side of 2nd, and my catcher throws about 30 balls to it at practice, without the SS being involved. She knows exactly where I expect her to throw it, and the SS knows that she sure as heck needs to be there when a runner is stealing.

Good luck!!!

 

[calgofo]

As a coach that runs a school for catchers I have looked at this situation from every possible angle I could find. In the end, years ago I came up with the motto: "Runner Goes...Catcher throws" I see no other way to ensure that my catcher is executing her mechanics clean and without hesitation. If she has to go looking for some validation (making eye contact with a SS that is a 45 degree angle off her throwing line) that someone will be there then she will not be 100% focused on her job, delivering the ball for the tag.

It is indeed a matter of trust of her team mates. Trust that the infielder will be there, and just as important that the appropriate outfielder will be charging the bag to back up if needed. I have seen infielders miss their assignment to cover, the throw go right through the infield and the center fielder make the back up cleanly and hold the runner to 2nd.

With so little time to make this throw I just don't see a way to build into the play a signal to the catcher that all is well.

Will be interested to see if others have come up with a way to do it.



Coach Weaver

Agree with catching coach here. I usually had my catcher throw if the runner broke for 2nd. I usually admonished the 2nd or ss if they weren't there depending on the coverage. My CF would hear about it as well if she wasn't there as back-up.

 

[SnocatzDad]

To eliminate the hesitation on throws to 2B, I'd flat out reward the catcher if she can throw hard enough that the SS can't get there (a little DQ usually does the trick). It has to be 100% clear that her job is to deliver the throw to the spot and not doing so as quick as she can is failing her team. If she hesitates, the runner will be safe at 2B, if the throw goes into CF she probably still won't advance past 2B and little is lost. 3B is a little dicer because an overthrow means a run because LF may not have time to get there to back up the play.

Then you need to find a SS who is quick enough to cover and/or cheat her enough so that she can, period end of story. If that means 5 ft from the bag, it means 5 ft from the bag. The odds of a batter directing a ball into a the vacated SS gap are less than 1 in 10. It's worth that risk to hold the runner at 1B and/or get the out on the steal.

FYI, I was told by a friend that went to Elgin IL for a college showcase a few weeks ago that there was a catcher there with the biggest arm he had ever seen. Even at a 16U elite level she managed to twice in a game throw to 2B before the SS could get there and the throw split the bag so it was right on target. Those were the only two successful steal attempts they had against the catcher that day and they had some kids with great speed. Do you think the college coaches watching that game were thinking that the catcher should have slowed her throw to wait for the SS to get there? Their thinking "I want that catcher and I'll find a SS who can get there"

 

[stephanie]

on the other hand, if your SS can't be fast enough, get creative.
You have 4 OF's...take one and put her behind 2B...let HER make the play.

 

[jpabs]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Everything everyone posted makes sense.

I have received many compliments from many coaches on my DD`s arm strength. I rarely play catch with her any more, because she puts a hurting on me....

I need 100% on throw downs....not the effort I am getting now.

Seems like we may have at least one last nice weekend coming up here in the great mid-west. I`ll get the team out-doors and cover throw-downs with my fielders....along with the other things I jotted down in my note-book.

 

[mudbug]

You might disagree with it, but the ball should be thrown to the bag. Its the fielders responsibility to be there, and it wont take them long to learn to pay attention and give it 100% to do so. Besides, the OF should be right there backing them up. The runner cant leave the base and continue without being thrown out, or being caught in rundown.

Some very good teams will do intentional overthrows to the OF, complete with faked effort by the infielder, to lure a runner offbase where they can get her out in a rundown. Part of winning softball is enticing your opponent to make mistakes.

 

[Catching Coach]

Some very good teams will do intentional overthrows to the OF, complete with faked effort by the infielder, to lure a runner offbase where they can get her out in a rundown. Part of winning softball is enticing your opponent to make mistakes.

Mudbug,

Infielder would have to be careful not to "fake a tag" as that is illegal.

Coach Weaver

 

[SnocatzDad]

Mudbug,

Infielder would have to be careful not to "fake a tag" as that is illegal.

Coach Weaver

I've seen this play it's not close to a faked tag. The idea is that your "faking" a full effort to get to the bag to make a tag. If your running the play and fake a tag that might stop the runner on the bag which isn't your desired result you want them to round thinking the ball is past and out of control.