throwing to the glove or to a spot on the catcher

[6239kim]

my DD has moved up in age group and has a new coach. this coach openly admits he is not a pitching coach, but is insisting on dictating where the catcher puts the target for pitches my DD is throwing. she has been relatively successful in her pitching working with the same pitching coach for several years. he teaches to throw to the glove. with her curve ball the catcher puts the glove on the inside corner for a right handed batter and then catches the ball out over the plate, and she works it across depending on how far out over the plate she wants the pitch to end up.

the new coach is insisting the catcher put the glove on the outside corner or whereever he wants the ball to end up and is telling my DD to pick a spot on the catcher such as her knee or elbow or whatever to get the ball to end where he wants it.

DD is struggling with this change. just looking for the experts take?? thanks

 

[sluggers]

In college, my DD's coaches insisted that the catcher not move the glove off of center of the plate until immediately before my DD released the ball. It was up to my DD to find points on the catcher's body that worked as focal points. She struggled a little at first, but eventually got it.

Generally: Your DD has to do what the coach wants. She has to do it his/her way, or she should find someone else to play for. You are wasting your time and energy worrying about it.

 

[cshilt]

I'd highly suggest that she learn to pick her own spots to throw to and not just throw to the glove. The higher level hitter has the peripheral vision to pick up where the glove is and this tips the hitter.

Also, if the pitcher is off picking a new spot to focus on might help her work through a bad day or outing. Bristow calls this "finding a new bug".

 

[mrslug01]

Catchers may set up late as theyget older and face better competition but you certainly don't want them setting up over the middle for an outside curve do you? I think we all know the less the catchers glove is jumping around the more calls we get form the home plate ump. If I want an outside curve or drop curve, I would like the catcher to set up there so that means the pitcher does indeed need to use another target. When my DD throws hers, I've let her know she needs to focus over the middle to let the ball breka to the corner.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It is time for your daughter to smile and nod.

My dd has had to throw to the knee cap, plenty of times, but that was just because the catchers insisted on setting up over the middle.