Catcher's Defense
1. The catcher’s signals should be considered as suggestions. The catcher should always be looking for weaknesses or tendencies in each hitter. His suggestions or signs to the pitcher should be based on these tendencies as he attempts to stay ahead in the count. Three common tendencies to look for are:
·
‘Blind Spots’
- what type of pitch or what location makes the hitter ‘flinch’ or jump
·
‘Takes Strikes’
- does he always take strikes in certain locations - he acts like he doesn’t
like the pitches in certain spots on the plate
· ‘Chase Zone’ - are there certain pitches that he always seems to swing at (An example: low and away)
2. Know which pitch to throw and what location based on where the batter positions him in the batter box:
· ‘Closed’ stance - pitch inside, fastball
· ‘Open’ stance - pitch outside, fastball then curve
· ‘Up in the box’ - high, fastball
· Back in the box, pitch breaking balls
3. Spot hitters weaknesses during pre-game batting practice and during the game. Indicated below are common faults with suggested pitches:
Fault Pitch to Use
· Stepping out or ‘in the bucket’ Outside pitch
· Hitching Fast ball up
· Lunging Off speed, curve
· Over striding High fast ball, stay inside
· Drop rear shoulder Inside pitches
· Pull head Curve balls, sliders
4. The catcher and pitcher should sit next to each other during the game between innings so that they can discuss what went right or wrong in the past inning. But more importantly, review whom they will face the next inning (Top of the batting order? Bottom?), discuss how they will pitch to them and develop a plan.
5. A good receiver will keep his body as still as possible. He will expand the strike zone with his hands. Umpires tend to call balls on catchers who sway or move around too much. An umpire is basically guessing on the outside pitch and any movement by the catcher can make some strikes look like balls.
6. In a non-running situation, the catcher should set up on the corner and turn his body slightly into the plate. This opens up a visual lane for the umpire and enables the catcher to catch the ball closer to the plate.
7. The catcher must be sensitive to the umpire’s strike zone. You might not like it - but its his. Work with it - not against it.
8.
Try to expand the umpire’s strike zone by moving in or out - not up or down.
9. Keep tempo and keep your pitcher in his rhythm - get the ball back to him quickly between each pitch.
10. On pop fouls behind the plate, don’t throw your mask until the ball reaches its highest point. Always throw it to your right side. Throw it - don’t just drop it.
11. On pop fouls, a right-handed batter’s popped foul ball will be to the catcher’s right side. Conversely, a left-handed batter’s popped foul ball will be to the catchers left side. With that understanding a catchers first move is to immediately spin to his right for a right handed batter and immediately to his left for a left handed batter.
12. In a non-running situation, learn to ‘sit’ on a pitch. On a close pitch, rather than rising up to return the ball to the pitcher, just sit for a moment. Timing is critical. Hold the ball long enough to give the umpire a good clear look at it.
13. In a non-running situation, if you drop a pitch that is clearly in or close to the strike zone - don’t move your glove - ‘sit’ - dropped pitches always look like balls and the catcher should never add to the illusion by reaching after them.
14.
Catchers need to ‘split’ home plate to improve the changes of a called strike
on pitches thrown on the corners of the plate. Imagine a line beginning at
the point of the plate and going directly under you. Facing the pitcher, consider
the right side the first base side of home plate and the left side the third
base side. The pitch called determines which side of the plate you move. For
example if you call an outside pitch, move to the right side. Shift your left
foot to the imaginary line and your right foot beyond the outside corner so
that you position the middle of your body directly on the outside corner of
the plate. Be sure that your glove is in the middle
of your body directly on the outside of the plate.
15. Use ‘ankle sway’ to catch a ball that is off target. ‘Ankle Sway’ is moving your body slightly towards the ball by shifting your body with your ankles. Be sure to:
· Keep your shoulders square to the Pitcher. Do not reach out with your glove. When you reach out you are turning your shoulders and the ball looks like it is farther away and the umpire will assume the ball was too outside and call it a ball.
· Keep your glove in the middle of your body.
Note: The only time you reach out is if the ball is well outside - then you need to be sure that you catch the ball.
16. When you split the plate, do not move too soon so that the batter picks up where you are positioning yourself. If he does he knows where the pitch is going. Wait until the pitcher is about to release the ball.
17.
On balls in the dirt, when you slide over, be sure that you angle your body towards the plate.
18. To help you to relax your glove hand, after the Pitcher gets to his ‘break point’, make a ‘half turn’ with your glove hand – imaging turning your hand as if someone was handing you a can of soda and you are going to hold it and take a drink. This allows the Catcher to reach all types of pitches and helps frame the ball.
· On all pitches that are from your right shoulder and to your right use the Pivot Method
· On all pitches from the middle of your body and to your left use the Jump Shift Method
· When using the Jump Shift method be sure to ‘replace your left foot with your right foot’
· The three most common faults a catcher makes with the Jump Shift Method:
· Not getting closed is the #1 reason for bad throws.