Leadership in Catchers - Can we coach it?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jon Crouch on April 1, 2010 at 11:47am

Kevin,

You have a good problem to deal with, you already have the skilled player!!!. We had the same problem with our 2- 11U catchers. Both are quiet in respect to aggresseness.
To get them involved . we made them the defensive captains. They move the outfielders and infielders where they need to be positioned. ( This is with hand signals from the bench and voice commands ) We tell them this is part of there roll. They have the best view of the field and they control the the tempo of the game, if we need to make adjustments they can hold up the pitcher and the batter without causng the UMP to get bent out of shape or the other teams coaches complaining) field adjustments are only at the beginning of the inning, run down and pick off plays are only when runners are on base.

Hope this helps. Good Luck with your season.

Jon C.

Permalink Reply by Andy Shaw on April 1, 2010 at 12:24pm

Naturally I am quiet and reserved and so when I am behind the plate I have had to learn to be more upfront and vocal, so that I take command of the field.

So in an effort to find out what I should be calling behind the plate (my view was every one should know what they are doing and they wont thank me for telling them). I had a look on the web and found 1 or 2 sites that gave hints at the kind of think that catchers should be saying to the team, knowing this helped me be more commanding when I am catching it was about having the confidence to take charge.

Basically reminding the team what the play is, moving people about for a lefty or having someone near the base, reminding the team of the count, keeping the pitcher focused, if the pitcher is having a hard time go and talk to him suggest some pitches for the next batter and most importantly of all keeping the umpire on your side he may give that important pitch the benefit of the doubt and call it strike,

You could always suggest that it is the catchers job work with the pitcher in setting up the batter the catcher has the best view as to where in the batters box the batter so it is the catchers job to suggest to the pitcher pitches that will make the most of the batter standing too near or too far away from the plate that way he is helping the pitcher and so taking more command of behind the plate.

Watching Posada when the Yankees were playing in spring training the other day made me see things I did not do when I am catching. Maybe have your son watch a catcher like Posada in a game would help ... rather than watching the game watch the catcher.
I have to learn all this from the internet and watching games on TV as I live in the UK.

Catcher is a difficult position to play mentally and physically but I would not swap for any other.

Hope this helps and that I have not rambled on too much.

AndyS
Catcher Thames Valley Bisons

Permalink Reply by Ted Browne on April 1, 2010 at 2:04pm

YES it can be taught, but it will take a LOT of time and energy, and he has to WANT o be a leader. That said, the kid is still young...so develop coaching habits that develop the catcher's game-time mentality. At this age, appointed status works.

Start with practice...Make ALL catchers the leader or co-leader in stretches.

Catchers should be asked for their opinions on how the team performed their practice drills. Catchers should do more work than the other kids, because catching is harder. THAT should be conspicuous, by the way. During bullpen sessions, educate them on how to handle the pitcher. Coach them in-session on how to notice things about delivery. Feed them the info during sessions by acting as the stand-in batter, so you see what they see. Have them talk to the pitcher during the bullpen instead of you. All of this transfers into game situations.

Before each inning, a catcher breaks out the team...and not necessarily the starting catcher. And when you have in-game comments for the pitcher, make the catcher relay them.

When the catchers are on the bench, make them the "seed masters". Buy a big bag of seeds for each game. The catchers control the bag. Make them sit/stand next to the bench coaches so the coach can help him become a student of the game. The coach can explain situational "what if's" and ask questions in real-time. If the catcher is not starting, make him chart pitches so he can see how the umpire calls balls or strikes for his pitchers, and how the batter reacts to the next pitch based on the previous pitch.

These are just examples, but you get the idea. I'm sure others have loads of other tips/opinions on this too.

Permalink Reply by bob oleary on April 1, 2010 at 2:04pm

Your very lucky to have a 12 y.o to be that astute about the game going on around him. You must be a great coach and he must have a great liking for the game .
A12 yo sense of self varies from one child to another.
I would try this out in practice and show him what you want by taking his position behind the dish and put in different play situations and see if he gets it by watching you!!!
good luck from a fan from redsox nation

Permalink Reply by ED HEARN on April 1, 2010 at 4:30pm

Being a former catcher, (and a "reserved kid who had to learn to take charge of a game")he following is how I've taught our young catchers to take control of a game.
...I would sit behind the backstop during a game or near the catcher in a practice game situation...I would "take control of the game" as if I were the catcher. This clearly demonstrates to the boys what is meant by taking charge. By listen to somone who has the experioence & knowledge, they learn rather quickly by example.

