Pop-times, receiving skills, game-calling/leadership, and blocking ability are the four main characteristics that coaches look for in a catcher, based on my experiences. After collecting the ball, the catcher's next most important task is to keep the ball from getting past him. He can do this by either throwing out baserunners or tagging them. Coaches want players who can call games and manage their pitchers' at-bats. Receiving skills are critical for catchers to be successful. They need to be able to catch both thrown and hit balls. Thrown balls happen when the catcher calls for a pitch and it's not one he wants; these usually result in strikes. Hit balls are those caught on the fly or while working on pitches outside of the batter's box. A catcher must be able to receive all types of balls in order to keep the batter from reaching base. Some catchers have more skill with their hands than others and this helps them perform better defensively. However, coaches will tell you that you can't coach talent, so even if you train your catchers well they still might not be able to catch some high-velocity pitches. Coaches also like to see leadership abilities from their catchers. This could be showing how to work with young players, helping out with the team during games, or directing game-winning hits toward home plate.