Catchers Protect Your Umpire!!
One of the most significant roles we work to develop in our catching students is their role as the protector of their umpire. We all have seen many times when a pitch goes in the dirt, the catcher misses the block, and the umpire takes the hit. This can happen more often when there are no runners on base and the catchers many times do not see the need to block a pitch in the dirt. After talking to umpires all over the country we have come to understand that a safe umpire is a happy umpire and a happy umpire is what we all want to have setting up behind our catcher.
Catchers that use 2 different stances many times are unsure how to execute a block when they are in their deep no-runners on stance. While this block is more difficult then when executed from a higher runners-on stance it can still be executed if practiced. The clip below shows the technique executed by a softball player. The technique is the same for a baseball catcher. The key is the legs and hips must be driven down and back much harder then if they use a higher runners-on stance. Likewise if the throwing hand is kept behind the leg it must be brought to the front behind the glove much faster then if the hand is kept out front behind the glove.
The bottom line is whether runners are on base or not your catcher needs to learn skills that will protect the umpire from getting hit. The temptation is to try and catch or “pick” the low pitches when there are no runners on base. My recommendation is to train your catchers to block everything. If your catcher achieves this they will also be helping their pitcher to build more confidence in them as a catcher as well.
Video courtesy of Chaz Wood with Advanced Catching Concepts Liberty Mo
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