Top 3 Leadership Skills that Every Baseball Catcher Must Learn

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Top 3 Leadership Skills that Every Baseball
Catcher Must Learn
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Have you ever thought about what the most
important skill is for a catcher to master to be
successful?   Is it blocking balls in the dirt?
Thats pretty important.   What about throwing
out stealing baserunners? Thats definitely
something a catcher needs to be good at.
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However, of all the skills that a catcher must
master, most people agree that the most important
skill is not a physical skill at all. Many agree
that the most important skill for a catcher to
master is the skill of leadership.
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1. Calming pitchers Without a doubt, the
performance of your pitcher is the most important
factor that determines that outcome of a game.
And pitchers are only human. They have their
good days, when everything seems to be clicking.
And then they have their bad days when it seems
like theyve never picked up a baseball.
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When a pitcher takes the mound, it is absolutely
critical that he knows he has a comrade in his
battle against the opposing hitters. He has to
have trust that you will give him guidance and
support, whether hes putting up Ks or getting
lit up like a roman candle.
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There are a few basic things you always want to
do to be a good leader for your pitcher
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Build a rapport with your pitcher. This doesnt
mean you have to be his best friend, but it does
mean you need to get to know him. Learn his
strengths. Learn his weaknesses. Learn what
makes him calm and what sends him off the deep
end. The more you know about your pitcher, the
better chance you have to do the right thing if
things get shaky in a game.
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Know the opposing batters. Have a game plan for
you pitcher. Call the pitches that will give him
the greatest chance of success. If you arent
prepared, or you and your pitcher are not on the
same page, then it can make for a very long game.
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Know when to take a pause in the action. If you
sense that something is not right during a game,
call time out and take a walk to the mound to
find out if there is something wrong with your
pitcher. Maybe there is a communication issue or
maybe he isnt feeling like he has his best
stuff. Dont let things linger. Get out there
and find out what you can do as a team to get
things back on track.
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2. Directing the defense As the catcher, you
very often have the best view of the entire field
of play and can be an invaluable resource to the
defense during plays when decisions need to be
made quickly.
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Lets face it. During a play, things can change
on a dime. Any bobbled ball or miscue can change
where the next play is. As the catcher, you are
the field general and must use your unique
viewpoint and leadership to direct the action of
the defense.
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You must be completely alert during each and
every play and be ready on a moments notice to
vocally direct your team.
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3. Building rapport with umpires Umpires are
supposed to be objective judges of the game. But
in reality, umpires are human and there are
plenty of plays and pitches throughout the course
of any game that can be called either way.
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Give yourself the advantage by building a rapport
with the ump behind the plate. Strike up
conversations with him before the game or between
innings and never, never try to show him up by
over-framing pitches. Give the umpire respect
and hopefully he will return the gesture.
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Discover the Helpful Baseball Skills Guide
at www.baseballskillsguide.com