The Process Of Playing Catch Effectiviely

If you haven't been able to figure it out by now I am a bit of a control freak. But, I am a self admitted control freak. Truth is I am more of a process freak then a control freak. I believe in every ounce of my being that everything has to have a process or things will not get accomplished the way they could.

I stated in earlier posts having processes builds comfort and confidence into players. Again process is simply the way we go about our business. It is little routines we follow for everything we do. It's not focusing on the end result but instead how we got there.

Playing catch is certainly no different. Growing up I used to always say "having a catch" but I played for a coach who thought that was taboo and taught us to say "playing catch". To this day I have to say play catch. That might seem like a bit of useless knowledge but it illustrates how if you do things over and over the same way on a daily basis, they become part of you!

Most teams when they get ready to practice will send their players to the outfield for a stretch and to play catch. Players will throw the ball back and forth talking about Suzy from science class and how pretty she looked today. Although, they are getting the arm stretched some and loosened up it always seemed like a waste of 15 minutes to me.

If we have 15 minutes we do not want to waste it. There is no way to cover every little aspect that we would like to over the course of everyday practice. We might be able to fit in throwing pick-offs one day and maybe relays another but to include everything everyday is very difficult if not impossible.

We are not going to waste 15 minute so we want every throw to have a purpose. We set up our throwing routine with the following process: (I will not cover it in the post but we also throw pick-offs everyday as part of our flatground routine)

Players are broken into three categories. Infielders, outfielders, and catchers. They may all play catch down the outfield line or set-up in various parts of the field.

The first thing all our players must do when playing catch is show their hands to the ball. They will always show both palms to the player throwing to them. The hands will be shown in front of the chest and all players are instructed to hit their partner center mass.

This gives them a clear idea of what they are trying to accomplish. Second, when you are on defense you should always be showing your hands to the ball whether it is a ground ball, double play feed, cut-off, etc... Show your hands to the ball and respect the game for how it is supposed to be played.

Infielders Throwing Process

1. Play catch for 10 throws at a very short distance approximately 30ft.

2. Play quick catch for 10 throws a piece at 45ft. Quick catch is simply catch and throw the ball as quick as possible to your partner 10 times.

What we are looking for here is that the players are learning to move their bodies before they catch ball in order to be quick back out with the throw.

Second, that they are learning to catch with their throwing hand up by the glove so the instant it hits the glove they are pulling it back out. Players will learn to not close the glove very much to make it even quicker.

Third it forces them to make good feeds to one another in order for them to get into that rhythm so they are quick. Repeated repetitions everyday allow them to get extremely good at this critical skill.

3. 5 x Short Relay Throws at 60ft. Short relays is practicing a short relay throw to a partner. Yes we practice relay throws with just two people playing catch. This is how we do it.

First, the player with the ball will turn his back to his partner and hold up his hands like he is receiving a throw from an outfielder. He will then make his appropriate footwork pretending he is receiving the throw and relay it to his partner.

Second, his partner will then work on his footwork as he is receiving an actual relay throw. He will use his footwork, catch the ball, and fake a relay throw. Each player is working on both receiving and throwing a relay throw. It is broken into two parts and allows them to focus on one aspect at a time learning this skill.

I am not going to spend a lot of time in this post talking about how to make relay throws but a short relay throw to us means this: This is a right handed player we are using as an example. He will make a short step to the ball with his right foot as he catches and quickly get it back out.

This is a relay throw from an outfielder to an infielder who is throwing to second or possibly third. It is not a long throw so we want to cut down the distant of the throw from the outfielder by stepping to it and being quick.

4. 5 x Long Relay Throws at 90 ft. Again same as short relay throws as far as what the players are doing with one exception. This is a throw from an outfielder to infielder who has to relay to the plate. It is a longer throw which will require more strength.

The footwork here will be the right foot moves to towards home plate as he catches the ball and the throw will come out a slower because it is a longer throw requiring the player to use his body to help the throw.

5. Finally from here will throw out until the players feel loose or they have run out of time.

Outfield Throwing Process

1. Players will make 10 throws at 30ft showing their hands to the ball and hitting the partner center mass.

2. Play quick catch for 10 throws at 45 ft. This is an important skill for outfielders as well.

3. Ground ball charge play x 5. The outfielders will be approximately 60 to 70 ft apart. One outfielder will roll 5 ground balls to his partner. His partner will treat each of these ground balls as a charge play do or die type situation.

He will practice fielding and throwing imagining he is throwing out a runner at the plate. After 5 reps they switch assignments.

4. Fly ball do or die x 5 at 90 -100 ft. Same drill as before except now the ball is being thrown in the air and the outfielder must get behind it and through it to make a throw back to his partner. After 5 they switch assignments.

5. From here they will throw out until loose or times runs out.

Catcher Throw Process

1. Players will make 10 throws at 30ft to loosen up. Same rules apply show hands hit partner center mass.

2. Play quick for 10 throws at 45ft. We know how important this is for catchers to develop.

3. T-Work x 10 throws at 60 - 90 ft. The catchers will draw or create a T on the ground they are standing on. They squat down so they are sitting on the top of the T and the line running straight down the center of their body. The will work on popping up and getting their body in the right spot using the T as a guideline. They are not receiving a throw before they pop up. They are pretending they just caught the pitch and then pop up from there.

4. Using the same principle as #3 they will make 5 snap throws to first. Obviously the must turn sideways when setting in their crouch before the throw.

5. Using the same principle as #3 they will make 3 throws on an inside pitch to 3rd base and 3 throws on an outside pitch to 3rd base.

6. From here they will throw out until loose or times runs out.

In Conclusion

The idea here is simple. Don't waste time at practice! If you are going to play catch then lets get something out of it. Let's give our players clear ideas to focus on and they will become better players.

We do not have time as coaches to work all of these skills everyday if we try and do it during team time. So work them in during catch time. They are the skills I believe are important to us. You can be creative and use your own philosophy as to how you want to set-it up or what skills you want to practice. Just don't waste that time!

One more thought here. If at times I want to change things up for the catchers and infielders for couple of days I will set up four cones around the infield like they were the four bases. I will set up a set of four at 40ft, 65ft, 90ft, 120ft. Then I will split the players even at all the cones.

Then throwing to their left they must go around the horn 5 times without missing a ball. If there are 3 players to a cone they will keep alternating in order. Once they make it 5 times they will have to do it going to the right.

Once they have completed 40ft, they go to 60ft, and so on until they have completed the challenge as a group. We will use that as our sole warm-up. They will not go to the outfield and flip the ball back and forth without any real direction. It is amazing how good they can be when they are focused on a tasked. Another note here: This is a great teachable moment drill because as players mess up you can instruct them on to how to handle it as a team. I.E. pick up your teammates!

The distances I used were for high school players. It goes without saying (although I am about to) you can adjust them for younger players. Best of Luck!