Tigers’ Alex Avila makes great catch leaping into screen (GIF)
By Dan Zinski
Alex Avila leaps into the net -- and gets a friendly bounce back: http://t.co/RWU4XhBNdO #OUTstandings pic.twitter.com/Qhqypn222C
— MLB (@MLB) September 13, 2014
The screen behind home plate is there to protect spectators from getting their jaws broken by foul balls. It can also sometimes be used to aid catchers in making acrobatic plays.
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Alex Avila here demonstrates how a catcher can use the screen to help him in recording the out. Avila knows he has the screen there to catch him so he has no fear about leaping for this foul ball.
Not only does the screen prevent Avila from spilling into the crowd and possibly doing dental damage to some of the high-falutin’ patrons behind home plate, it also gently returns him to the field of play.
And that is probably the most graceful play you will ever see out of a catcher. It is practically balletic. I feel like I’m watching something from The Black Swan.
One of the beautiful parts of The Black Swan, not one of the sick, twisted, depraved, Natalie-Portman-losing-her-marbles parts.