Catcher Risks It All on Final Pitch

James H. ' 24, Guest Contributor

I walk out on the soft dirt behind home plate. I’m the catcher. My job is to think about how we can get outs and what’s the best sign to give my pitcher, the best chance of getting strikes. I take a risk on those pitches, every single one.

My travel team and I had a tournament in Arizona. It was about 102 degrees and  we were all exhausted. It’s the third game of the day. The game went on for all seven innings until the last out. The last batter is up, and I’m sweating. My whole team is sweating and exhausted. The batter up for the other team is the best batter on the team. I call for a fast ball. It’s a strike. The next pitch is a curveball, low and inside, so it’s a ball, but it was exactly where I wanted it. The next pitch is a slider that hits the outside corner of the plate for strike number two. 

Now here is where the risk comes into play. I could call a fastball that the guy could hit, but it’s my pitcher’s best pitch. Or I could throw a changeup, which is a harder pitch to throw, but, if thrown right, it will have a better chance of the batter striking out. I decided on the changeup. I put all my trust in my call, and there it was–strike three, and the game is over. We WIN!!!!! 

This is the risk I take almost every day on the baseball field. The risk you take in life is important, because without risk there is minimal reward.