Catcher back up first ?

There are always variables concerning the playing field and age level. What age level are you talking about?
I believe the catcher should always back up first with no one on. Some L.L. fields have no foul territory to speak of, but its still a good habit to teach and learn.
With a man on 1st, I like the catcher to trail the runner or play and be prepared for anything. He doesn't want to get caught way up the line if the overthrow is into rf foul territory. The pitcher covering is a good option. During Inf practice is the time to work on these aspects of the game, create a game plan. Then when the situation arizes, the players will know where to be.

If you want to keep catching, you'd better be backing up first. For some young catchers, running down to backup first on ground balls seems like work or some kind of punishment for a kid who already has to work harder physically than any other position player. The payoff will come when one day you run down to back up the first baseman and there is an overthrow, and when you gather the ball and look up, the runner is halfway to second and you know that you've got him gunned down before you even make the throw. THAT is the reward for doing your job correctly every time, all the time.

The catchers in our summer program have elevated backing up first to something of a contest. A couple of them actually try to get to their backup position ahead of the runner reaching first. It is a point of pride for them that they can come out of their crouch and occasionally outrun a batter even though they're wearing gear. It doesn't happen often, but is something they strive for and also puts them in great backup position.

Always back up first in appropriate situations.

06:
That is exactly what my son does - tries to beat the runner to 1st. He can sometimes beat the slower guys (or the ones who are dogging a routine grounder.)

I always backup first and I like to race the runner down the line. Of course, I have to go farther since I have to run at an angle, but it's still fun

And I always hear people comment about it too, because a lot of catchers here don't do it.


On a similar note, fly balls-- ANY foul balls that could even be close to being in play gets chased down by me. All the way to the fence even if it lands 10-15 yards out of play. A lot of catchers barely move on fly balls unless it's guarenteed that they will catch it.

Let me assure any catcher out there who ever wonders about this stuff. Scouts and college coaches definitely notice those catchers who sprint to back up first, and who are always hustling and showing leadership on the field.

They also notice those who don't.

Its just a matter of how you want to be noticed, and regarded.

OK - It's a Yes for the situations I noted - what is the proper technique?

Flip off mask 1st?
How far from 1st is your target?
1st base coach issues?

Thanks

dparz, drop the mask a few steps up the line (in the grass)
your target will vary depending on the size of the in play area & what's bounding it - ie: fence or hard wall.

I'd think alot more about arriving at "your spot" where you could help on an overthrow/miss, than racing the runner. for some throws it could be well short of the bag

I've seen some guys hustle their butt off only to find they're too far up the line & out of position to help - it looks like they understand "hustle", but not "baseball"

maybe it's just me, but hustle with no purpose is annoying & a turn-off

good luck

why flip off mask? mask should almost never come off unless you need it off for a pop up behind plate. Plays at the plate, the mask should never come off.

jmk,
I'd agree that the protection the mask offers is nice, but do you run your timed 60 yd with it?
you do have decent field of vision with it, but better without it.
I'll add that my reference is to the mask/skullcap - & it often needs adjusted/straightened after a throw to 2b, will you be adjusting it while making a play on the missed throw?
how does that work?

Do you see professional catchers taking there masks off? I do not recall the last time I have seen one take it off. It may limit you view a bit, but taking your mask off takes time and takes your eye off the ball for a split second that could end up costing you. I say just leave it on.

Generally, catchers are going to leave their masks on, except for pop ups, especially if they're wearing the hocky mask rather than a skull cap and mask.

Chairman, pretty obvious that catchers need to arrive at an area to back up and that won't always be all the way to the bag, such as a ground ball to 2nd baseman. But, when the situation calls for the catcher to be as far or farther than the bag, the catcher should be sprinting down there. I've seen many a situation where a hustling catcher either prevented a runner from trying to advance from 2nd to 3rd, or gunned him down when he tried, and this couldn't have happened if the catcher wasn't in position early by sprinting down the line in foul territory. They had the ball quickly, and that is the point of backing up.

jmk,

You should take your mask of for sure. If you are going to back up a play there is a good chance that you have to pick up the ball off the ground and then make a throw to a base. That is very tough to do, especially to look down through the mask at the ground with the bottom pad being there and wires etc... Just as a catcher takes off his mask after a block so he can see where to pick up the ball easier and prevent it from getting in his vision if he has to throw, he should take it off after every ball hit so that he can see the best. What makes him need protection after a pitch is thrown? Im sure he can catch just as well as the other players in the field. Major league catchers take their mask off every block so they can see down and throw more effectively. It doesn't take any time because you should be doing it as you stand up to start going towards first. Of course this is all my opinion but I think it makes pretty good sense. I would gladly consider another point of view though.

quote:

Originally posted by turn two:
jmk,

You should take your mask of for sure. If you are going to back up a play there is a good chance that you have to pick up the ball off the ground and then make a throw to a base. That is very tough to do, especially to look down through the mask at the ground with the bottom pad being there and wires etc... Just as a catcher takes off his mask after a block so he can see where to pick up the ball easier and prevent it from getting in his vision if he has to throw, he should take it off after every ball hit so that he can see the best. he should take it off after every ball hit so that he can see the best. What makes him need protection after a pitch is thrown? Im sure he can catch just as well as the other players in the field. Major league catchers take their mask off every block so they can see down and throw more effectively. It doesn't take any time because you should be doing it as you stand up to start going towards first. Of course this is all my opinion but I think it makes pretty good sense. I would gladly consider another point of view though.

