Hints on plate stance

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

There is nothing wrong with dropping your arms behind your legs when you lock in. I see many MLB guys doing it, and while you still get hit on the arms, you don't get hit on the wrist and hands.

At higher levels, like Varsity HS and higher, I like the scissors, I lock in, and don't care about getting hit as much, because you don't. Anything lower, I am in the heel-toe slot, and my hands go behind my legs.

Brian, 30 years from now when you are my age, and have absorbed as many injuries from the baseball as I have, you may have a different appreciation for keeping your forearms out of the way.

tim covered it, but i dont disagree with what you are saying. i dont use that stance, but im not opposed to it. i am opposed to having your arms completely behind your back. we're on the same page

[RPatrino]

My only criticism of putting your hands behind your knees is that you do NOT really have a rock solid physical lock in. You may notice movement up and down on those who use this approach. With the GD, you have the best lock in mechanism available, with no movement what so ever.

Gerry, during his clinics, is constantly harping on "can you feel your lock in?" You can't feel a lock in if you don't have one.

Bob P.

[LakeErieUmp]

Is there a decent photo of the GD stance somewhere? I'm trying to visualize it - I don't hear the term much around here.

[DG]

Originally Posted by LakeErieUmp

Yesterday in a 15 year old city league game (basically the last kids cut from JV and select travel teams) I took two untouched fastballs to my left forearm (thus demonstrating why the two catchers did not make their JV team). I can't remember EVER being hit like that in a high school or higher select game.
Short of keeping my hands behind my back is there anything in a stance I can develop for this age group to keep from getting whacked like that?

Last year my pinky finger on my left hand was broken in a college game by a fastball that was not touched by the touched by the catcher. He said the pitcher crossed him up, he was expecting a curve ball, and I told him that was no excuse for not even getting a glove on it.

This year, early in the year, I took a high and tight fastball to the face mask that was not touched by the catcher, and an inning later I took an inside fastball directly to the thigh and it was the same catcher both times and he did not get a glove on either.

You can move out of the slot and get behind the catcher more, but aside from that you are going to have sorry catchers at any age level. I changed to the GD stance after my pinky was broken and it keeps my fingers from getting broken and is a very good stance for other reasons also.

[LMan]

I use the GD and my thigh (batter-side) gets hit more than any other place. I dont get a lot of shots off the mask, perhaps because the GD puts you up higher than some other stances. Fortunately, the thigh is a high-fat area that can absorb punishment better than a bony area would.


If you wish to effectively call pitches, you are going to take shots. It's inevitable....some positions are better than others, but NONE assure hit-free games. You have to decide if you are willing to stand in there and get hit from time to time.

If not, quit now.

[LakeErieUmp]

Actually the getting hit doesn't bother me - it's like I'm catching again!

[LakeErieUmp]

There was something to be said for the balloon, that's for sure. But doing the math quickly, PWL, I think I'll buy a dozen chemical ice packs at $.99 each rather than a $50 balloon.
And give said catchers a VERY wide strike zone when they're at bat!