Equipment question - knee-savers

What does everyone think of them? I know they are comfortable but are they suggested? Are they frowned upon?

My son wore them for a few years and then a guy that trains him (shall remain nameless but was a college catcher) told him they tend to make you sit back on your heels so he dropped them. Thoughts anyone?

Thanks for the input.

 

Well

I have never liked them for young guys learning the posistion because they tend to rely on them and "make them lazy". But thats just my opinion. And please I did not say that guys that wear them are lazy. I can tell you this my son used to wear them when he was 13. He went to a pitcher catcher camp and he heard this from one of the college coaches "If you want to play baseball here you better get those things off your shin guards." I didnt hear what the coach said I was way up in the stands watching drills. All I saw was my kid running to the dugout and ripping them off his shin guards. Later I found out what was said.

I personally dont like them but thats just me. I think its too easy to get too comfortable and too easy to get rocked back on your heels. But that does not mean everyone that wears them does this. It might just be a matter of personal preference. I saw a pretty darn good catcher wearing them this weekend. And I saw a pretty darn good one without them.

 

Thanks. That's exactly what he was told. Makes sence to me.

 

I believe a lot depends on how many games you are catching. If you are playing just a couple of games a week probably not needed unless in a short period. However, if you are catching a lot they do make a difference on how legs feel. And there are some college catchers who wear them. Some coaches may frown on them but maybe like the hockey style helmets change can be slow to be accepted.

 

They're probably pretty handy if a catcher is catching a lot of pens. I always though they would be somewhat of a henderence when running, and lets face it....most catchers aren't the speedyist guy on the team. When game time comes, I agree with Coach 27.

 

I wore knee savers up until this year. I wore them because I used to cramp up. But I catch an average of 2 games a weekend now. My legs are tired yes, but to me, that's a workout, another way to stay in shape. I quit wearing them because I thought I looked lazy. To me if you wear them great, but I have also noticed kids who wear them sit on their calfs with runners on base. Another thing is your are alot less balanced because it's weight that's not yours. So it's a bit harder to control. (Just my opinion). Another thing is with knee savers you can't get as low and be off your calfs with a runner on. Without them, you can be off your legs and stay lower and have your feet in a little better positioning. (You can get on the insides of your legs easier), because with knee savers, if you get on the insides, they slide to the side of your leg, and that puts more stress on your legs to me. (Again JMO). And yes they are ALOT easier to get around without them. I look at it as I probably run down the line almost as much as the other team, all I want on a 100* day is more weight to haul down there. (Again JMO)

 

This is a wise young man, fella's. I can tell he will be a longtime contributor to the board.

 

Thank you Braves, look forward to meeting you someday. Maybe at a Copperhead game. Let me know when you plan on going. I'll probably be there!

But one thing I forgot to add:

Another thing is when your learning to catch, knee savers make you put your weight on your legs. Translation: It makes it harder to build your leg strength for those games the pitcher struggles and your off your savers all game long. It's like anything else, the more you do it the better and stronger you are. You may struggle without them for a month or so. But when you can "sit without a chair" behind the plate every pitch for 7 innings, (like I almost had to this weekend) you will go home win or lose feeling accomplished. I think you should at least try and learn to catch at an early age without them, so you have the muscle memory down, if you learn to catch with them, before you learn without them, it's gonna be harder to learn without them. Where vise-versa is much easier (If you learn without them before learning first with them)

I know it's confusing but read it slowly, I had to and I typed it.

 

..How can you not like this kid. Shoot, are you sure we are not related?

 

i would like to see if there has been a study on the knee savers and if they indeed do save the knees. it might be just the opposite. looks to me like it might put extra stress on the knees (longterm) by possibly causing the the joint to "open" up more. i don't knowbut it might be worth looking into. it could be possible it causes more or greater seperation between the tibia and femur than normal squatting. i guess this depends on if they are worn correctly. any ideas on this???????