passed ball vs. wild pitch

[default]

It is noble of catchers to accept responsibility for blocking any ball they can, but it doesn't help the team if the pitchers aren't being held accountable for their WPs. The end-user of the stats is the coach and the scorekeeper should track WP/PB's according to the coach's criteria and standards. The coach will recognize and appreciate it when a catcher saves a pitcher from a WP just like when a firstbaseman saves an infielder from a throwing error.

I used to think there were 2 kinds of catchers - the real catchers and the ones that play catcher. The ones that play catcher sit on their heels and try to pick everything with their glove. The real ones drop and block anything in the dirt without hesitating.

I've come to appreciate the smart catchers that always know the game situation and one of the ways they demonstrate this is they only drop and block balls in the dirt when necessary (i.e. D3K, runner on base). That presence of mind in the game also allows them to react properly on a multitude of plays.

 

[default]

I have a DD that catches, and also keep the book. I know that a ball in the dirt is a wild pitch, but if down the middle, she had better stop it

A judgement call, yes, but when they catch, they know they need to stop those balls.

Catcher runs the team, and must be on top of their game at all times. She hates it when she looks at the book, and knows how i called it, but only makes her work that much harder.

 

[default]

According to ATEC, I believe this particular pitch in the attached video would be deemed wild according to rule 1, however my dd is not very happy about the runner advancing on her......lol.

Len

[video=youtube;8zNrbXB32pM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zNrbXB32pM&feature=youtube_gdata[/video]