....you also time the pitcher from “break-to-plate”. Break-to-plate is timed when runner breaks for 2nd (watch starts) and then the watch is stopped when the ball hits catchers glove. This shows how fast the pitcher gets the ball to the plate.

Was in the stands with lots of college coaches at a recent showcase watching the games on the 2nd day of the showcase. Runner on first got descent jump, catcher made good throw, not great, but good clean throw. The ball was in the SS glove waiting for the runner to slide into the tag. The runner got absolutely smoked at 2nd. It was the last out of that inning.

As the team headed to the dugout all the players were giving the catcher high-5’s for the incredible throw. One of the college scouts in front of me turned to the scout next to him and said “They’re congratulating the wrong guy”. What the players on the field didn’t know was that the pop time on the throw was 2.21. Pitch was fastball, away and to the backhand side. Catcher handled it well, good exchange, accurate throw to 2nd. The other thing the players on the field didn’t know was that the time on the pitcher from break-to-plate was 1.01.

The total time on the pitch was 3.22 from break to 2nd. In most high school situations, and in most college situations, a combined 3.22 will get most runners.

Morale of the story??

We put so much pressure on catchers at high school level about the need for sub 2.0 throws, I wonder how many coaches actually know what all their pitchers break-to-plate times are. I wonder how much work is being done with the pitchers to shorten that time.

Let’s all keep pop times in perspective, Catcher only gets to use the time the pitcher leaves on his plate.

You steal on the pitcher not the catcher. Ive seen clean 2.0's not even be close and Ive seen 2.3's hose runners. There are many factors , the jump the runner gets , the speed of the runner , the ability of the pitcher to keep the runner from getting a good jump , the pitchers ability to get it to the plate as you mentioned , the pop of the catcher , field conditions such as fields with alot of loose dirt around the bag where it is hard to get a good cleat start etc etc. To me the first thing I want to do is get a time on the pitcher from break to plate. Then the pop of the catcher. For a catcher he can only be concerned with his part of the deal. Get it in and get it gone and make sure its an accurate throw. Its a team effort thats for sure. You are right the catcher will get the high five on a put out but he will also get the slam for a stolen base regardless of his pop -- from those that do not know the game.

Agree with Coach May.

I also think - as a baserunner - you might want to see where the catcher is setting up the next pitch.
If you see the catcher (assuming he throws righty) setting up inside on a left handed hitter - I would start salivating a bit more as a baserunner (on first base)

Gamer great point about set up of the catcher. Players that understand the game and the little things that you just mentioned those are the things that you can not put a number beside like 60 times or gun readings. LH hitter knowing the steal is on and he gets the inside pitch stays in there and holds his ground understanding that it will help his runner out. How many times have you seen the pitch inside on a lh hitter and the steal is on and he bails opening up the throwing lane for the catcher. It is not obstruction to hold your ground in the box it is good baseball. And the runner knowing what to look for. Is the catcher set up inside? Yes. The steal is on. Or maybe he has the green light as a runner. Great point I love to hear people talk the game that truly understand how important the little things really are.

Catching Coach: is break time measured from the time the runner breaks, or from when the pitcher breaks out of his set position?

When I time game pop times I start the watch when the runner breaks, hit the split button when the ball hits the catchers glove and then hit the "stop button when ball gets to 2nd.

We always timed from commitment of pitcher. Timing runner is dependent on the runner and has little to do with the pitcher and catcher times.

If the runner leaves later than the pitcher commits how do we know the true time of the pitcher? Or if the runner jumps the pitcher but doesn't get picked?

We always timed the pitcher from committment to the plate. After all, that is what the runner has to deal with as well as the catcher.

PG, Thanks for spotting the braincramp. I start the watch on runners movement when trying to get game time reading on his speed. When timing to get the pitcher/catcher combination it needs to be on the pitchers break (commitment as you said)to the plate.

Would that explain the difference I saw when my son went to a recent showcase. Prior to the showcase my son worked out with his instructor and threw a low of 1.88 and alot of 1.93 - 1.95's. Then he gets to the showcase and gets a 2.13. Another catcher that was there threw 2.00 + and I know he has a sub 2.00 time. Is that the difference? Or did they just have a bad day?

Coach May,

I think alot of times those little things spell the difference between winning and losing. I also think that in order for a player to get the most out of his god-given abilities - he needs to understand and use those little things as well.

2007 dad, there can be a lot of reasons for that. Nerves obviously can be one. Also, for whatever reason, my son always throws better in throws 5-10 than 1-5. Hard to say why, but he usually gets faster during his lessons after the first few throws.

What also might explain the difference is whether the showcase is a stickler about having the middle infielder straddle the bag and stay there. PG is a stickler on that, and I think that it surprises a lot of people when their pop times aren't as fast as they are used to. If the 2nd baseman or shortstop is standing in front of the bag (as they often are in the warmup throw before an inning, where pop times are often calculated) that can skew the time. Also, I have seen some catchers try to put their feet in throwing position before the pitcher even throws the ball, and the showcase organizers tell them to "square up."

The reality is that all the 1.9s in the world aren't going to throw runners out if the pitcher doesn't give the catcher a chance. I had a D1 assistant tell me that they look for guys who can throw 2 consistently on the bag, because they work with their pitchers to get their time to the plate down.

I think the rule of thumb - for a baserunner on first - is 3 sec.

1 sec for delivery and 2 sec for the catcher throw.

You get a pitcher doing 1.5 sec - that runner will be safe just about every time.

That's a good point Lex7. The last time we worked out we actually moved 2nd back about 3 feet for the throws. When you said your son's are stronger on the second 5 or so, that reminded me that mine likes that also. He has never been allowed to "cheat" on throws by getting his feet in the throwing position before he receives the ball.

Pop times are useless if youre pitcher is slow and/or your are not accurate. Obviously, both are huge factors.

Itsinthegame??? SOme of your times are a little out of whack...1 sec for a pitchers delivery is unheard of...2 sec for a catcher to throw to 2b is almost unheard of as well. Realistically you are stressing to your P's 1.3 on FB's and under 1.45 with o/s...and stressing to you C's 2.2 or better (accuracy over velocity) a 1.9 head high is the same as a 2.2 on the bag. People always tend to forget the time it takes to apply a tag. It your total exchange (pitcher to the plate catcher to 2B) is in the 3.5 range you have a very good opportunity to record an out...