Learn from one of the best as Tom Griffin breaks down more advanced basics for catchers with the finer points of receiving, blocking and throwing, plus strategies, in part two of a two-part interview. Missed part 1? Catch it (no pun intended) here.
Plus Rob (and Nick Esposito) answer the Question of the Week (41:37) about how to help nine-year-olds build strength for pitching.
In this 48-minute episode, you'll learn:
- Tom's juggling drills (2:30)
- why Tom uses a baseball with electrical tape on it (3:37)
- whether catchers should put their throwing arm behind their back when receiving pitches (4:25)
- three strategies for receiving drills (5:44)
- how to catch the low pitch (8:03)
- how to catch the inside/outside pitch (9:39)
- where catchers should set up behind the plate (12:20)
- whether practices should emphasize receiving or blocking more (15:16)
- the essential blocking fundamentals (16:41)
- how to teach blocking to youth players (18:11)
- how to teach a blocking progression (19:36)
- how to address the fear of blocking among youth catchers (21:33)
- drills for retrieving wild pitches (23:36)
- proper throwing technique for catchers (24:43)
- what a jab step is and how to teach it (27:30)
- why coaches should not call pitches (28:53)
- whether coaches should call back picks (31:05)
- the importance of catchers making mistakes in games (32:06)
- whether catchers should ever throw to third in front of the batter instead of behind (34:08)
- key tips for catcher development (36:01)
- Part 2 of the Tom Griffin video interview
- Part 1 of the Tom Griffin video interview
- Bonus segment #1: Tom on catcher's mitts
- Bonus segment #2: Tom on becoming a Christian
- Ask Rob a question
- Subscribe to the YBE podcast
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