Catching

The player who sees more of the game and its developing situations is the catcher. From his position behind the plate the catcher, as the signal-caller for all his pitcher's pitches, observes the opponents' base-line coaches, batter, base-runner, his own infield and outfield, and, most important, the progress of his team's pitcher.

Since it is the catcher who is calling the pitches, he is the most logical choice for the coach, or manager, to turn to when it seems that the pitcher is losing his "stuff."

How's his fast ball? Is it still hopping? Why is the curve "hanging"? Why can't he get the low ball over the knees? . . . These are some of the questions the coach, or manager, may fire at the catcher. The good catcher will be able to supply the correct answers. Qualifications. — All of this proves rather strongly that the catcher must be blessed with quick mental reflexes and the coolness of a detached observer. A slow-thinking catcher unable to keep his pitcher out of sticky situations, or a quick-to-temper catcher unable to contain his emotions, is of little value to his team. Thus the first two requirements of a catcher: (1) baseball intelligence, (2) calm temperament.

Strength and size are not necessary ingredients in a catcher's make-up. It's more necessary that he have a superior throwing arm, fast hands and feet. The strong arm is needed to prevent stolen bases; fast hands and feet are vital in order to shift from one position to another to catch pitches which are inside, outside, high and low.

Catchers do not have to come large-size. Because the catching job requires endurance and strength many coaches like to make catchers out of their huskiest players. It is fine if the catcher is smart, fast, adaptable — and still big and strong. But it is incorrect to overlook the average-built player as a potential catcher, especially if he has all the other requirements. Two striking physical catching opposites now in the Baseball Hall of Fame are Ray Schalk and Gabby Hart-nett. Both were fast behind the plate with hands and feet; both were smart and even-tempered. However, Schalk was slightly taller than an overgrown bat boy while Hartnett was broad, husky and the picture of brute strength.

The catcher, although he may not be the coach or captain, is the one player on the team who must be more aggressive than all others. He is the one who shouts to his teammates, rallies a faltering pitcher and sticks his fist in the air and yells for a display of enthusiasm. Position. — The catcher should take a position a full arm's length from the batter. At this distance he will not interfere with the batter's swing and presents the best target to the pitcher. The stance is determined by comfort, type of pitcher, play situation, etc. A catcher who is uncomfortable in a deep knee bend position should not assume such a stance. Get the one that gives the most comfort but still affords the pitcher a good target at which to throw.

This catcher (below) takes a half-crouch because he finds it more relaxing. He keeps his feet spread just about the width of home plate.

Many coaches keep cautioning their catchers to keep their fingers closed when the pitch is on its way toward the plate. Some catchers, however, feel uncomfortable if they close their fingers while awaiting the pitch. This catcher (right) does and, to prevent any finger injury resulting from a foul tip, he is holding his open hand behind the glove. As soon as the ball strikes the glove he will roll his bare hand over the ball. His hands and arms are relaxed, extended forward, and he likes to keep his left foot forward and his ,right toe dug into the ground. Why? Because he's more

comfortable in this stance and position.

The catcher who finds it difficult to keep his fingers open must then catch with them closed. Too many catchers make the mistake of clenching their fist. A glancing tip off a tightly-closed fist can lead to a serious and painful injury. The more relaxed the fist, the less chance for crippling injury. This catcher opposite page, above) has stuck his thumb inside of his first fingers and has made a loose fist with the other fingers.

His right leg is also in a relaxed position since there are no runners on base. A catcher, in order to give his back and legs a chance to rest, should take this position as often as possible when the bases are empty.

This major-league receiver (below) is the picture of relaxation as he awaits the pitch. He £eels comfortable with his backside down low, leaning against the back of his legs. He's holding his glove low because that's where he wants the pitch. Some coaches are critical of the catcher who tips off the direction of a pitch. Other managers, however, claim that this is the way to furnish the pitcher with the exact target.

Look closely and notice that this catcher has his thumb inside his closed fingers.

Plays at the Plate. — One o£ the more basic plays a catcher may be forced to make is the force-out at the plate. Since no tag is necessary, the catcher need only touch the plate for the simple force.

This catcher (opposite page) is waiting for the throw with his left foot planted on the plate as the throw is coming in on his right side. If the throw comes in on the catcher's left side, he must then plant his right foot on the plate to make the play. A wild throw to the plate on the force play means the catcher will have to leave his plate position. Do not attempt to first play the runner on such a throw. Get the ball first, and then attempt to touch home plate with your foot or the ball.

The catcher must have a firm position while awaiting the runner. To protect himself from getting knocked off his feet, he should get his left foot in front and dig the front spikes of his right foot into the ground behind him. This position furnishes balance and support.

