Hinch, a major league catcher for parts of seven seasons, considers losing track of the runner the biggest issue. You're going to do your best to get the ball."Īstros manager A.J. A lot of times you don't have a bang-bang play and maybe the throw's going to be the left side - that makes it tough. "So you have to move in front of the plate. "The key is to anticipate that play because if you've got a guy at second base, you have to put in your mind if you're going to have a base hit, there's a very good chance we have action at home plate," said Ruiz, who's considered one of the best defensive catchers around. Veteran Carlos Ruiz of the Philadelphia Phillies believes repeated practice in spring training and in game situations is the only way to perfect that. "Yet at the same time, you're kind of trying to make sure you're in the correct position to field the throw and still allow the runner the lane for him." "With so much going on, you're paying attention to a lot of things, variables - the runner, where guys are lining up with the cut-offs and if the outfielders are going to be able to make the throw on time," Jason Castro of the Houston Astros said. Physically it's easier, but mentally it's more difficult.īecause they can't block a runner's path before getting the ball, catchers have to consciously worry about the right positioning while also catching the ball on the fly and making a tag. And if you get away from that outside back corner, your thought is, 'Hurry and get there so I can make the catch and I've got to go a long way to make the tag.' I think that's probably the biggest problem, is guys trying to make the tag before they have the ball, and they know they're not in position."Ĭatchers no longer have to brace for contact like before, when Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants tore ligaments in his left ankle - the injury that precipitated the rule. "What (runners) do is they dive to the outside back corner. "It's one of the biggest plays we have in the game, and we put the defensive player, the catcher, out of position," said Boone, who works in the Washington Nationals' front office. Going into the third season under the rule, many catchers around baseball are still struggling to adjust. Still, Boone hates the rule that bans blocking the plate because it has thrown catchers off their game. None of those happened in the past two seasons since Major League Baseball instituted a new rule to prevent collisions.
Retired World Series-winning catcher Bob Boone has a CD with 60 video clips of home-plate collisions that resulted in injuries.
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