http://www.qcbaseball.com/images/framing1.jpg
is that the correct way to frame that pitch? i would think the umpire would realize that it wasnt possibel to catch the ball with your glove like that.
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It looks to me like he has done this pretty well. Notice that he has not drawn the ball back in to the zone with his arm or any large movement. All he has done in this sequence is let his glove finish the catch turned in toward the plate. He finished with the fingers pointing toward the plate rather than toward the pitcher and the profile of the back of the glove makes a better picture and keeps everything in line. The ball is still right where he caught it. He just kept a strike looking like a strike.
Other than the fact that he is up on his yoes and can't move his middle it looks pretty well done. If he were in a better stance it would look even better.
I like this because these two pictures show the dramatic difference between catching the back of the ball and catching the outside of the ball.
Other than the fact that he is up on his yoes and can't move his middle it looks pretty well done. If he were in a better stance it would look even better.
I like this because these two pictures show the dramatic difference between catching the back of the ball and catching the outside of the ball.
We're not seeing the motion but thats called catching the ball in halves. For an inside pitch that would be the correct way to receive the ball. Location of the pitch will change the angle of the catch, but the slight roll or the wrist is used to show one half of the ball as being in the strike zone to an ump who will look.
Framing.......schraming
1/4 Roll......@#$%^&
For those that have actually have experience catching (and with velo's in the 90+....all the way up to 104+ mph), try Priority #1.
Priority #1: Catchers who receive (catch) thrown baseballs in the strike zone allowing the umpire to call it a strike, will be valuable to any ball club (young, old, amateur, pro)!
Stayed tuned for Priority #2-#5.
Regards
Bear
OBTW: The jpg for the two catchers are improper mechanics. Should the ball have been received properly (in front) each would have been called a strike!
1/4 Roll......@#$%^&
For those that have actually have experience catching (and with velo's in the 90+....all the way up to 104+ mph), try Priority #1.
Priority #1: Catchers who receive (catch) thrown baseballs in the strike zone allowing the umpire to call it a strike, will be valuable to any ball club (young, old, amateur, pro)!
Stayed tuned for Priority #2-#5.
Regards
Bear
OBTW: The jpg for the two catchers are improper mechanics. Should the ball have been received properly (in front) each would have been called a strike!
Bear,
By in front are you talking about the fact that he did not move his body with the pitch? I think being up on the toes probably prevented him from being able to do move properly to keep the ball in front and in the middle of his body. What do you think? And how about #2-#5?
Am I hearing you disagree with rolling the glove toward the plate when the ball is caught on the edges of the zone?
I would agree with losing the term "framing".
Thanks,
Tim
By in front are you talking about the fact that he did not move his body with the pitch? I think being up on the toes probably prevented him from being able to do move properly to keep the ball in front and in the middle of his body. What do you think? And how about #2-#5?
Am I hearing you disagree with rolling the glove toward the plate when the ball is caught on the edges of the zone?
I would agree with losing the term "framing".
Thanks,
Tim
As you climb the ranks catching recieving becomes more and more about working with the umpire and making each other look good. Be careful curling your wrist because a good umpire will know the pitch is borderline at best. Instead, focus on keeping a tight wrist after the ball his hit the glove and beat the ball to the spot. Leave the pitch right on that corner. Make it look so good he has to call it a strike.
i agree i feel that kids who pull that sort of thing are being rediculous, the umpire is gonna look at your glove and realize your trying to frame... if a catcher is framing well only the catcher himself should know it.
quote:Originally posted by Brian Weingart:
As you climb the ranks catching recieving becomes more and more about working with the umpire and making each other look good. Be careful curling your wrist because a good umpire will know the pitch is borderline at best. Instead, focus on keeping a tight wrist after the ball his hit the glove and beat the ball to the spot. Leave the pitch right on that corner. Make it look so good he has to call it a strike.
Pudge and Posadae "curl the wrist" all the time.
The turning of the wrist is a reaction when receiving the ball. It should become quiet and unnoticeable as the catcher progresses. When we teach young catchers, we start by giving them a base or foundation to build on. When the catcher advances, he will learn what his current coaches teach and his own experiences will dictate what works for him.