You should never have your mask off with a play at the plate. I have been told this by numberour D-1 coaches and ex pro. players. ON blocks I will sometimes take off my mask depending on the situation. When backing up 1st, i will rarely take it off and this is only when the ball is against the fence.

quote:

Just as a catcher takes off his mask after a block so he can see where to pick up the ball easier and prevent it from getting in his vision if he has to throw, he should take it off after every ball hit so that he can see the best. What makes him need protection after a pitch is thrown?

I could not disagree more strongly. Any number of things can and often do happen on the field, and, with all due respect to pitchers and their come-backers, I would argue that most of the dangerous ones happen at or near the plate.

Case in point...

quote:

Erstad planted his left shoulder into Estrada's facemask in a violent home-plate collision in the eighth inning, giving Los Angeles the lead and sending Estrada to the hospital.

quote:

Johnny Estrada continues to have back problems stemming from his home plate collision with Darin Erstad a couple of months ago, and they have wound up putting him on the disabled list.

KEEP THE MASK ON!!!!!!

(Edit note...occurs to me that three of the images I used may be copywrited. Therefore, removed them.)

hokie that crash is not a fair analogy

the mask would not protect his back

.

Bee,

Erstad would be less likely to come in with a high elbow to the neck if Estrada is wearing the face mask.

quote:

quote:
Erstad planted his left shoulder into Estrada's facemask in a violent home-plate collision in the eighth inning, giving Los Angeles the lead and sending Estrada to the hospital.

Shoulder to the Facemask...

He was wearing it at the time! It's fairly safe to say that Johnny's problems would not have been limited to his back had he tossed the mask.

RE: the small picture is kind of difficult to see details on. I had assumed he had one piece of a two piece face mask on. My bad.

Would you catch without a mask on? Of course NOT!! A thrown ball is a thrown ball. Yes, a catcher should be able to catch the ball as well as others, but that isn't always so easy when you have a guy coming down the line at you even if he can't run you over, the thought is still there.

I don't take my mask off except on a fly ball high above the homeplate area. Anywhere back near the fence I don't because I'm going after any ball near the fence even if there is little chance. Therefore, the chance of me running head-on into the fence is very likely. Or the dugout, whatever. I've also been known to dive after balls too in full catchers gear. There are a few times I probably should take the mask off on pop flies, but I prefer keeping it on.

I always took my mask up until two years ago. Watching the varsity catcher take a baseball from the rightfielder, short hopped him. Right in the eye and he hit the ground hard and stayed there. Our coach now requires the mask to stay on. Only exception is popups. And that one is kind of up to us to decide.

2 good times to take off the mask:
1) the National Anthem
2) AFTER the inning is over
We even catch pop ups with it on.... a. you can see an 80 mph fastball you can see a popup. b. ball hits detached equipment I believe is a two-base award...

My son backs up first everytime. We have some that do and some that don't. We have a new catching coach this year - so we will see what he does with tha. He is "old school", I would imagine he will have them backing it up. Son goes to corner of dugout on our field because we have a line in front of dugout that is out of play and we don't want the ball going in there. Mask - we keep it on, always after what happened to our catcher 2 years ago.

After what happened to Andrew two years ago and the fact that my face seems to be ball-magnet, I'll keep mine on

In the old days, the mask was held in place by a 'Y' shaped strap and a band of cloth or leather around the head. Wearing it over the baseball cap in a turn around position maintained that the catcher wore the complete uniform.

These masks would move around when a catcher would run. It made sense to take off the mask to avoid having it move into your line of sight.

The one piece masks that catchers use today can be worn throughout the game on defense.

1988-89 one of those, I remember playing on one of the fields at Pirate City in Bradenton during Spring training and seeing this old looking guy backing up first on a ground ball to the infield. It happened to be Carlton Fisk(white sox then). As a young minor leaguer, I remember thinking how impressive it was to see a Hall of Famer backing up first after all those years.

