by Coach Griff

Great catchers are defined by how much they improve the results of their pitchers.

When a pitcher asks for you by name, it shows just how much they appreciate and value the way you play.

Communication is key

To get yourself underway in building this relationship, always ensure you speak to your pitcher before they throw a bull pen or enter the game.

These are the topics you’ll want to cover:

What pitches they throw
What the preferred signals are for each pitch
What pitches are working well at the moment, and what ones are not (they’re a bit wild)
Any mechanical issues they’re working on (that you can look out for)
Any preferences for certain pitches in certain counts
Any preferences for certain hitters
Any other quirks in how they pitch
Who is calling the pitches

These conversations are designed to improve the way you work together, but most importantly, they are designed to avoid cross ups.

If you’re lucky, you’ll react quickly enough to catch it.

If not, you’ll be in some pain.