Bear, I caught some 90's, lots of high 80's, but sorry no 100's. I caught roughly 400 semi-pro games, but I learned more from college coaches and former pro's than I ever did during games, they opened my eyes.
Bear, I caught some 90's, lots of high 80's, but sorry no 100's. I caught roughly 400 semi-pro games, but I learned more from college coaches and former pro's than I ever did during games, they opened my eyes.
I caught some 90s in the minors and under some of the lights in old, beat up stadiums, framing came in a close second to self-preservation!
If your good no one will even notice! Keep a strike a strike. That is good framing. Too many kids try to make a ball a strike and they turn strikes into balls.
Very true.
CoachRic,
You sound like a guy who wore the tools.
As for me, I learned most from a mentor (when young), a peer (when playing), two arms, a pitcher & a thrower (when seeing the real heat),
and then the youngest of players (still learning from them).
The mentor was/is Paul C (Senators).
The peer is Joe B (a bpc /w Fla for years, and currently with Reds farm system, probably roving)
The pitchers/throwers includes:
LHP Pa Dutchmen: like sitting in a rockin chair.
RHP Amando (when in O's farm system, he threw gas during a summer at College Park. And couldn't handle him then, especially when he missed high)
The youngest of players = all of them!
cheers
Bear
ps. There an aging catcher who moved to Orlando
recently. He lived in Milwaukee (with his wife), bullpen catcher in Madison WI for the past two summers (or more). A valuable asset to any Fla program. Having a Sr moment remembering his name. Dave ????
You sound like a guy who wore the tools.
As for me, I learned most from a mentor (when young), a peer (when playing), two arms, a pitcher & a thrower (when seeing the real heat),
and then the youngest of players (still learning from them).
The mentor was/is Paul C (Senators).
The peer is Joe B (a bpc /w Fla for years, and currently with Reds farm system, probably roving)
The pitchers/throwers includes:
LHP Pa Dutchmen: like sitting in a rockin chair.
RHP Amando (when in O's farm system, he threw gas during a summer at College Park. And couldn't handle him then, especially when he missed high)
The youngest of players = all of them!
cheers
Bear
ps. There an aging catcher who moved to Orlando
recently. He lived in Milwaukee (with his wife), bullpen catcher in Madison WI for the past two summers (or more). A valuable asset to any Fla program. Having a Sr moment remembering his name. Dave ????
The terms framing and pulling are ones that get a lot of play when discussing receiving a pitch and interacting with an umpire....As far as the pictures above, I have no problem with either of them.........curling the wrist would not automatically induce me to call a ball...
I've taken much of this post from a previous answer I posted on framing....
For myself, as far as pitches are concerned there are 2 methods....Framing and Pulling....
Framing is the act of holding a pitch or using your glove postition to give the umpire a good look at a pitch. I absolutely do not have a problem with a catcher framing a pitch....That is doing your job.
Pulling is the pulling of a pitch from where you caught it to a location you feel is inside the strike zone....If you pull a pitch you are telling the umpire that that pitch was a ball....You are costing your pitchers strikes by doing this. I will not call a pulled pitch a strike....If you continue to do this you will not have a good relationship with your umpire...If I have a catcher who pulls, I automatically think I have a rookie behind the plate.....
Most youth catchers are taught this technique and it very well may get you strikes in the youth leagues...but in HS and above baseball it is not well received by Umpires.....It may fool some of the more inexperienced Umpires, but us NFHS and NCAA/NAIA guys will not go for it and it will cost you borderline strikes.....
Ok, so now on to some tips, to help you along with umpires...
Hustle on...hustle off...
Know how many pitches you are allowed to take in warm-ups...(8 for a new pitcher, 5 for in game pitchers)
Throw it down without being told.
Catch the ball....cant stress this enough, my job is to track the ball to your glove, if you are letting me get plunked it is difficult for me to do my job.....
Stay down, stay steady....if you are swaying back and forth or raising up, you are cutting down my field of view......
