Quote:
Originally Posted by verruckt
I'm sure many of you have an opinion on framing a pitch, and that is percisely why I decided to ask here. I'm not an umpire. My daughter plays competitive ball as a catcher. We've heard countless times, coaches at tryouts,
parents, and even other pitchers and catchers suggest 'framing' pitches to fool Blue. 
My daughter has been taught by a great catching coach who subscribes to this method by Dave Weaver of the New England Catching Camp. Here is his take on framing, and why he is against it.
The New England Catching Camp - Online Camp: Don't Ever Teach Your Catchers to Frame a Pitch!
I've thought alot about this, and it bothers me when people suggest to my daughter that what she is doing, is incorrect. Even DII coaches at clinics have suggested framing. WTH?
Everyone has a strong opinion on this, and seems to think the PU just watches the mitt. I've always thought that they watch the ball through, to the sound of the catch itself. Framing is after the fact, right? I can understand wanting to make a bad pitch look good, sure. But when you're moving the mitt in, or up (obviously) after the 'thud' of the reception. It almost to me seems like insulting the umpire at that point. I rather doubt you all are staring off into space and get brought back to reality with the sound of the catch.
Does framing really 'trick' you all? Do you find it insulting, as trying to pull one over on you? Does a catcher who does do this alot, how does this affect your decision making on other pitches? And if you have a catcher who does NOT do this, how does this affect your decisions on other pitches if at all? What's your overall opinion regarding framing vs not framing? |
As long as the catcher still allow me to make the call and is kind enough to admitt that not all her framed pitches are strikes, it's fine by me.
Yes it's foul-play to frame. No I don't mind. THAT interact between catcher an PU makes being the PU worth playing along. I'm mostly always in the talking-mode with catchers. If she fools me, I give a compliment. The other way around works it as well.
The best is if a catcher shut-up the complaining from pitcher and/or coach! At that point she may frame all of it, just to show off and find out how often I let myself be fooled!