Catchers & Framing

[Basil Shabazz]

Quit framing strikes!

Stick the strikes. Pages exaggerates the framing of strikes way to often and I believe umpires feel like they are being duped and thus call balls on pitches that should be strikes.

Stick the strikes! Let the pitch speak for itself

[Horseradish]

Completely agree, it’s annoying watching so many catchers with the extreme glove movement to get strike calls. Makes me appreciate how subtle Molina was with his glove work.

Hopefully the automated strike zone makes this obsolete and catchers just go back to catching.

[ecleme22]

Crazy how catchers in general have really started exaggerating the framing the last 3-4 years.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there is positive data on it.

[Lloyd Braun]

Crazy how catchers in general have really started exaggerating the framing the last 3-4 years.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there is positive data on it.

I think we can infer for certain that it inherently has to be. The analytics now are good at measuring how many strikes a catcher can steal and that has become a key factor for teams in determining who gets the most innings behind the plate. Since the incentive has shifted, it would only be logical to infer that every individual catcher is hyper aware and focused on that particular skillset. That would explain why many catchers of today are exaggerating it more and more.

[Eyelids64]

I will buy 1”-2” glove movement if done well. Moving glove against the track does little good.

[spfldan]

Like last year when the metric guys moved WC up closer to the plate. We know how that turned out. As a former amateur umpire, I also hated when my catcher would move the glove after catching it. Never fooled me much, but then again I wasn't seeing major league pitchers. Ecleme is probably right.

[Banner29]

Yes, but the umps are dumb enough to fall for it who’s the real culprit here?

So many of these “frames” are just so ridiculously obvious it’s almost comical they get away with it.


It’s one of the many reasons why(imo) umps are by far the worst officiators in professional sports

[ecleme22]

Crazy how catchers in general have really started exaggerating the framing the last 3-4 years.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there is positive data on it.

I think we can infer for certain that it inherently has to be. The analytics now are good at measuring how many strikes a catcher can steal and that has become a key factor for teams in determining who gets the most innings behind the plate. Since the incentive has shifted, it would only be logical to infer that every individual catcher is hyper aware and focused on that particular skillset. That would explain why many catchers of today are exaggerating it more and more.

Interesting take. You might be right.

My thought was the analytics show the exaggerated framing works, so the catchers have been instructed to do this.

[Basil Shabazz]

To be clear, I am specifically talking about a pitch that would be a strike w/o the framing. The catchers should stick these pitches to show the ump that it is a strike. When they take a pitch that is already a strike and try to frame it to the middle of the plate, I think it makes the umpires believe they may be getting deceived, and thus, sometimes they don't call a strike.

[JDW]

It's not just moving the glove, it's also how you catch it. For ex., the inside pitch the C's try to still catch with the glove inward, where otherwise your instinct is to catch it by flipping your glove position to the outside, but doing that gives away how far inside it is and becomes an automatic ball. Results in a few passed balls as that's an awkward way to try and catch a high velo ball, well, any ball for that matter.
As far as losing the umps trust by trying to move the ball too much happens for sure, but most try it anyway. It's pretty hard as a C to only try subtle moves with only the close pitches. There's not much time, and lots of pitches have late movement. It's also nothing new, maybe just more noticeable today.

[3dender]

To be clear, I am specifically talking about a pitch that would be a strike w/o the framing. The catchers should stick these pitches to show the ump that it is a strike. When they take a pitch that is already a strike and try to frame it to the middle of the plate, I think it makes the umpires believe they may be getting deceived, and thus, sometimes they don't call a strike.

I agree... doing it for every single pitch is lazy and probably counterproductive.

[moose-and-squirrel]

it's embarassingly bad.. can't believe they think that's 'helping'

it's actually costing pitchers calls

[rockondlouie]

If I see one more catcher lifting a pitch that's 12 inches off the ground up a foot w/their glove I'm going to throw something at the TV!

[kscardsfan]

If I see one more catcher lifting a pitch that's 12 inches off the ground up a foot w/their glove I'm going to throw something at the TV!

Better make it a pillow.

[rockondlouie]

If I see one more catcher lifting a pitch that's 12 inches off the ground up a foot w/their glove I'm going to throw something at the TV!

Better make it a pillow.

Nerf ball

[ClassicO]

Quit framing strikes!

Stick the strikes. Pages exaggerates the framing of strikes way to often and I believe umpires feel like they are being duped and thus call balls on pitches that should be strikes.

Stick the strikes! Let the pitch speak for itself

Agree.

How MLB permits a player to intentionally attempt to deceive the umpire is beyond me.
And it is absolutely no fun to watch.
Empower the umps to call any pitch an automatic ball if the catcher frames and it’ll stop.