Pitch count, pitcher protection and catchers

[riseball]

Thanks - they are noticing. She has had faster pops but is around 1.8 consistently from her knees.

And for the record - I am very careful about how much she catches especially in the heat. Of course her coaches want her back there all of the time but we make sure she isn't overworked. I just threw this topic out there because I have just heard so much talk about protecting the pitcher's arms and nothing about the catchers...

Keep in mind that these pop times bandied about are under controlled conditions and only useful when comparing one catcher to another within the same controlled environment. Pop times under actual game conditions are much different, otherwise stolen bases would be an extremely rare commodity.

 

[BobInMadison]

Keep in mind that these pop times bandied about are under controlled conditions and only useful when comparing one catcher to another within the same controlled environment. Pop times under actual game conditions are much different, otherwise stolen bases would be an extremely rare commodity.

That explains a lot.

 

[smddad]

For game speed you can usually add .2 seconds to the controlled POP time. That seems to be pretty accurate.

 

[riseball]

For game speed you can usually add .2 seconds to the controlled POP time. That seems to be pretty accurate.

Even .2 is pretty generous. Consider the time of flight for a 55mph pitch is less than .5 seconds added to a pop time of 2.0 seconds yields less than 2.5 seconds for the runner to move from 1st to 2nd. Unless you are a world class athlete you would never successfully steal a base.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I talked about wanting to teach my DD how to cheat the showcase timed pop, but she didn't see how it would help her game improve. Good point, stupid dad, smart girl.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Even .2 is pretty generous. Consider the time of flight for a 55mph pitch is less than .5 seconds added to a pop time of 2.0 seconds yields less than 2.5 seconds for the runner to move from 1st to 2nd. Unless you are a world class athlete you would never successfully steal a base.

IMO we overlook the time for the tag so that 2.5 unless right on the money is a SB all day every day. And, pet peeve, too many fielders take the ball in front of the bag instead of waiting for it at the bag.

 

[obbay]

DD#1 had a very strong arm that all of a sudden died in a game when she was playing OF. she was a catcher/1B but sometimes the coach wanted her in the OF for her arm. I never noticed how she was throwing the ball, I just saw that she was throwing hard and didn't realize some bad habits had crept in. She never complained until the pain became too much. she was about 15 then and has retained a chronic weakness in her elbow that still affects her 4 years later.

The PT we saw after that said that in his experience NO ONE takes catchers arms seriously. For every pitch thrown, they are also making a throw and it was not unusual for him to have Catchers coming to see him. he said catchers should also ice after games, so ever since then I encourage that with my catchers. Why not?

two things I stress with our catchers is to Ice your arm after games and let us know if anything is starting to hurt (throwing arm, knees, etc.)

We have a nationally renown catching program (NECC) 20 minutes away but these catchers parents don't think it's important or are too busy driving their kids to their other activities.

 

[riseball]

...I wish NFHS had a category of injury for overuse (have not found one), so we don't have stats...

That is because an "overuse injury" is an opinion not a diagnosis. Keeping stats on something so subjective would be like keeping stats on favorite team colors or most popular ice cream.

 

[sbmom19]

Keep in mind that these pop times bandied about are under controlled conditions and only useful when comparing one catcher to another within the same controlled environment. Pop times under actual game conditions are much different, otherwise stolen bases would be an extremely rare commodity.

True. But she has been clocked in game situations as well. Same POP times.

 

[riseball]

True. But she has been clocked in game situations as well. Same POP times.

I am sure she has.