Be personable...you dont have to be friendly, but we do have to work together...you show them to me good, we will get strikes.....
Remember that the ball you want called a strike when you are catching is also the ball that I will call a strike when you are hitting...so if you want that outside pitch called for strike 3 dont be suprized when that pitch is also a strike when you are at bat.. My zone is consistent for both teams.
As an old catcher I have a respect for the jobs you all do. If I can be of any assistance to you guys, please let me know.....Hope this helps.....
I've taken much of this post from a previous answer I posted on framing....
For myself, as far as pitches are concerned there are 2 methods....Framing and Pulling....
Framing is the act of holding a pitch or using your glove postition to give the umpire a good look at a pitch. I absolutely do not have a problem with a catcher framing a pitch....That is doing your job.
Pulling is the pulling of a pitch from where you caught it to a location you feel is inside the strike zone....If you pull a pitch you are telling the umpire that that pitch was a ball....You are costing your pitchers strikes by doing this. I will not call a pulled pitch a strike....If you continue to do this you will not have a good relationship with your umpire...If I have a catcher who pulls, I automatically think I have a rookie behind the plate.....
Most youth catchers are taught this technique and it very well may get you strikes in the youth leagues...but in HS and above baseball it is not well received by Umpires.....It may fool some of the more inexperienced Umpires, but us NFHS and NCAA/NAIA guys will not go for it and it will cost you borderline strikes.....
Ok, so now on to some tips, to help you along with umpires...
Hustle on...hustle off...
Know how many pitches you are allowed to take in warm-ups...(8 for a new pitcher, 5 for in game pitchers)
Throw it down without being told.
Catch the ball....cant stress this enough, my job is to track the ball to your glove, if you are letting me get plunked it is difficult for me to do my job.....
Stay down, stay steady....if you are swaying back and forth or raising up, you are cutting down my field of view......
Be personable...you dont have to be friendly, but we do have to work together...you show them to me good, we will get strikes.....
Remember that the ball you want called a strike when you are catching is also the ball that I will call a strike when you are hitting...so if you want that outside pitch called for strike 3 dont be suprized when that pitch is also a strike when you are at bat.. My zone is consistent for both teams.
As an old catcher I have a respect for the jobs you all do. If I can be of any assistance to you guys, please let me know.....Hope this helps.....
Great post! 
that was the perfect answer to my question.. much thanks
To answer this question...I would say "NO" If the ball isnt outside your gloveside knee you should catch the ball with you thumb down. Secondly I feel you should never break your wrist when receiving...
This has been a good thread for aspiring catchers. I'll just add a couple thoughts. First, we don't like the term or thought process of "framing". We like to "control the flight of the ball" and by that I mean the catcher should get to the spot he's going to catch the ball before it gets there and catch it with his glove neutral to biased back toward the strike zone. This is simple to do with some practice, just get there early and catch the outer half of the ball. Of course, it also helps to have pitchers who can hit their spots with some regularity. Second, he has to be able to control the ball once he's caught it. By that I mean he can't have the ball moving his hand much from the point of contact. You need soft hands, but also a somewhat firm arm in terms of your wrist and elbow. A good habit to develop is to relax your hand as the pitcher is about halfway through his delivery. You do not drop your arm, you just relax your wrist a bit and let your glove begin to dip or roll downward a bit from your wrist. This does a couple positive things. First it allows you to move more quickly as your muscles are in motion and not static. Second, it encourages a relaxed hand that will catch the ball more cleanly than someone with hands of stone can do. Holding your target static and firm encourages hands of stone.
I couldn't agree more with the comments about keeping a strike a strike and not trying to steal calls by pulling. That is the sign of a poor or inexperienced catcher. Stay low, give the umpire a good view, protect him and catch the outer half of the ball and your pitchers, coaches and umpires will all be happy with the job you're doing.
I couldn't agree more with the comments about keeping a strike a strike and not trying to steal calls by pulling. That is the sign of a poor or inexperienced catcher. Stay low, give the umpire a good view, protect him and catch the outer half of the ball and your pitchers, coaches and umpires will all be happy with the job you're doing.
