Catcher - Blocking Balls in The Dirt

Blocking Balls in The Dirt

To block balls that a pitcher throws on a bounce toward home plate (pitches that are said to be "in the dirt"), the catcher will slide his body to the left or right, as necessary, to place himself directly in the path of the ball. Once in position, he drops to his knees, places his mitt between his legs to prevent the ball from passing through, and leans forward to deaden the rebound when, and if, the ball bounces off his thigh or torso. Although inexperienced catchers may try to catch the errant pitch with his mitt, coaches often prioritize the catcher's ability to "keep the ball in front of him" than to make a catch with his mitt. Ideally, the catcher will be able to knock the ball to the ground where it will stop within arm's reach. To perform this properly, without the ball being deflected in an undesirable direction, the catcher must angle his body so that his chest is always leaning forward, toward home plate. This maneuver is often difficult, and its difficulty depends largely on how fast the ball is traveling, where it first hits the ground, the firmness of the ground it hits, and the manner in which it is spinning.