Definition

Noun: 1. A baseball player positioned behind home plate: In the sport of baseball, the "catcher" is the defensive player who crouches directly behind home plate. Their primary role is to receive (catch) pitches thrown by the pitcher. 2. The defensive position in baseball: "Catcher" also refers to the specific fielding position itself, identified as the player stationed behind home plate.

Usage and Examples

• As a player:
  • The catcher signaled for a fastball.
  • A good catcher can control the pace of the game.
• As a position:
  • He has played the position of catcher for ten years.
  • Our team needs a new catcher.

Advanced Usage

• "Catcher in the rye": This is a famous literary allusion from J.D. Salinger's novel . It refers to the protagonist's idealized notion of protecting children from falling off a cliff, which is a metaphor for losing their innocence. It is not related to the baseball position.
  • He sees himself as a "catcher in the rye," wanting to save people from what he sees as a corrupt world.

Variants and Related Words

• Catch (verb): To intercept and hold something, especially a ball. This is the root action from which "catcher" is derived.
• Backstop (noun): A synonym for the catcher's position, emphasizing its role as the last defensive stop before a pitched ball.

Synonyms

• Backstop (in baseball context)
• Receiver (in a general or sports context)

Related Phrases

• Catcher's mitt: The specialized, padded glove worn by the catcher.
  • The pitcher's throw popped out of the catcher's mitt.
• Catcher's interference: A rule violation that occurs when the catcher's equipment or person hinders the batter's swing.
  • The batter was awarded first base due to catcher's interference.

Noun

1. the position on a baseball team of the player who is stationed behind home plate and who catches the balls that the pitcher throws
   • a catcher needs a lot of protective equipment
   • a catcher plays behind the plate
2. (baseball) the person who plays the position of catcher