Block a Baseball

In baseball one of the most important skills for a catcher is the ability to keep a pitch in front of him when it hits the dirt. Doing so will prevent baserunners from advancing when a catcher can't handle a pitch cleanly. This often involves blocking the ball with the mitt or some part of the body. Here are some tips.

Steps

1. Place your body directly in front of a pitch in the dirt. Drop to your knees so that the ball won't pass under you.
2. Put your mitt between your legs as the pitch comes in. This blocks the space between your legs.
3. Keep your throwing hand behind the mitt or behind your body. This protects your hand from injury.
4. Bend forward slightly with your head down. Keep your chin tucked in to prevent the pitch from bouncing off the ground and up to your neck.
5. If the ball bounces off of you, throw off your mask and locate the ball.
6. Retrieve the baseball and immediately look at any base runners to see if they're attempting to advance.

Warnings

• Never turn your back to the baseball.
• Never turn your head when blocking a ball. The face mask is there to protect you. It can't do that if you turn your head.
• Never look up when blocking a ball. The ball can get under your mask and hit your throat. Learn to trust your equipment.

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