CATCHING and WORKING WITH YOUR PITCHER

The time honored term "battery" has come down to us through the years as a traditional baseball/softball term to define the relationship between the pitcher and catcher. A battery in military terms describes a group of artillery pieces which by definition deliver missiles to a target. Possibly the term itself goes back to Civil War times when a "good game of ball" was played by soldiers of both sides as a favorite form of recreation. In any case, the relationship between the pitcher and catcher is crucial to a successful fastpitch team.

COMPATABILITY

Catchers have the tough job of keeping pitchers motivated and emotionally stable while on the mound. They are ultimately responsible for pitcher productivity. Coaches can help with advice and encouragement between innings as well, but the catcher and pitcher are the ones who have to do it during the game. It's the catcher who should call the signals. It's the catcher who can call time out, go to the mound, and talk to a wild pitcher without the threat of removal. A good catcher will know her pitcher's strengths and weaknesses and consequently be able to help a struggling pitcher with advice on mechanics or strategy. That is why catchers need to be taught how to pitch or how to teach pitching. Catchers need to be able to compliment their pitcher on good pitches, good plays, and good games. All these things place a big burden on the catcher to control the game by controlling the pitching process by understanding and leading the pitcher.

SKILLS

To make this relationship work, both the pitcher and catcher must be able to perform their respective skills satisfactorily. Repetitive successful skills execution, in competition, will build winning team confidence for all. it's not good to have coaches calling signals or making all the situational decisions. If you teach players the fundamentals they are quite capable of playing the game correctly at any age level.

Catchers have to be able to receive the ball. There can be no question as to whether she can catch a given pitcher. A "strong arm" can dominate a game by not allowing base runners to advance or by picking them off. Not dropping pop-ups, holding onto third strikes/foul tips, fielding bunts, and plate blocking are critical skills that must be mastered before full confidence will be given the catcher by the team and especially the pitcher. Just being able to accurately return the ball back to the pitcher will build trust and rapport between these two dominant personality types. Most importantly catchers must want the responsibility and want to play catcher.

Pitchers have to be able to throw. Their pitches must consistently be in and around the plate. Ideally they must be able to throw strikes on command, throw the requested pitch on signal, and pitch confidently to locations. Pitchers must be able to field the position.

OPPOSING PLAYER ABILITY

Strategically, the battery has a number of situational things to consider as they work together on controlling the game. They must live within the framework of each other's ability. Whether the pitcher features speed or ball movement pitches, or uses a combination of both, all this will influence catcher signal calling patterns. Knowing your pitcher's best pitch and when to use it, and/or when your pitcher has confidence in using it, is fundamental to getting batters out.

The confrontation with the batter also puts into play signal calling strategies designed to limit or control the abilities of the batter. Throwing hard inside pitches at the hands to exceptional bunters, hurling junk or slow moving waste/change-up pitches inside to known pull hitters, and pitching change-ups and corner pitches against strong anxious hitters are all examples of this.

These strategies also should take into account exceptional players who you know are going to get their share of hits no matter who is pitching. Here a key consideration may be to selectively walk these stars. At the very least, you don't give them anything to hit for extra bases especially with runners on. The same kinds of thoughts can guide your strategy against a fast team known to bunt and run a lot. The pitching strategy may be to pitch risers and very low fastballs with one or more strikes on batters to prevent excessive stealing and drag bunting.

Both the pitcher and catcher have to be taught to think in a parallel fashion when confronted by these things. The pitcher must also be confident of her pitches.

CONTROLLING GAME SITUATIONS

The battery must always be aware of the game situation. This includes devising strategies to deal with the prospect of runners on, number of outs, score, inning, who's up in the batting order, where they hit last time, and how their team is playing. Utilization of pitch outs or easily handled fastballs may put some crimp in base stealing with the winning run on first and one out. Utilizing drops or low fastballs are designed to get that ground out with runners in scoring position. If you have a true gunner, going right for the strikeout may be the right thing to do.

Additionally, the battery is always looking for game situations when a hit and run or a sacrifice is appropriate. Pitching a riser may get the pop-up on the sacrifice while a drop or low fastball may get a double play grounder hit to the infield. They also may have discovered a pattern to the way the opposition takes advantage of certain game situations.

OUTSIDE FORCES

It goes without saying that umpires have a direct effect upon what kinds of pitches are called. Depending upon their strike zones and their individual calling strengths and weaknesses, the battery must consider using the best pitch to throw in a very crucial situations. With the score tied, bases loaded, and the count 3-2, the battery may want to call a pitch location which the umpire has consistently called a strike throughout the game. A good battery will take advantage of what you can get and what the umpire is calling. If he or she is consistently calling inside strikes a little off the plate and missing every outside but on the plate strike, the situation of what to call or not call frequently is obvious. The battery must adjust to the officials and not just complain.

Working together, a good battery can deliver its missile on target every time with maximum effect. Teamwork and communication are essential. As a pitcher's and catcher's relationship and mutual trust develop, joint game strategy discussions should and will become routine. If that confidence is missing, it will be a long season and chances of it being a winning one are slim and none. They must be able to communicate with each other and be able to work together with mutual respect.

By Bill Redmer, Publisher, FastPitch World Magazine