Catching
Catching is arguably the most demanding position on the field and the most overlooked during practice. The catcher has many responsibilities, and the toughest one is probably blocking. When the pitcher throws one in the dirt, and the catcher keeps it in front, we are suddenly their best friend, right? It's not quite that easy, though. Primarily, catchers must have quick feet and excellent reaction time. When a ball is coming from 40 feet away at speeds of over 60 miles per hour, keeping a wild pitch from getting by can be very difficult. It's a catcher's job to get there. Starting with balance, when in a crouch keep weight on inside of feet . If the ball is to the left, the first move should be to push off your right leg (lift & drive) , if it's to the right, push off with your left leg. This will get your momentum moving in the right direction. The next step is crucial. The left leg collapses, your throwing hand stays behind the glove, and the glove goes between your legs on the ground . Remember, you are blocking the ball, not trying to catch it. I speak from experience. If you try to catch it, the ball will likely go between your legs for a passed ball. Following this, your upper body should be in a "C" position with your head and shoulders pointing to the ground. When the ball hits your chest protector or mask and you are positioned correctly the ball should end up in front of you. With a runner on base, do not get caught sitting back on your heels. Get up on your toes and be ready to move quickly. Should there be a wild pitch, your main concern should be blocking the ball first, and worried about the runner second. The key to mastering blocking skills is practice. It takes much hard work to improve, but the more time you put in, the better you will be.
1. Start on knees and slap glove down in front of body while coach throws short- hops.
2. Same drill but start in crouch and kick feet back.
3. Lift and Drive: (side to side) Chest should be in a "C" positioned when blocking. Side to side, use small steps and progress into larger "lift and drive." When ball is to the left, lift and drive with right leg, always keeping shoulders square towards the field and keeping ball in front. When ball is to the right, lift and drive with left leg.(Throw ball 10 times each side)
"Use your head, use your head!" How many times have you heard that from your coach? We all have at one time or another, and it especially holds true for catchers. Yes, catching is a very physically demanding position, but it also requires a lot of thinking, strategy and wits.Learning how to call a game takes patience. Here are a few tips on how to work on game calling skills. Look at the batter. Where are they standing in the batter's box? Believe it or not, even a small detail such as this can help you decide which pitch to call. If the batter is far back in the box, you may want to call a drop or curve. Get them to chase the low pitch. Maybe the batter is crowding the plate. Think about calling an inside pitch. Ideally, the pitch should be on the batters' hands. This may sound simple, but this is only a small part of calling a game.
The next part is getting to know the batters. Talk to them if you have to. I do, and it helps me remember what pitches they like, and which ones they struggle with. Each game situation is unique as well. For example: If there is a runner on third, with less than two outs, and the game is close, what pitches do you call? I'll give you an idea. You want to keep the ball low, and try to have the batter hit it on the ground. Avoid calling pitches (such as the rise ball) that the batter can hit into the air for a sacrifice fly.
Remember, each situation is different, and all of this strategy takes time to develop, believe me, I certainly didn't learn it overnight. Don't be afraid to experiment, and if you make a mistake-learn from it! Above all, hang in there, ask your coach questions and be smart.!