Catchers and pre-game
June 3, 2011 by Coach McCreary
Filed under Catching, Coaching
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| Seeing how a throw bounces in front of home plate is not something you want to find out with a runner approaching and the game on the line. |
One of the problems that catchers have during pre-game infield/outfield is that many throws to home plate from the outfield are not able (or allowed) to continue straight through to the catcher. Many, if not all of them, are cut-off by fielders and then thrown home to the catcher. This can be a problem because the catcher is unable to see how balls bounce in front of the plate. Obviously, this is more of a problem on away fields where a player is unsure how the field plays. As a result, the first time the catcher sees a ball bounce in front of the plate on a throw from the outfield tends to be during the game, sometimes at a very important time during the game. Catchers should know how the field plays well prior to any play during the game. There are three easy ways to help catchers get this valuable information during infield/outfield practice.
Force them to wear a mask. My catchers are required to wear their mask anytime a ball is being thrown to home plate. The first obvious reason is safety. The catcher never knows how a ball will bounce until it does. Therefore, the threat always exists of a throw bouncing wildly and hitting a catcher in the face. The second reason is more practical. To help protect themselves on a possible collision with a runner trying to score, a catcher should always have his mask on during plays at the plate and needs to get used to seeing and receiving throws while looking through the bars of the mask. If he should be wearing the mask in the game, he should be required to wear it in practice as well.
Years ago the catcher would throw off his mask at a play at the plate for the purpose of better visibility of the ball coming in.
Now they also are required to wear a mask in the bullpen warming up a pitcher.