CATCHING

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CATCHING

• BHS BASEBALL

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Teaching Goals

• Our players will
• Learn proper techniques of blocking balls in the
  dirt.
• Understand our philosophy of pitch calling.
• Learn proper techniques of throwing on base
  stealing attempts.
• Provide leadership and effectively interact with
  pitchers.
• Learn to receive the ball and frame pitches.
• Learn to field bunts and pop-ups.
• Be responsible for knowing the scouting report
  and working with the coaching staff in its
  preparation.

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Requirements

• Must be able to catch the ball (more important
  than throwing)
• Must be tough physically and mentally. Must be
  resilient, unselfish, confident, a squared-away-
  person and a baseball guy (student of the
  game)
• Cant be hurt all the time or living in the
  training room, catcher has greater physical
  demands than any other position
• Needs lower body flexibility, quick first step
  lateral movement, arm accuracy and strength

• Hustle at all times, runs to position, after
  passed balls, etc.
• Initiate communication between all players
• Be positive in dealing with pitchers. Be firm,
  provide leadership, and be encouraging. Must
  build trust.
• Does not need to be a chatterbox when he says
  something everyone should take note

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Responsibilities

• Must understand the philosophy of the coaching
  staff on how we will get people out. Even if
  coaches call pitches he must be thinking along
  and understand the why pitches are called.
• Catcher sets the tone and tempo of the game,
  handles the ball on almost every play and all
  eyes are on him
• Must win the confidence and trust of pitching
  staff. Does not have to be their buddy but must
  be able to work with them. Must handle each one
  individually and recognize each pitcher responds
  differently.
• Must know the scouting report
• Set the tone for how we expect to play the game.
  Get the pitcher into our tempo, get out there in
  a hurry, get the job done, get back in the dugout
  and lets hit.

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Sign Giving Stance

• Goal is for our players to get the sign and the
  other team does not.
• Feet close together, heels nearly clicking, toes
  pointed out.
• Should be close enough to hitter to reach out and
  touch his back elbow.
• Knees pointed at SS and 2B, 1B and 3B should not
  see signs (ask them!!).

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Giving Signs

• Left arm down left leg, wrist bends at knee to
  use glove to hide signs from 3B coach
• Run right hand down inseam to directly in front
  of cup
• Dont drag sign out, put hand into glove, be
  careful of shadows
• Come out the same every time, on every type of
  pitch (be aware of both and feet action)

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Receiving Stance(Nobody On)

• Weight on inside of feet
• Elbow flexed, over left knee, glove not too far
  out or too close to body, must be able to give
  slightly with the pitch
• Bare hand either behind back or protected behind
  glove

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Receiving Stance (runners on)

• Feet slightly more than shoulder width, flat
  footed, weight
• On balls of feet, toes pointed out, feet
  staggered (right foot slightly back)
• Elbows outside knees
• Back somewhat straight (not slouched), rear end
  up, keep head higher than shoulders

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Receiving the Ball

• Relax glove as pitcher breaks hands, rotate glove
  on release to reach neutral position
• Glove arm semi-extended, elbow outside knee
• Arm, elbow and wrist relaxed (do not get hand too
  deep into glove) wrist must be flexible
• Meet ball as close to home plate as possible
  without reaching out
• Must be relaxed and smooth, dont stab at the
  ball
• Two-hand catch, keep bare hand at same level as
  ball (slide hand up arm to elbow as glove moves
  to ball)

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Framing

• Frame only close (marginal pitches)
• Keep body movement to minimum (slight movement to
  outside pitch is okay)
• Hold long enough to give the umpire a good look,
  not show him up
• Catch the low strike with the glove up

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Frame the low fastball or change with this method.
You must catch the low breaking ball this
way. (palm up)
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Pitch down
Pitch up
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Framing

• Catch the low strike with the glove up
• Get fingers around the pitch (cup the ball)
• Outside pitch elbow up
• Goal dont lose an actual strike, umpire is
  usually guessing on outside pitch ?let the close
  pitch sit
• Dont pull pitch into strike zone

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Pitch Away
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Blocking

• Block all the time bullpen, batting practice, no
  one on
• Do some grounds keeping keep the area around
  plate smooth and be sure there is not an edge to
  home plate that is going to make bad bounces
• Goal is to block ball on to plate
• Attempt to cut distance from where ball hits
  ground and you
• Block all pitches in the dirt, do not attempt to
  catch

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Blocking

• Jab with foot closest to ball, drive off opposite
  leg and drop to both knees, knees out, feet out
  (make hole small)
• Use hip flexors to get to ball, keep butt down ?
  cut-off and surround
• Stay square to the ball, catch ball with chest
• Round shoulders, soft body, relax on impact

Ball to right
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Blocking

• Chin down, look ball in thumbs out, -fork-
  glove into ground, block hole between legs
• On ball to outside attempt to get hips around
  the ball and block back towards plate, get both
  knees down, try to get closer to bounce, be more
  aggressive than pitch straight on

Ball to Left
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Throwing

• Catch ball close to body, dont reach out for
  ball
• Catch ball with two hands
• Take ball out of glove with four fingers, then
  adjust to grip the ball across the seams

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Throwing
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• Break hands out in front of chest (take ball out
  of shirt pocket)
• Goal is to step (with left foot), catch, throw
• With pitch around the plate use right, left,
  throw method
• click heels with right foot replacing left,
  almost squared off to 2nd, almost bringing target
  shoulder on line

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Throwing

• Throw from within the catchers box, short arm
  swing to goal-post (lead shoulder, elbow, and hip
  targeting 2nd base), elbow up
• Throw keep head still, come out low, arm goes
  forward when front foot hits ? use good throwing
  mechanics!!
• With ball well out of strike zone must use
  step-catch-throw method, outside pitch get head
  on 1b side of ball

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Throwing

• Ball in dirt gt rake it (only hope to throw out
  runner)
• Throw through hitters who are in the way (do not
  try to avoid contact)
• Throwing to third pitch location and batter
  stance will determine (generally pitch on inside
  half throw behind, outside half over or in front)

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Tag Play at the Plate

• Left foot in line with 3B bag
• Leave the back of home plate open for runner to
  slide.

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• Catch throw and secure with two hands.
• Step to runner and attempt to spin the sliding
  runner.
• Tag aggressively.

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Fielding Bunts

• Scoop the ball with two hands, look at ball until
  you have a grip
• Circle ball as needed to get momentum going
  towards target, get target shoulder on line
• 3b line either circle or reverse pivot (step
  over ball with right foot)
• 1b line clear runner (inside or outside)
• Communicate where you are going with the ball

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Fielding Pop-ups

• Remove mask and locate ball
• Get back to the infield (butt to pitchers mound)
  and allow ball to come to you
• Move to the ball under control, run smoothly, do
  not allow head to bounce

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Pop-ups

• Throw mask away after locating the ball
• Catch the ball with two hands over head (like an
  outfielder)
• Go for all balls until called off

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Passed Balls, Wild Pitches

• Slide to ball
• Rake it in glove
• Locate pitcher and throw to home plate