POP TIME STARTS WHEN

[softgabby]

To encourage working on throwing, i'm bringing up pop times again

THE CATCHERS POP TIME
STARTS the moment the pitched softball~
1. Touches the catchers glove.
Or
2. The moment it hits the catchers body or equiptment.

The clock STOPS when catchers throw reaches the intended defensive receiver.
*Not when it bounces in front of the defensive reciever.

*To be more specific!
If the catcher drops to their knees. And pitched softball hits them. Either there glove or body, the clock starts at that moment.
*It does NOT matter if the pitch is considered a wild pitch or not.
*It does not matter if the pitch bounced up into the catchers chest protector.
*It does not matter if the catcher has to jump.
*It does not matter if the catcher has to move to the sides.

Once the ball touches the catcher at all...glove or body,
The POP TIME begins!

POP TIMES ARE A DEFFENSIVE PLAY~
The requirement, expectation, goal is the catcher has the ability to stop runners from advancing.
There can also be the goal of back picks.

*Whatever mechanics the catcher uses is included in the pop time!
This means if the catcher choses to block the pitch letting the softball hit them...
The clock starts at that moment of contact.
While the softball is bouncing off them and rolling on the ground...that time is included in the catchers pop time.
*To be clear on this point~
* (after blocking) NO the clock does NOT start when the catcher picks the ball up off the ground. Clock starts at contact.

LETS THROW RUNNERS OUT

Before I start...I love these kinds of posts. It makes for great discussion and I get a chance to learn something about my position and it helps make me a better catcher.

Anywho, to me...my poptime starts when the ball hits either my body or my glove. Once contact happens... my internal stopwatch begins. It doesn't matter if I catch the ball, block the ball in the dirt, the ball touches my body and squirts away from me, or if the ball goes to the backstop...my timer starts. It doesn't end until that ball gets to its intended fielder.

 

[radness]

Before I start...I love these kinds of posts. It makes for great discussion and I get a chance to learn something about my position and it helps make me a better catcher.

Anywho, to me...my poptime starts when the ball hits either my body or my glove. Once contact happens... my internal stopwatch begins. It doesn't matter if I catch the ball, block the ball in the dirt, the ball touches my body and squirts away from me, or if the ball goes to the backstop...my timer starts. It doesn't end until that ball gets to its intended fielder.

"internal stopwatch begins"
☄ZAP

 

[cnardone]

Understanding that RAD and Gabby added lots of other situations,I always thought the name said it all. The Pop of the catchers mitt, to the Pop of the fielders mitt catching the ball.

 

[canyonjoe]

It starts when it hit C glove and ends when it hits IF glove. If it's a wild pitch it's not measured. You can't start timing when P releases as that would mean you have different Pop times for each pitcher. It's a lot more complicated in Baseball when you can run any time so in order to figure out if you can steal it's delivery time plus Pop time but in softball it's just time from release +pop time. Pop time is only one measure and accuracy and the ability to field balls that are not ideal are very important too.

 

[radness]

It starts when it hit C glove and ends when it hits IF glove. If it's a wild pitch it's not measured. You can't start timing when P releases as that would mean you have different Pop times for each pitcher. It's a lot more complicated in Baseball when you can run any time so in order to figure out if you can steal it's delivery time plus Pop time but in softball it's just time from release +pop time. Pop time is only one measure and accuracy and the ability to field balls that are not ideal are very important too.

Good point to mention there @canyonjoe,
Elapsed time,
Is measured from when the ball leaves the pitcher's hand to when the play is made= (Received throw from catcher making the tag).
Which can be different even with the same pitcher pending what pitch they are throwing.
Example a change up taking longer time to reach the catcher than a speed pitch.

Which is actually an important thing for people to recognize when calling pitches and still intending to get runners out who are trying to steal.

Here is another tidbit that can make a measurement different in elapsed time.
When pitchers go from
35' to 40'
40' to 43'
that elapsed time will/can be greater.

Elapsed time can appear as a reflection on the catcher being able to be efficient getting an out. Measuring the differences between elasped time (from ball leaving pitchers hand)
Vs
Catchers pop time (from catchers glove or body to throw and tag)
*Can help understand if the pop time is efficient and there is just a greater elapsed time.

( in either sport timing running speed is a separate measurement of its own)

 

[Rolling Hard]

Tag plays~ a throw on target, at the right spot, can make a big difference in the visual the umpire has to make a call on.

This is especially true with only one ump. A good throw on target will get the benefit of doubt.

 

[Rolling Hard]

I would be interesting to have the pop time include the tag. The time it takes for the SS to catch and get their glove to the base. I think the accuracy of the throw should be considered. If a catcher with a 1.75 pop time (decent- not great) threw the ball 6 inches above the corner of the bag every time nobody could steal. It takes about .5 for the ball to get to the pitcher. Throw in another .1 for the tag. So, 2.35 elapsed time from pitcher's hand to the tag. Nobody is that fast. But if the throw is 4 or 5 feet above the bag and another 18 inches offline, what would be the difference between pop time and the tag time? .25- .3? more?
Also, I believe measured pop times with no batter and perfect tosses are considerably faster than game speed pop times. Otherwise, nobody could steal.

 

[GhostCatcher]

This is especially true with only one ump. A good throw on target will get the benefit of doubt.

Ran into that twice this weekend. My daughter (10U) had two throws that were 3-4 feet ahead of the runner, but were to the 1B side of the bag. SS on throw one tagged the runner twice while runner danced around her -- called safe. SS on throw two had to reach to her left and then didn't get the tag back in time -- called safe.

Hey it's January and this gives us more to work on here in the snow and cold

 

[radness]

Dial it in ZAP !!!

 

[Northball]

A local pitching coach told me recently that pop time should start at the pitcher's release, because that's when the runner can leave.

Obviously that adds time but what are your thoughts on using this?

I suppose the true pop time is when you only want to quantify the catcher's speed. Maybe a more detailed record of her ability would have the times and right beside it the percentage of playable throws by the catcher (don't ignore the bad throws that never hit the infielder's glove).

If you want to figure out the dynamic duo on your team, time your pitcher/catcher working together. Have to call it something else. Maybe the grunt-pop time?