We were at a PG Showcase last summer in Massachusetts and I was watching the outfielders do their throws to third and home. The catchers were taking turns on the throws to the plate and I remember thinking as I watched "Hey that kid's not wearing his mask, is he nuts?". Not 15 seconds later here comes the throw from right field, it takes a funny skip on the edge of the dirt in front of the plate and CRUNCH. My son, who was the next catcher in line said the boy's bottom teeth were pushed in about 45 degrees and he had a nasty split on his lip. End of showcase. On the other hand, my own son is pretty good about keeping his on in those types of situations and practices and warm ups, but in a game I can't seem to get him to leave it on! Flips it off when backing up bases, chasing wild pitches, on blocks he doesn't control well, AND I don't think I've ever seen him make a tag at the plate because my eyes are always slammed closed! When I slowly open one eye and the dust is clearing and he's standing there unhurt, then I relax. I call him on it constantly, but he says on action plays like that he doesn't feel like anyone can hear him shouting directions if he has it on. When I tell him to shout the directions but keep the mask in his hand to put it back on, he says he has too much else to think about at those times. If you ask me, I think it's just a bad habit that could be broken eventually with a little work. I've never heard one coach from ages 7-17 mention it to him, so why should he listen to me?

I asked & also I viewed the video I had available - this is regarding mask/skullcap

at college level I see the mask come OFF

poptime brings up a good point, how do you call the "cut" with mask on?

anything you say sounds like "cmmsmmph" if it is even heard by anyone

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Talking about a goalie-style mask here as I assume all high schoolers have to wear them now...


I lose the mask 3 times during the game.
1) ball to the backstop
2) pop fly behind homeplate
3) at the end of the inning as I'm running off the field

That's it. You are more than capable of giving commands to your infielders with your mask on. If they can't hear you, you either have to speak up or they have to start listening. Play at the plate you should always have your mask on!! I've seen it here take a bounce off the infield grass and put a 225# tough-as-nails catcher/football player in the dirt real fast. Right to the eye. Sat out almost two weeks.

With enough practice I think your infielders may also be able to determine whether to cut it or not sometimes. We keep it real simple in that the only time we say anything at all it is "CUT!" or "CUT 2!" and nothing else. That way there is only one sound needed and if the infielder hears something, they cut it.

Who is giving commands to your outfielders on which base to throw it to on extra base hits? I know the infielders are supposed to be echoing what the catcher says but it doesn't always happen. I'd be willing to bet that an outfielder cannot distinguish "2!, 3! or 4!" from 250-300 feet away when the catcher leaves his mask on.

Disagree.

Long "u" (two,two), long "e" (three,three), and "or" (four,four) do not sound the same. Who needs consonants.

Last I checked the catcher wasn't supposed to be yelling to the outfielder but rather to the infielder. The outfielder SHOULD know ahead time where the ball is supposed to go in certain situations.

All apart of the mental side of baseball.

Respectfully disagree Bulldog. Outfielders chasing down a gapper or something over their head have no clue what's going on behind them and neither do infielders heading out for relays and cuts. The catcher is the only one on the field with the entire play in front of him. He should be shouting directions and as I mentioned earlier, infielders should be echoing what he says. Just the way I've been taught and have taught. But I doooo liiiike Florida Hokieeeee's ideeeeeea!!!!

Poptime, I don't think you understood. Or maybe I just said it wrong...

Ball over their head or in the gap the catcher should be calling it out, but are you really expecting the catcher to yell out to the outfielder 330+ feet away?!?

Besides, one reason the infielder going out on the cut should be yelling is so that the outfielder can find them because most likely the outfielder is not going to be throwing the ball from the gap to third or to homeplate.

You're right, I read it wrong. We agree...I think.

Outfielders are trained and practiced to turn after a gapper and find their cutoff man who is listening to the calls which could be from the 3b or the catcher. The outfielders certainly do have a clue as they know a gapper will produce 2-3 bases and they should always know whos on base and how many.
I have taught my catchers to put their mask and shin guards on when they come out to warm up before practice. They will always practice the whole time with it on. It comes off for pop-ups, and end of the inning, but not much else. Our guys haven't had a problem being heard.

to build on what Coachric said, imo, signals aren't going to the outfielder; they're going to the middle infielders getting the relay.

my outfielders are trained to get the ball and throw to the relay man. The outfielder should know where that is. Assuming the ball gets to the wall and its a sure double, possible triple, the outfielder only has one play. He's not listening for what base to throw to. He's NOT throwing to a base!

Its the middle infielder who is listening for the signal on whether to throw to third, home, or just cut it.

i never take my mask off except for fly balls. when i run down to first base i keep my mask on and position myself for an over or underthrow. when there is a play at the plate i keep my mask on. bunts i keep my mask on. i do this for many reasons...
1. it takes time to take off mask and that time is needed for bunts.
2. when there is a play at the play i keep the mask on to protect myself if i need to block the ball on a bad or wild throw.

my mask is fit to my head pretty well. i have never had any problems with it during these situations.

Easy always back up first with no one on base and batter hits a grounder. Always back up first base with a guy on first and batter hits a grounder. Then hustle back if the ball gets through.

what is a good time, say for the sprint from home to first. Right now, my coach doesn't have me doing it, but I would like to get faster over the summer because I am slow right now, and he would be somewhat impressed if I got quicker, so what is a good time to shoot for, not like speedy or anything, but fast enough for the catcher to be down there to be able to actually do something if there really is a passed ball?