Pickoffs from the windup?

[David Emerling]

Originally posted by David B
Many young catchers will hesitate when BR is in that last half of the distance to first because BR is in their lane, and we know most HS catchers don't have the most accurate of arms.

So it might be a myth, but in reality, many times by BR running out of the running lane he does create interference for F2 because as you stated, no catcher WANTS to hit a runner, but when the runner is in the way ...

Thanks
David [/B]

The myth isn't directed to the point as to whether catchers, on occasion, hit runners with the throw. No question about it - that happens.

The myth is that coaches teach catcher's to hit runners who are out of the lane. The myth is that catchers are trying to plunk runners in order to get an interference call whenever they are out of the lane. Neither is true.

And, if a coach is teaching that, he's not really a coach.

For the coach, the issue isn't safety - it's effectiveness. You're simply better off trying to make an effective throw instead of trying to hit a moving target that you may miss and achieve nothing more than making a WILD throw.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[Edited by David Emerling on Mar 25th, 2005 at 08:09 PM]