The tag on a sliding runner is not as difficult as it looks. On all plays at the plate which involve tagging a runner, the catcher first must face in the direction of the incoming throw. Just where he catches the ball will determine how he makes the tag. This catcher (above left) has blocked out the plate with his wide stance, forcing the runner to slide around him. The good catcher permits the runner to slide into his glove, eliminating the possibility of any injury to the bare hand by the slider's spikes.

The sliding play at the plate finds the catcher (above right) blocking the plate with his arm. He will tag the runner on his shin, or upper part of his left foot. The catcher here was forced to take the throw on the first-base side of the plate and then drop to his knees in order to get into position to stop the run from scoring.

Signals. — The catcher "talks" to the pitcher through a set of finger, or hand, signals. These signals tell the pitcher what the catcher wants him to throw. The catcher (opposite page) is flashing "crotch" signals, the most generally used. The two fingers indicate a curve. The catcher flashes his signal on the right side of his crotch. Signals may also be flashed with the thumb and hand, but young catchers should confine themselves to the

finger signals.

Throwing to Bases. — Throwing to bases requires the correct shifting of feet. This catcher (above) is about to peg to second base with a right-handed batter at the plate. He has received an outside pitch, has stepped to the right with his right foot, and slightly forward. He will then step forward with his left foot for the throw to second.

Throwing to second with a left-hander at the plate requires a different foot movement. The catcher (right) is now in throwing position after taking the pitch. He has already stepped forward with his left foot and swung his right foot diagonally behind his left, the weight shifted to the rear foot.

The catcher (below) is stationed behind a left-handed hitter with a runner on first base. The catcher, anticipating a throw to that base, has placed his feet, right slightly to the rear of the left, so that he may be able to get off a quick throw after receiving the pitch. Do not throw to first from in front of the batter unless the pitch comes in quite wide of the plate. On a pitch away from this batter, the catcher will have to break left with his left foot in order to catch the ball. He'll then have to come forward with his right foot before stepping in front of the batter with his left foot.

It's easy to see that it's less complicated to throw to first base from in back (opposite page) of a left-handed batter. After receiving the pitch over the plate, or on the inside, the catcher then just swings his left foot forward and toward the direction of first. He cocks his arm for the throw, his right foot now way to the rear, the weight of his body on the front foot.

The direction of the pitch always determines which foot the catcher will step off with initially when throwing to a base. He steps left on a pitch outside to a left-handed batter and inside to a right-handed batter. He steps right on a pitch inside to a left-handed batter and outside to a right-handed batter.

Covering Bunts. — The catcher should attempt to cover all bunts hit in his area. This is an area that extends halfway to the pitcher, and the same distance down either base-line. The catcher, however, does not field all bunts in the same manner. This catcher (right) is taking a rolling bunt hit toward the pitcher. He picks up the ball in front of his left foot, placing the mitt in front of the ball and jamming it into the mitt with his bare hand. He can now straighten up, move his right foot back and throw to any base. His body faces the diamond when fielding this type of bunt. However, if he's forced to move up the third-base line for a bunt, with a throw to be made to first base, he may have to field it with his back toward the diamond, pivot around and throw to first.

A bunted ball that has stopped rolling may be fielded with the bare hand (left). Many coaches do not like to have their catcher play a bunt with his bare hand. Yet, when necessary, the catcher must pick up the bunt with his bare hand if he wants to get the throw off in time.

The batter (opposite page) is racing to first base after dropping a bunt which landed exactly midway between the catcher and the pitcher. In such a situation it is safer to permit the catcher to handle the bunt since he is facing the infield after picking up the ball. On this play, it is the catcher's responsibility to shout vocal instructions as to his intentions. "Mine, Mine," tells the pitcher that the catcher will field the bunt.

Here is where the catcher's agility and speed afoot is of utmost importance. The catcher who can pounce on bunted balls is, in reality, an extra infielder. Fast reaction to a bunt is a valuable asset and the catcher who can anticipate and execute quickly is a good fielding catcher.

None of the movements o£ the catcher in covering a bunt are taken haphazardly. Everything must be done with speed and with no wasted motion. The mask should be flung to the side, far enough away from the catcher so that it will not get in his way. He must follow the course of the bunt immediately, making certain that he doesn't brush into the first baseman, pitcher or third baseman, if either of them is about to pick up the ball. Thus the catcher should be agile enough to come to a sharp stop if the bunt is to be handled by any of these players.

The catcher is the "take-charge" guy on bunts and actually serves as the "quarterback," shouting instructions as to who will pick up the ball and what base it should be thrown to.

