by Coach Griff

If you’re going to become a great pitcher, you’ll need the catchers on your side.

This week is all about getting them to love you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n72e_c18xfs

Communication is key

To get yourself underway in building this relationship, always ensure you speak to your catcher before you throw a bull pen or enter the game.

These are the topics you’ll want to cover:

1. What pitches you throw
2. What the preferred signals are for each pitch
3. What pitches are working well at the moment, and what ones are not (they’re a bit wild)
4. Any mechanical issues you’re working on (that they can look out for)
5. Any preferences for certain pitches in certain counts
6. Any preferences for certain hitters
7. Any other quirks in how you pitch
8. Who is calling the pitches

Avoiding cross ups

There is no quicker way to upset your catcher than crossing them up.

If you’re lucky, they’ll react quickly enough to catch it.

If not, they’ll be in some pain (with you to blame)