Blue's opinion on pitch framing

[TXFPBlue]

Just finished WADE's advice column to teams on how to deal with umps. That was just plain excellent. I had wanted to address my daughters HS team on that subject but never got a round tuit. Those were exactly the kind of points I wanted to make, but never got them organized well enough to present. That should be must reading for every coach.

[PtotheB]

It is an excellent article. If every coach read it and applied Wade's suggestions I would probably find myself whistling and skipping to and from the fields.
As far as framing goes, I'll usually tell the catcher that they can frame if they want to but it's either a strike or it's not. The only time I think I've been fooled is maybe by some upper level mens pitchers. It doesn't make me mad, heck, my coach used to have me frame when I caught too.

[luvthegame]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Moving a marginal pitch is not framing. Pulling a marginal pitch is taking a pitch the catcher believes to be a ball and trying to trick the umpire into making it a strike.

Another thing it is trying to do is get the crowd and coaching staff to go against the umpire by showing the umpire up.

It doesnt work with proper umpire mechanics... which would including various methods of telling a catcher to stop doing it. ... because we are going to see her move the glove after she believes the pitch is a ball.


I wrote an article on this issues and others for a softball mag site and reprinted it as a post here
HeyBucket.com - View topic - Sell it to that Umpire!

Great Stuff!!!

Originally Posted by argodad

SNAP! ... tap ... tap ... STRIKE! (except he pronounced it "HAAWW!")

So your mentor is half donkey?

[argodad]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

So your mentor is half donkey?

I never said which half!

[RadioBlue]

Most of the posters on this thread have hit the nail on the head. What one person calls "framing" a pitch is what I call "pulling" the pitch. There are few people in the park that have the ability to see in/out while all can see up/down. If she has to yank a pitch, I'm probably not going to call it. If a catcher pulls a pitch, I'll ask her not to do that.

I see catchers all the time who feel the need to "pull" a pitch that is on the outer third! Why?? It was already a darn strike! Now, you're making those without a great view of in/out wonder why the heck I'm calling a pitch the catcher had to "pull."

True framing is an artform. If done correctly, might be get a call or three a ballgame. But framing is more of how a pitch is received than what happens after the ball is caught.

To give you an example of what I'm talking about, take your left hand and place it palm facing away with your fingers pointing to the right. Now, reach further to the right just outside the "zone". Without moving your arm, curl your fingers into a fist in sort of a wrapping motion. That could get you a call or two a game.

Also, it's better for a catcher on the outside corner (right-handed batter & catcher) to receive the pitch a little farther away from the body. I see too many catcher who receive the pitch too close to their bodies making good pitches look worse than they truly are.

[verruckt]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

It's timing. Mines on the longer side of what you will probably run into. There are many reasons to have longer timing, such as catcher dropping a pitch that is presumed to be a foul tip and the catcher SHOULD catch.. but she drops it. Those with quick timing wont see the drop. You learn timing the more you get F'd over on the field having quick timing. ALso, yeah, maybe I gotta think about one.. but you wouldnt know because ALL of my calls have the same longer timing.

IMO, its ok to hold the catch until the call. Dont hold it after the call.

I never even thought about timing, but it makes total sense. And when it's done consistently, then it doesn't give the impression of an unsure call. Thanks for the insight.

[IRISHMAFIA]

All this talk about the catcher's glove and its location just got me thinking.....shouldn't the pitch pretty much be determined before it gets to the catcher's glove?

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

All this talk about the catcher's glove and its location just got me thinking.....shouldn't the pitch pretty much be determined before it gets to the catcher's glove?

Of course, but I think most above were about the catcher either thinking otherwise, or because the coach to do it.

[PABlue]

As a umpire and catcher both of close to 20 years each (yes I'm that old and my knees still work) I HATE it when catchers try to pull and then hold pitches. I've actually told some that they are costing there team strikes. Some of them get it and some never take a hint. Just catch the ball while working from the center of the plate unless your really trying for that pitch out on the steal.

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by 7in60

For pitches on the corners, if I'm not sure, .....

Never mind

[bniu]

Originally Posted by argodad

I like to call strikes. I think most of us do. A good catcher "frames" the borderline pitch by turning the pocket of her mitt toward the strike zone. That makes the pitch look maybe a hair better than it was -- and if I do think it was a strike, that helps me. A bad catcher thinks framing a pitch means moving the glove into the zone. As others have said, this just tells me that she didn't think it was a strike either.

Regarding timing, I think you'll find the better plate umpires have a nice consistent delay from the time the pitch hits the glove until they give their verbal call. That gives us time to make the decision on a borderline pitch without an obvious change in rhythm. If your timing changes, you will hear it from whichever side didn't get the call. My first mentor would tap his thigh twice before making the call. SNAP! ... tap ... tap ... STRIKE! (except he pronounced it "HAAWW!")

I don't mind the catcher making a borderline one look like a strike, I like calling strikes, gets the batters to swing the bats, and make the game go by quicker. As for framing, glove still, catch the ball in the outer part of the glove sticking just out of the zone, and holding the ball there for a sec, is fine by me. They won't get the call if I can tell they're moving their arm trying to buy a strike. A funny moment once when the catcher tried to frame the pitch, he wasn't even framing it in the strike zone, it was at least a few inches outside. When he asked me what was wrong with it, I told him: "first off, you're not even framing it in the strike zone", got a chuckle from both the catcher and the batter.