Really interesting analysis on catchers

08Dad1,000+ posts

On baseball prospectus, there is a new article evaluating MLB catchers and their ability to "frame" pitches.

Essentially, through statistical analysis, the author is able to measure how effective the various major league catchers are in receiving borderline pitches in a way that results in more strike calls.

He then goes on to compare, using video, the techniques used by two of the best catchers, Jose Molina and Jonathan Lucroy, and three of the worst catchers, Ryan Doumit, Jorge Posada, and Jason Varitek, and is able to identify specific differences in their techniques.

Two key things are identified as ways to lose strikes - moving the glove excessively (which is a well known flaw) and a new one to me - dropping the head to follow the ball into the glove.

Well worth the read...

http://www.baseballprospectus.....php?articleid=15093

9/21/1111:24 AM

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GunEmDown101,000+ posts

Wow, very cool. Back in April 2009, I started a thread in the catcher's forum where we discussed the Catcher's K-Zone..... You gotta love this stuff!

??Catcher's K-Zone stats??

GUN works out with Nationals catcher Jeremy Mayo, he strongly recommends losing the head drop!

BTW - we tracked this same data in 2010, for C#1 and C#2 only, C3# graduated in 2009. C#2 caught a single game during that season, but the statistical data/differences remained the same. The starting pitchers remained the same, with only 1 addition to the staff.

Absolutely not scientific, but it was fun

GED10DaD