Permalink Reply by Kevin J. Lewis on April 2, 2010 at 2:11pm

Guys,

Thanks for answers they are very, very helpful. Ted thanks for writing about the seeds, this catcher always seems to have a bag and all the other players keep asking him for some. My wife found the other day what I will call mega seeds. For about $20 you can a bucket full of seeds, and by bucket I mean the kind we all sit on and carry around baseballs in!!

Talk about "seed master", that should elevate this one to supreme seed master.

Coach Kevin
12u GA RedHawks
10u Lady Spartans

Permalink Reply by Ted Browne on April 2, 2010 at 7:07pm

Cool deal...Where did she get them?

Permalink Reply by Kevin J. Lewis on April 12, 2010 at 1:38pm

Hey Ted,

It is either BJ's Wholesale club or Costco. She bounces between the two so often I can't keep up.

Coach Kevin
12u GA RedHawks
10u Lady Spartans

Permalink Reply by Ted Browne on April 12, 2010 at 1:49pm

Thanks Kevin!

Permalink Reply by colter thompson on April 3, 2010 at 11:09pm

I have two sons. One is a seasoned catcher and one is a MIF. You cant change the personality of a player and it is useless to try however it is possible to guide them to use what they have for better.
I suggest you or the manager telling him when to go talk to him some and figure it out with his pitcher to begin with.
Also call out the situations and have him hollar them back out in situational practice or scrimmages to begin learning that phase of the game. If he absolutely wont do that and is too quite just teach him hand signals for situations so he can call it to the team. Most catchers use these instead of hollaring anyways. Then all he has to do is call plays when the ball is in play and doing the other will help him learn it ok to get loud sometimes.
Most bases are stolen off the pitcher. The catcher is actually at the pitchers mercy depending on how fast he throws and his location abilities. His calmness is an attribute that serves him for the good and makes him a good catcher. He must be an aggressive baseball player if likes the position of catcher since it no doubt comes with the territory.
Good luck , I hope this helped some.

Permalink Reply by John A. Baker on May 11, 2010 at 8:00am

I was at a high school game the other night and one of the coaches was trying to instill a sense of leadership in his catcher. The boy was very young, must have been sent in to get some experience.

Well, the very first hit goes deep into right field and with the batter runner turning first and trying to head to second, so .... he (catcher) yells out ..” two! ... two!... two!”

Now doesn’t his short stop start yelling ..” one! one! one!

Then the second baseman gets into the act, and got a little confused (I think), so he’s waving his arms around yelling to the right fielder to .... “ get the ball in, “... which then finds the ball being rifled in, all the way to home plate ... which ... finds the catcher at home plate totally surprised and he barely makes the catch.

Well now this numbers game doesn’t go unnoticed by the other club... no sir. Soooooo .... on the very next play, which is a smoker right past the shortstop and into shallow left field, doesn’t the other bench start yelling .... two ... two ... tow, .... five... five .... five...... twenty two .... twenty two.... twenty two...!!!

It got so funny after the third hit that both the plate ump and his partner started laughing.... and even some fans got into the act by calling numbers in the hundreds.

After the catcher’s very first inning of varsity work, he drags himself back his bench, plops down, spins his helmet on the bench and starts to rub his forehead like he’s having a nervous breakdown.

Now I’m sitting in a lawn chair about ten feet from a fence that separates the spectators from the players. I hear his coach come over to him and start to give the ole one-two pep talk and how things will look better the next inning. The youngster doesn’t let the coach finish when he stands up and looks back and forth. Thinking that the youngster is totally demoralized, he places both hands on either shoulder of his catcher, again trying to reassure him, then says... “what’s the matter son ... do you want me to send in somebody else?”

“Nahawww “ the youngster says, “ I gotta pee”.

Gotta love it!


Coach B.

Permalink Reply by Diamond Dreams on June 13, 2011 at 3:23am

Having a player who has the physical skills is a real plus, so you are on the right track there.  successful catchers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, though all of them have people skills.  They know who to pull into line with tough love and they know the ones who they have to be a little softer with.  All of this comes with experience.  I am a firm believer that young catchers develop leadership through being around good leaders.  In time as their skills improve their confidence and voice should develop along the way.  Talking through game situations every practice or between innings is a good way to get immediate feedback.  If a catcher is thinking and responding to the coach about his decisions then it won't be long for that confidence to show up on the field.  An animated catching instructor can be a positive influence on a youngsters confidence also.  A good catcher doesn't just play the position, he embraces it.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Craig

Diamond Dreams Baseball

www.DiamondDreams.com.au

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