BigDog
RAGE and Softball meet!
Yes Sir! Im always happy to DH. My knees arent what they used to be. Whatever is best for the team and the W
Catching and/or DHing
- Thread starter middleripper77
- Start date
Yes Sir! Im always happy to DH. My knees arent what they used to be. Whatever is best for the team and the W
I'd rather be in the outfield but I'm older and have literally lost closing speed over the winter due to a gimpy knee. As long as we don't have complete scrubs in the outfield, I'm perfectly fine catching. I used to depend on my defense to bring me up mentally when my hitting wasn't so great but as I've gotten older I've become a smarter and more dependable hitter so it's not as necessary for me to balance. I definitely prefer to catch over DH though. I like to be involved. Catching is an underrated part of the game. An athletic catcher can steal an out or two per game by anticipating fouls, backing up the infield, and making tags at the plate. You throw any old idiot with a glove back there to hide them and your team suffers.
packerbacker796
Bi-Polar as they Come
Some of us have witnessed this remember. Ha Ha How's the plane?
Heh. I walked up to our last tournament to see a very old guy holding a 20 year old aluminum bat sitting in the dugout. Our team is already old enough. We have 4 guys in our 40's and a couple of them are pushing 50. The 62 year old man proceeded to bat .850 and hold his own in left field all day while swinging a 30 ounce SRV4 at 165 lbs soaking wet. I'll take him back any time.
im coming back from a shoulder injury...im on the mend and getting stronger but im not 100%...so i dont mind catching or EH...im with crimedog....i want the best guys on the field defensively...if im not one then so be it....i dont whine and cry...i do what i can to help the team get a W....
flatstick96
Addicted to Softballfans
I have no issue with being in either of these positions if it's what is best for my team.
That said, if it ISN'T what is best for my team, it bothers me.
That said, if it ISN'T what is best for my team, it bothers me.
Sims
Starting Player
Absolutely.
The Crimedog
Best ASA Baterator
I see that. Can't believe you gave up PST Frank though. Then again, you haven't swung a PST in HOW many years?
The Crimedog
Best ASA Baterator
I agree 100%. When I'm EHing now I'm taking to this one, and that one. I lose track of the innings and score.... It's a mess.
swingaway06
Addicted to Softballfans
If's it's not a full-time thing I'm perfectly OK with catching or EH for a game here and there but I'm a competitor so if that is all I'm doing then I really am not enjoying playing. I think unless you have someone that wants to do that all the time everyone should take their turn at it in league play for sure. I've had times where I was asked to play in tourneys and all I did was catch or EH and I don't really enjoy it, espeically if there are guy botching several plays at positions I am capable of playing and play regularly in league play. The worst time was when I was asked to play in a tourney and I'm told we were still short a few guys so I got 2 of the better players I know to play with us and I wound up not getting to play in 2 of the first 3 games of the tourney while both those guys played the field and hit in the middle of the order. Any time I have been asked to play with those guys after that incident I make sure to let them know I am only playing or finding guys for them if I'm actually going to play because it's BS to ask someone to help you find some players only to then sit them on the bench or play some token role. When I ask people to play I'm straight up with them on what their role is going to be because the last thing you need is to piss off someone and burn a bridge.
dan
Manager
Catching is a much more important position than many people think. I did a series of podcasts just about catching. Listen to shows 36, 37, 39, 41, and 42 for insights into catching: http://thesoftballcorner.com.
jayclaxtowne
Addicted to Softballfans
catching is fine with me, i dont like DH , in cold weather its the worst
jayclaxtowne
Addicted to Softballfans
I do have a couple dudes on my team that refuse to catch, they would rather DH.
dan
Manager
You're right of course, but DH is used more than EH most everywhere. Like "ain't", it is becoming acceptable because it is used more than the correct usage.
dan
Manager
LuckyMatthews
#SelfProclaimedEastonGuru
Catching is my most favorite spot. I love to be jawing and setting the defense up and keeping them in the game every play. I also like making calls for the ump on occasion hehe. I do the little things like run the line on an IF grounder in case of an over throw. You might be surprised how often I get an out because of the hustle up the line, or save the extra base for the over throw. As long as there are no runners in scoring position, and it won't eff up your IF, I think every catcher should be athletic enough to run the line and make a play. Another reason I love catching is because while it may not be often that you get a play behind the plate, when you finally do it usually is a BIG one! I like scouting teams in tourneys so when I am catching I can tell my pitcher where to throw the dirty one, or set the defense up to a better positioning. I hate how most teams either hide a guy behind the plate, or the catcher is some huge dude that can't do anything else besides extra hit. Extra hitting isn't bad, but I think I hit better when I'm playing D whether it's in the OF, IF, or behind the plate. Did I mention I especially love catching?
Ahhhh, I've been waiting for this thread for a long time now.
dgambill85
Banned User
I don't mi catching but eh sucks. I feel out of tune with the game. Plus I'll sit on the side and get wasted.
krakrt
Addicted to Softballfans
My team plays a lot of Asa tourneys, so I catch sometimes to throw down for stealing and to be a defensive player behind the plate at plays at home. Plus gives me time to work the magic with the blue and give crap to the hitter in the box. But as most others in this post stated Ido prefer outfield
I just want to play ball, don't care where... although I love 1b but they don't like a shorter guy like me playing there
I have seen people throw hissy fits over positions or being asked to catch. Don't really know what that's about. Catching is a blessing in those million degrees summer tourney days.
I have seen people throw hissy fits over positions or being asked to catch. Don't really know what that's about. Catching is a blessing in those million degrees summer tourney days.
flatstick96
Addicted to Softballfans
I mostly hear EH. The DH would be interesting in slowpitch softball. How mad would the player that was chosen to be DHed for be in this offensive oriented game?
I won't lie...I've thought about it.
The first couple of games of the season, my team would have benefited from having someone DH for me - I was making every play in the field but couldn't hit my way out of a wet paper sack. So irritating.
And yeah, we always refer to the extra hitter as the EH - never the DH (for the obvious reason that there is no DH).
Dakota Deerwood
Addicted to Softballfans
In ISA and ASA, you get a little more action at Catcher (since there is stealing)... but other than that... aint much to do back there but throw the ball back to the pitcher.
drburges
OOH KILL EM
To me the EH is only useful if you have too many bats and not enough spots in the field. If you're batting 11 just to get a guy in its pointless if he will hurt you. As far as catching it's is an important spot coming from an IFer. His job is to keep the pitcher in rythem and take charge of the field calling out bases and cuts. I caught in baseball from age 6-18 so it's instinct for me to take charge at first or third because our catcher is a quiet guy. Lots of people think its a punishment to be there and would rather sit than do it.