POP-UPS

There are a number of situations that catchers encounter which provide ample opportunities for mistakes. Mistakes, mind you, that cost them a sure out.

Pop-ups are certainly one of those plays. Our pitcher did their job and induced contact that should lead to an out. Yet, way too often, I see catchers making mistakes that give the hitter a second chance. When it comes to pop-ups, it's important to understand the dramatic differences between the approach a baseball catcher will need to take compared to that of a softball catcher.

For one, baseball catchers are almost always going to turn their back to the infield to make the grab. Because of the diameter of the ball, the average velocity it's leaving the bat, and the average height the ball will reach, the spin rate will be significantly more than a softball. This spin is what often causes the ball to go up and then work back towards the infield. I've witnessed more than my fair share of catchers having to backpedal to make the catch as a result of not taking this into account.

In the game of softball, the ball isn't spinning anywhere near enough, nor given enough time to allow the spin to affect the natural trajectory of the ball after it leaves the bat. While the initial approach in each game is very different, the first thing any catcher should do when a hitter pops a pitch up in the air is not. Regardless of which game a catcher is playing, the very first thing we should do the moment we think the ball has been popped up is look to our pitcher. "You mean we shouldn't look up first?" No, we shouldn't, and I'll explain why.

The first steps we take are so important that we don't want to be heading in the wrong direction right out of the gate. Every catcher should get in the habit of reminding their pitchers before the game to point up in the air with their arm to show the catcher where the ball was hit. Yelling the location isn't a great way to communicate this information. There are simply too many people yelling and screaming to decipher whose voice is the pitcher's and what they are actually saying. This will help us identify our next move. Since it's easier to run forward to catch a ball, aware of what's in front of us, baseball catchers should immediately work themselves in front of home plate and turn in the direction they saw their pitcher point. Softball catchers won't have time to do this, nor should they be overly worried about the ball working back to the infield behind them. Instead of working their body in front of the plate, they are going to drop step in the direction they either saw the ball go or where their pitcher is pointing.

From this point on, things are relatively similar as far as actually making the catch... except for one important thing: the helmet. While it most definitely does not need to come off during this play, baseball catchers have the luxury of doing so if it makes them more comfortable. Softball catchers, however, do not have the time. Our preference would be for everyone to leave their mask on. You can see just fine. For any coaches or catchers that don't believe this, I'd highly recommend finding a mask, going out to a field, and having someone hit you pop-ups to see for yourself. What you will undoubtedly find is how much easier it is than you would think. If nothing else, it saves time. Which is exactly the reason softball catchers have to leave it on. Since baseball catchers are afforded the choice, we'll separate the rest of this play into two different approaches: one with the mask off (baseball only), and one with the mask on (both baseball and softball).

MASK OFF: 

Once the ball has been hit up into the air, the catcher will look up at their pitcher, who should be pointing in the direction of the ball. The catcher will work themselves in front of the plate to account for the spin of the ball back towards the infield. They'll then turn their back to the infield and take the mask off. It's important that the catcher doesn't simply flip the mask off anywhere, as doing so could lead to the catcher tripping on it since they will be looking up and the ball can change direction (spin and/or wind). The chance we'll make the catch while tripping over our mask is slim, and the risk of injury is significant.

Once the catcher has spotted the ball and has an idea of the relative area where the ball is going to be, they can ditch the mask, throwing it firmly to the side of their body. If they need to run towards the backstop to make the catch, they should position themselves about two feet behind where they believe the ball would fall to the ground. The reason for this is pretty simple - the ball could be working back towards the infield and, if the catcher sets up directly underneath the ball, it could lead to them needing to make the catch over and behind their head.

At some point, right before the ball hits their glove, they'll lose sight of it. They also might have to backpedal to make the catch, and that could lead to them falling backward while trying to make the catch. Neither are ideal. We'll need to stabilize our body, so we'll create a balanced base by positioning one foot in front of the other. Catchers should extend their arms comfortably away from their chest and at around head height to be able to see the ball into their glove.

While not always possible, we should try to make this catch with two hands. To help us do this, we should cross the throwing hand thumb over our glove hand thumb, and when the ball enters the glove, proceed to cover over the top of the ball with our throwing hand. After making the catch, we have to make sure we aren't ignoring any other runners on the base paths.

Remember, a foul pop-up is not a dead ball after we catch it. Look for another out!

MASK ON:

The exact same approach as we took with the mask off, except we won't be taking it off, and we'll be able to start the process of finding the ball and setting our body up sooner. Again, softball catchers will NOT have time to take their mask off during this play, so please leave it on. As for baseball catchers? They can also see just fine.

FINAL THOUGHTS - POP UPS:

Solidifying a fundamental approach to this play will make it exponentially easier for catchers to improvise when they need to. There will certainly be times when we can't go through all of the steps the way we want to. We often won't have the time to do so. Sometimes, catchers will need to make this catch with one hand or while diving. But, as long as we have a solid foundation to work from, we can trust in our athleticism and other intangibles to make these plays as often as possible.

One habit catchers should create is walking the area behind home plate before each game. Ever see those ditches created by teams taking soft-toss into the backstop? The last thing we want to happen is to trip on them while we're looking up into the air for the ball. It's also important to know exactly how many steps it is from where the catcher sets up to the backstop, and catchers should get into the habit of pacing that distance out before the game to know exactly how far they have until they run into the fence or wall. Once they get down to the last few steps, they should reach their throwing arm out in the direction of the backstop to help avoid a collision.

It's also important for catchers to remember that communication in our games is critical. Once we have figured out where the ball is and given ourselves a chance to make the catch, we have to make sure our teammates know that. We have to shout out "BALL, BALL, BALL!" or "MINE, MINE, MINE!" to let them know we've got it. However, we have to be conscious that there is usually an infielder with a far easier path to making this catch. The reason they can't make the play is that it will often take them too long to get to the ball before it drops to the ground. But, if another teammate calls for the ball, we need to immediately bail on the play and get out of their way, regardless of how well we appear to be set up to make the catch. Miscommunication and lack of trust lead to errors and lost outs. Trust your teammates and let them make the play if they are telling you they have one.