[open] My Opinions on Catchers
I saw that Takaya is harassing Muscles about "what makes a good catcher," over in Muscle's online journal.
Takaya, you are an obsessive catching freak, so who knows why you are asking Muscles anything about this, since you obviously have your own opinions. But for the sake of educating my Apprentice, I will assist him (and you) in answering your lame pretend question
First, catchers need to be sneaky. You can grouse all you want about hard work and discipline or whatever, but sneakiness is the key. Don't tell me you forget all the times you used to yell at me for pitching however I pleased, mostly because it interfered with whatever Art of War strategies you schemed up before each game. Remember how you used to show me pages and pages of spy information and trying to get me to memorize it all, as if it even mattered what I thought? You knew exactly how you wanted me to pitch, which was a part of why you didn't suck I guess, but you wanted me to pitch that way because you are sneaky and that is your number one feature as a catching freak.
But that's not all it's about and I'm shocked you only told that side of things. First, a good catcher needs to be alert, always looking around to know what the various basemen are doing, especially (pay attention, Akimaru) the third basemen, since they are the ones that a left handed pitcher can't really watch out for and are also the ones most in danger of getting in a squeeze play or a hit and run.
Also, a catcher needs to have a really good throwing arm. I mean, this is obvious, right, but a catcher is simply no good if they can't get a fast throw to second, as fast as they can make it. In case you've forgotten, that's the farthest away base, and the one most likely to get stolen in any given game. You've got to be able to cover second.
If I recall correctly, Takaya, on this score you are merely average. Heck even Akimaru has a stronger arm than you (except that his head is in the clouds half the time).
Next (and this is important for those who worry about nutrition, Akimaru), a catcher's job is also to bulk up with lots of muscles and that means eating a lot of food, primarily protein shakes, but also hot chocolates. And vegetables and meat too I guess, but especially the protein shakes (which should be consumed following workouts since that is when your body is going to metabolize the proteins the most-- I prefer creatine supplemented whey protein shakes, Akimaru, and so stop reading books on nutrition because I already know everything about nutrition, obviously).
Why does a catcher need lots of muscles, you might ask? This is simple. They need to be able to guard home base. A catcher has to be able to endure being collided into without being knocked over. Takaya, you were only ever sort of good at this too (Akimaru, you are hopeless), so I hope that for Muscle's sake you are working out and becoming a good enough catcher to help him win games.
Last (and most important of all), the catcher must continuously be a source of moral support for his pitcher. This means not yelling at him for wanting to throw pitches his own way, as well as standing up for the pitcher against umpires in regards to the strike zone, as well as listening to what your pitcher wants and being totally motivated to play great baseball. Also they should have great jokes and should be awesome and hilarious all the time. This was Machida-senpai's greatest ability as a catcher and I appreciate him for it.
I hope this is helpful to you, Muscles, in deciding what you should be telling Takaya what to do.
Takaya, you are an obsessive catching freak, so who knows why you are asking Muscles anything about this, since you obviously have your own opinions. But for the sake of educating my Apprentice, I will assist him (and you) in answering your lame pretend question
First, catchers need to be sneaky. You can grouse all you want about hard work and discipline or whatever, but sneakiness is the key. Don't tell me you forget all the times you used to yell at me for pitching however I pleased, mostly because it interfered with whatever Art of War strategies you schemed up before each game. Remember how you used to show me pages and pages of spy information and trying to get me to memorize it all, as if it even mattered what I thought? You knew exactly how you wanted me to pitch, which was a part of why you didn't suck I guess, but you wanted me to pitch that way because you are sneaky and that is your number one feature as a catching freak.
But that's not all it's about and I'm shocked you only told that side of things. First, a good catcher needs to be alert, always looking around to know what the various basemen are doing, especially (pay attention, Akimaru) the third basemen, since they are the ones that a left handed pitcher can't really watch out for and are also the ones most in danger of getting in a squeeze play or a hit and run.
Also, a catcher needs to have a really good throwing arm. I mean, this is obvious, right, but a catcher is simply no good if they can't get a fast throw to second, as fast as they can make it. In case you've forgotten, that's the farthest away base, and the one most likely to get stolen in any given game. You've got to be able to cover second.
If I recall correctly, Takaya, on this score you are merely average. Heck even Akimaru has a stronger arm than you (except that his head is in the clouds half the time).
Next (and this is important for those who worry about nutrition, Akimaru), a catcher's job is also to bulk up with lots of muscles and that means eating a lot of food, primarily protein shakes, but also hot chocolates. And vegetables and meat too I guess, but especially the protein shakes (which should be consumed following workouts since that is when your body is going to metabolize the proteins the most-- I prefer creatine supplemented whey protein shakes, Akimaru, and so stop reading books on nutrition because I already know everything about nutrition, obviously).
Why does a catcher need lots of muscles, you might ask? This is simple. They need to be able to guard home base. A catcher has to be able to endure being collided into without being knocked over. Takaya, you were only ever sort of good at this too (Akimaru, you are hopeless), so I hope that for Muscle's sake you are working out and becoming a good enough catcher to help him win games.
Last (and most important of all), the catcher must continuously be a source of moral support for his pitcher. This means not yelling at him for wanting to throw pitches his own way, as well as standing up for the pitcher against umpires in regards to the strike zone, as well as listening to what your pitcher wants and being totally motivated to play great baseball. Also they should have great jokes and should be awesome and hilarious all the time. This was Machida-senpai's greatest ability as a catcher and I appreciate him for it.
I hope this is helpful to you, Muscles, in deciding what you should be telling Takaya what to do.