This excellent three-part instructional DVD highlights receiving, blocking and throwing techniques for catchers. Joe Mercadante begins with stretching and flexibility - two big parts of developing good catchers. Drills for stretching hip flexors are catching specific that completely prepare catchers. Coach Mercadante then presents his receiving philosophy for catchers. In receiving Mercadante covers the elements of a good foundation, balance and target. Drills for receiving, including the bare hand drill, ball-in-hand drill, quarter turn and side-to-side drills, are illustrated. To develop good blocking fundamentals, Mercadante discusses blocking the 5 hole and throwing the hip to block. To develop these fundamentals he shows the side-to side drill and the five-ball drill. The third element is throwing. When the ball is caught, players are taught to work it back to his left shoulder, which aids their footwork. Mercadante dissects the jab step - the first movement forward after the catch. Exploding out of the blocks and keeping the weight over the feet are other keys he covers. The fundamentals, skills and drills presented in this DVD lay the foundation for successful catchers.

35 minutes. 2006.