Catching Pop-ups. — An infield pop-up, fair or foul, around the plate area can be tricky because of the backward rotation of the descending ball and the wind conditions.

This young catcher (above) instinctively removed his mask as soon as the ball was hit. He removed it by yanking it off at the chin part with an upward stroke of his right hand. The mask is clear of the plate area, removing any danger of the catcher tumbling over it. His eyes are in the air, spotting the exact position of the pop as it is still on its way up, his hip and knees bent and his position relaxed.

The catcher must learn that you do not stand under a pop fly, but move up to meet it. The ball, upon being hit, rotates backward and if the catcher stands directly beneath the pop it may eventually drop, untouched, in back of him.

Now the catcher has spotted the ball on its downward flight and has stepped in front of the plate (below) to get into position for the catch. He has his fingers stretched and open, in relaxed position, and is getting into position to surround the pop-up. His eyes are kept constantly on the ball, anticipating a sudden change in direction of the fly in the event that the wind starts to veer the ball off its downward flight. His glove is brought to shoulder level, his elbows bent and forearms in an upright position.

Many coaches instruct their catcher to get directly beneath the descending pop, then step back as it is nearing the glove. This catcher is about to do exactly that. Normally, he would play a trifle to the rear of the pop, but this one was not hit too high and it was not difficult for him to reach.

Now the ball is plunging downward and catch is about to be made. The catcher, because he had been stationed directly beneath the pop, had to back up in order to catch the ball in front of his body. He backed up by just moving his left foot slightly to the rear (above).

Even though the catcher is about to nab the ball, he is still relaxed and in good position. His glove faces upward, his fingers are still spread, elbows bent and forearms upraised.

The ball is caught. The catcher is bringing his bare hand over the ball (below) to prevent it from popping out of his mitt. The catch, when possible, should always be made with mitt held high and close to the chest. The chest protects against a possible muff if the ball happens to jump out of the mitt or glance off its inside. Holding the mitt high and against the chest also can help trap a ball not caught cleanly.

Clint Courtney settles under a foul hit between third base and the plate. His fingers are spread and pointed upward, his glove held at eye-level. Because this foul was not hit too high, Clint was forced to lean backward with the trunk of his body in order to catch the pop, instead of taking a backward step.

Del Crandall o£ the Braves, one of the best fielding catchers in the majors, started late for this not-too-high pop-up on the first-base side of the plate. Because there was little loft to the ball, Del was unable to get into proper fielding position and was forced to play the tricky pop like a fast-charging outfielder.

Taking Throws. - This catcher (above) took the throw to the plate on the third-base side. Since he had sufficient time to make the catch, get in front of the plate and wait for the runner, he placed the ball in his mitt and grasped it firmly with his bare hand. He is permitting the slider to "tag himself" by giving the runner an obstructed path to the plate, The slider has no other choice but to run right into the catcher's mitt for the put-out.

This catcher (opposite page, below) didn't have the same opportunity to station himself for a routine tag. He received a late throw on the third-base side and was forced to scramble toward the runner with the ball in his bare hand.

Legal blocking of the plate is excellently demonstrated by the catcher (above) who is about to tag No. 7. Remember — a catcher is not permitted to block the plate unless he has the ball. Blocking the plate without the ball constitutes interference, and results in an automatic run. No. 7 has no other choice but to slide right into that big mitt for the out.

Another "dead duck" at the plate is this White Sox runner (right) who was unable to get around Yogi Berra. Berra took the throw just in front of the plate, dropped to his right knee in order to force the runner to go a trifle outside, and then applied the tag on the inside of his knee. On this play, Berra didn't have the time to block the plate with his full body.

Only a fine play by Clint Courtney (sequence, opposite page) prevented this Red Sox run. Courtney, with his left foot on the plate, reaches for a high throw as the runner starts to go into his slide. With a fast downward motion, Courtney grabs the throw, drops to his left knee and stretches his body over the plate. The runner, given a tiny fraction of the plate to tag, has run right into Clint's outstretched glove. The umpire is exactly right as he starts the call that indicates Courtney has done his job exceedingly well.

The White Sox catcher (above) is preventing a Baltimore Oriole from flying home safely. Sherman Lollar is the catcher who has the plate blocked with his knees, body and arms. There's very little the runner can do except try to kick the ball from Sherman's glove. That high right foot flashed by the runner might have been aimed at the ball, but Lollar somehow got his arms under the uplifted leg. When time permits, it is good practice for a catcher to make the tag while on his knees. It's difficult to upset him in this position, and he's also closer to the ground, therefore closer to the slider's foot.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...