Fundamentals of Catching

Catching Positions

1. A catcher should have good balance and a confortable position behind the plate.
2. The squatting position should be only used to give signals.
3. Catch low, keep weight on the balls of the feet by bending forward at the waist with an extended target.
4. With the extended target catch as close behind the hitter as possible without interfering with the batter. Don't be afraid of the batters bat as the hitters stride will carry the bat away from you.
5. A good catching stance is to keep the right leg slightly behind the left leg and never catch on one knee with two strikes on the hitter or with men on base.
6. Always give the pitcher the same target to throw to. If you want the ball inside or outside, shift your yourself so the body is where you want the pitch as this gives the pitcher a better target. Don't shift to soon and always think shift on breaking balls.
7. Elbows should neve be between the knees. Arms should be slightly bent with elbows out.
8. Be careful not to tip the pitch by taking a certain certain catching position with a certain type of pitch. Example don't move up on curveballs and stayting deep on fastballs.

Position of Bare Hand when Catching

1. The bare hand is held either behind your back or behind the leg.
2. Hold the bare hand in a relaxed semi cupped position because a clenched fist is hard and therefore more prone to injury and/or broken bones.

Giving Signs

1. Give signs in the crouch position with the glove placed to side and below the kneeto conceal signals from the third base coach.
2. Have your toes straight and have your legs close enough together so the signs can not be seen by either the third baseman or first baseman.
3. To give signs, place the hand against the crotch with forearm pressed against your side. Maske sure your fingers are not down to low and the back of the hand faces the pitcher.

Calling of Plays

1. The catcher is the voice of the team and must be heard at all times.
2. The catcher should always be quick in his calls and decisive.
3. Knowing your Pitchers fielding ability, the runners speed, and the score of the game are all important. Try to stay out of big innings by thinking ahead and using good judgement early in games. Pitching too fine and gambling early is not smart.

Fielding Position

1. Don;t be moving around when your pitcher is in the windup.
2. Understand the situation some you are prepared to handle the bunt or come up throwing.
3. Remembder the cardinal sin of a catcher is to let the ball get past you beneath your body. Keep the ball in front of you.
4. Field all rolling balls with two hands keeping the glove in front of the ball when possible.
5. Work outside most of the time.
6. Encourage you pitcher to throw balls in the dirt with two strikes.
7. Think two out of three pitches to be strikes.
8. There are times when you do not want to give into the hitter.
9. Slow down the pace of the game late in the game.
10. Try not to let the pitcher get careless.
11. When you are ahead in the game don't pitch to fine. Make the hitters put the ball in play and throw strikes.
12. Check infielders and outfielders for proper position and pitch the hitters thatg way.
13. Runner on first or second with no outs, try to make the hitter hit the ball to the left side.
14. Infield in or runner on first, work the pitcher to throw ground ball.
15. The catcher should should take the final minutes of warm up from the pitcher to determine what kind of stuff the pitcher has before the game.
16. Stay off the umpires as this will tend to get pitchers into trouble with calls and it is tough enough to pitch under normal circumstances.

Double Play at Home

1. Think double play but get the out at home for certain and if possible go for the out at first. But get the out at home!!!!
2. Stand with both feet on home when waiting for the throw. If the throw is good, the first step should be your left foot, followed by a crow hop to carry you out of the path of the runner coming home, then throw to first. Make the play at home like a first baseman forgetting about the runner going to first. Only after you secure the out at home should you worry about the out at first.

Rundown betwen Third and Home

1. All rundowns should be designed to get the runner with only one throw at the base they were coming from. Run the runner back!!!
2. If the runner is close to third, throw the ball to the third baseman and let him start chasing the runner toward home. The catcher should move up the line five to ten feet in front of the plate to short the distance between you and the charging third baseman. In your judgement when the runner is close enough to you that you can take the throw and tag the runner out without the runner getting by you, yell "now" and start moving toward the third baseman. The third baseman should throw it on your first step.
   

Fielding the Wild Pitch and Making the Play at the Plate

1. Break instantly for the ball, drop the mask enroute to the ball.
2. As you approach the ball, slide to the side on your left shin guard and hip. Very similiar to a straight up slide with the left leg tucked.
3. If the ball has stopped grab it with your bare hand, come up on left knee and throw from the side rather than over the top in normal catcher fashion. If the ball is rolling as you are sliding beside it, place the bare hand in its path and let the ball roll into your grasp.