How to Watch Baseball

Field General

The Catcher Is “Boss Man”

Roy Campanella, from the photograph printed with his chapter.

By Roy Campanella,Catcher, Brooklyn Dodgers

Pages 8–9 · Phillips Petroleum Company, 1953

The catcher is the busiest man in baseball. He is actually the “boss man” when his team is on the field. Among other things, he is a traffic director. Since he faces every member of his team, it is his responsibility to shout who should handle infield flies, topped rollers and bunts, and where the ball should be thrown. He has to give the signs for pitch-outs and pick-offs. In fact, he has to give the sign on every pitch of the game. He gives the sign with the fingers of his right hand.

To prevent the third base coach from stealing the sign and flashing it to the batter, the catcher, from his squatting position, extends his mitt beyond the point of his left knee. He hides the sign from the first base coach by signalling with the fingers of his right hand held tight to the inside of his right thigh, yet in such a way that the sign can be seen clearly by the pitcher.

In deciding which type of pitch to call for, the catcher must consider the strength and weaknesses of the batter. He must also consider the situation. If the batter is up there to sacrifice, the catcher tries to make him go after a high, fast ball, which is the type most difficult to bunt. If there is a chance to get out of the inning with a double play, he tries to make the batter swing at a low-breaking ball, either a curve or a sinker, which is the type the batter is most apt to hit along the ground.

The catcher has added responsibility with runners on base. He has to be alert for an attempted steal. He’s also responsible for backing up first base or third base on certain plays. With nobody on base, if the batter hits a grounder toward the second baseman, the catcher should run down the line to back up the first baseman in case the ball gets by him. With a runner on first base, if the batter lays down a bunt which the third baseman must rush in to field, the alert catcher will race down the third base line to cover the bag so that the runner, proceeding to second on the bunt, won’t see third base open and continue there.

In addition, the catcher must pounce on topped rollers and bunts too short for an infielder or the pitcher to handle. He must grab pop flies which fall near or behind the plate. The catcher’s most rugged chore is blocking home plate against a runner trying to score on a close play. The catcher can’t afford to take his eye off the ball until he has it in his glove. He must also brace himself against the collision with the runner so that the ball will not be knocked loose from his grip.

So the next game you attend, pay some attention to the catcher.

The Catcher Backs Up First
  1. 1The catcher gives the sign, gets the pitch, and comes up watching the ball off the bat.
  2. 2With nobody on base, if the batter hits a grounder toward the second baseman, the catcher should run down the line to back up the first baseman in case the ball gets by him.
  3. 3The second baseman gathers it in the hole.
  4. 4He fires across to first — a routine throw, but the catcher is already racing down the line behind it in case it gets away.
Adapted from the diagram on page 9: “With nobody on, if a grounder is hit toward the second baseman, the catcher should back up the first baseman, in case the ball gets by him.”