The Catcher’s Position
Ever wonder what the keys are behind a pitchers dominate start or performance? Well believe it or not, it really starts with how the catcher can keep the pitcher composed, how well they know the scouting reports of each hitter, and how well they can call a game behind home plate. A catcher who has proved to be capable of all aspects of catching at an elite level would be Jonathon Lucroy who received his fame through the Milwaukee Brewers but was acquired last season by the Texas Rangers in a late season, playoff run. The Rangers not only went after him because of his hitting success but also for his ability to defend and call a game for a pitcher behind the plate. This is the position in baseball that can change a game entirely, whether it’s the flow of the game or the intelligence of the game. The catcher is required to be thinking the most on the field. It is their job to know every situation, each and every sign from the manager to give back to his infielders, and in most cases what pitch to call for a pitcher and where to place his glove for the pitcher as a target. If a pitcher and a catcher have solid chemistry together and seem to work well with one another, that could be just as important as anything towards a shutdown performance from a pitcher because his catcher knows exactly where he likes to pitch to against certain hitters and they know together how to get them out. To be above the rest as a catcher, a cannon of an arm is required. There will always be base runners who will try to steal at any level in baseball so a catcher must work on his arm strength any chance they get with resistance weight lifting, throwing drills and long toss. With preparation and the right amount of training, a catcher will be gunning down baserunners in a hurry whether it’s a throw to second or third. Runners will eventually know that their chances are slim of arriving safely to their desired base.
It is also important for a catcher to be well aware of who’s at what base and if the runners are looking away and paying no attention to them because than that would be a great opportunity to fire one down to whichever base the runner is at in effort to catch them sleeping and pick the runner off. Defense is another huge aspect of the position. The ability to block breaking balls as well as keeping them in front and at arm’s reach is a part of the dynamics that consist of a great defensive catcher. Tag placement for a catcher receiving the ball at home plate is key as well, especially because it may lead to a game deciding run. When catching the ball in a play at the plate situation, the catcher knowing where they are around the plate and the trajectory of where the ball is going to arrive is the first part of executing the play. The second part is receiving the ball cleanly, staying out of the base path to avoid catcher’s interference, and applying the tag on the runner with two hands to avoid the ball coming lose before they touch home plate. If these are all done well in the result of countless hours of training and practice, than achieving success at a high level at the catcher’s position is more than possible for any young aspiring catchers looking to be in the big leagues someday.
