In a funk working the dish...

[RPatrino]

Johnny, do you have a "post" game with your partner? If you work with someone who you trust to give you honest feedback, you might ask him to watch specific things and give you a read out after the game. Better yet, if you work with the same partners several times during the season, they can sometimes pick up little things that you might or might not be doing that you don't realize yourself.

Just a thought.

[jdmara]

A few years ago I had a friend at the game that was taking pictures with a digital camera. During a few of the batters (unbeknown to me), they switch it over to video. After waking the video, I realized some things I was doing wrong and corrected them. That might be another option. Just seeing what you ARE doing instead of what you THINK you are doing helps.

-Josh

When I am missing more pitches than normal, EVERY TIME it is 2 things:

1 - Not tracking the ball all the way to the glove.

2 - Calling the pitch too soon.

These two things work in tandem too.

WATCH THE BALL ALL THE WAY TO THE GLOVE!!! If you do, #2 should not be an issue.

Another thing which has everything to do with that matter between your ears: PICK A ZONE AND STAY WITH IT!!! If you KNOW the zone you are going to call, relax, watch the ball to the glove, determine if it was presented well and in the zone you are going to call, make the call. While this sounds simple enough, every guy I talk to about missing pitches who is tracking the ball properly and have good timing is usually over-thinking their strike zone. Forget about the score, the play situation, coach complaints, etc...and call YOUR ZONE. If you are consistent, there should be no complaints beyond the 2nd inning.

[bossman72]

Simple advice "If you miss balls and strikes, your timing is screwed up."

That being said, if you properly track the ball, you will have perfect timing. I've broken it down into a 4 step process that has helped me tremendously with my timing:

1) Watch the flight of the ball into the mitt
2) Look at the mitt and where the catcher caught the ball
3) Decide
4) Make the call


BE SURE not to float #3 up the list until the first 2 are completed. You will have perfect timing then. Try it!

[SAump]

The low strike or the outside strike? The high strike doesn't really exist. If I feel I am having trouble w/an outside strike thrower, I work higher. GD is great over the catcher and taking care of both sides of the dish. Then I have to really "work" on low pitches. IOW, I put more thought into those calls. Of course, I still blow a call (based on crowd feedback) every now and then. I value that opinion as a reminder to stay alert back there and not "glare" at pitches by watching the ball into the glove.

If I feel I am having trouble w/a low strike throwers, I move inside. I am not looking over the catcher. I am looking right past the catcher. I find myself working lower and nailing the low strikes. Then I have to adjust to an outside pitch. Usually, by reading the catcher, staying calm and expecting a strike, these things begin to improve your mental "response" to particular types of pitches. More info is processed and things begin to slow down as details become sharper.