Athletes - Catcher

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	Athletes - Catcher

Catcher is a position played in baseball. The catcher crouches behind home plate and receives the ball from the pitcher. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the catcher is assigned the number 2 (see Baseball scorekeeping).

Catching is arguably the most difficult and important task in baseball. Positioned behind home plate, the catcher can see the whole field, and therefore is in the best position to direct and lead the other players in a play. The catcher typically calls the pitches by means of hand signals, and therefore requires awareness of both the pitcher's mechanics and strengths and the batter's weaknesses. In addition, because the catcher's job is to catch pitches which often come in at speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour, the catcher wears protective equipment including a mask, chest protector, knee pads, and an extra-thick glove (see photo).

Injury

Despite being heavily padded, catchers routinely suffer the worst physical abuse in baseball. The catcher has the physically risky job of blocking the plate from runners. Catchers are also constantly getting bruised and battered by pitches, and have a long history of knee ailments stemming from the awkward crouched stance they assume. Because of this, catchers have a reputation as being slow baserunners; even if they have speed at the beginning of their careers, the eventual toll taken on their knees slows them down.

Catchers also have an increased risk of circulatory abnormalities in the catching hand. A study of minor-league ballplayers showed that, of 36 players in various positions, all 9 of the catchers had hand pain during a game and several had chronic pain in the catching hand. Ultrasound and blood pressure tests showed altered blood flow in the glove hand of five of the catchers, a higher proportion than the other baseball positions in the study. (Ginn, et al., 2005)

Catchers in baseball use the following equimpment to help prevent injury while behind the plate:

Mask - To protect their head
Glove - Catchers use a special thick glove to lower the impact of the ball on their hand
Shin Guards - Also called spike protecters, used to prevent injury from base runners advacing home with "spikes up"
Chest Protector - Similar to a policeman's bullet proof vest, this piece of equimpment protects the catchers body from the impact of the pitch if he fails to catch it or stop it.

"We used no mattress on our hands, No cage upon our face; We stood right up and caught the ball, With courage and with grace."

Hall of Fame Catchers

All-Star Catchers

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Catcher ]

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Athletes - Catcher

Injury

Hall of Fame Catchers

All-Star Catchers

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