Never Teach your Catcher to Frame a Pitch!

[CallingCadence14]

At first I wasnt going to reply but, the holding a strike for 5-6 sec ,killed me.Give me a tm name in Texas so this Fat guy can steal on a travel catcher.We teach target acquisition by threat if your going to steal your the most relevant threat,were looking for the lead runner, so catchers must recognize this and react accordingly.I don't think anyone said 5-6 sec .I recall saying 1 Sec .If you can say "she's off the bag" she has a 1 sec jump most A Travel Catchers have a 1.7 -2.3 sec pop2pop so recovering can be done you just have to be a huslter.So unless she's got red brick pants and a grass green top blending into the indiginous enviroment as if she was wearing a cloaking device she should be obvious to spot.That'd be the one sporting a batting helmet going towards second,right.

[Joe Dirt]

It's on the marginal pitches where the catcher is moving the glove back into the strike zone that I let her know that if she has to sell me on the pitch it must have been a ball.

UMPINVA
First of all, I never mentioned moving a ball back into the strike zone. I said catching the outside of the ball. Anytime a catcher moves the glove not only does she lose some credibility but she can turn strikes into balls. You also said it is the marginal pitches where the catcher is moving the glove. Quality catchers will not do that. But then again, you may not see many quality catchers. You also say if she has to sell you on a pitch then it must be a ball. How can you say that. Are watching the pitches come across the plate or just watching the catcher?

[slider201]

At first I wasnt going to reply but, the holding a strike for 5-6 sec ,killed me.Give me a tm name in Texas so this Fat guy can steal on a travel catcher.

I said it drove me crazy.

[umpinva]

It's on the marginal pitches where the catcher is moving the glove back into the strike zone that I let her know that if she has to sell me on the pitch it must have been a ball.

UMPINVA
First of all, I never mentioned moving a ball back into the strike zone. I said catching the outside of the ball. Anytime a catcher moves the glove not only does she lose some credibility but she can turn strikes into balls. You also said it is the marginal pitches where the catcher is moving the glove. Quality catchers will not do that. But then again, you may not see many quality catchers. You also say if she has to sell you on a pitch then it must be a ball. How can you say that. Are watching the pitches come across the plate or just watching the catcher?

Joe Dirt,

My response regarding a catcher moving the glove back into the strike zone was relating to actions I've seen catcher's do, not that you mentioned them doing it. I agree with you that "quality" catchers will not do this, as they know that this movement could turn strikes into balls. I watch the ball from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand to the catcher's glove.
Umpiring across the USA I have an opportunity to see many quality players from travel ball levels, high school, and several college conferences. I enjoy seeing players now playing at the college level that I have umpired in previous years.

[Joe Dirt]

I understand then. Thanks for the clarification. It is actually nice to hear that you enjoy doing it. There is no better reason to do it. Cheers!

[watcher]

In the many years of watching catchers, Being a cathchers dad, I see many catchers pulling a strike on the outside corner into the middle of the plate thus making it appear like a "ball"
DD has been taught to beat the ball to the spot & let the blue make the call, Oh and one more thing, Keep the "blue" from getting hit "AT ALL COSTS" lol

[umpinva]

Oh and one more thing, Keep the "blue" from getting hit "AT ALL COSTS" lol

Now that's a thought process I can live with!

[Mr. Burns]

Catching coach, if you are who I think you are, and I think you are, you advocate the catcher holding the mit with elbow down. This is contrary to what I've seen taught in a lot of place, that being the elbow out. Can you explain your philosophy?

[umpinva]

Oh and one more thing, Keep the "blue" from getting hit "AT ALL COSTS" lol

Now that's a thought process I can live with!

I don't know. Sometimes you just need to get your point across

What point would that be?

[catchingcoach]

Catching coach, if you are who I think you are, and I think you are, you advocate the catcher holding the mit with elbow down. This is contrary to what I've seen taught in a lot of place, that being the elbow out. Can you explain your philosophy?

Mr Burns,

Yes I indirectly teach that. What I actually stress is a glove position when setting the target with the thumb at 3o-clock, fingers to the sky. (rt handed catcher). This will indeed set the elbow pointing down as you observed.

When the elbow is pointing out the thumb must be between 5 & 6o-clock. In this position I find that most catchers keep the glove to close to their chests and tend to stab at the ball. I have also found that on the pitch to the glove side since the thumb is turned so far down it is very difficult to get the glove all the way over to the outside of the ball. This causes the catcher to catch the back half of the ball and now the left elbow is hanging way off the plate within the umpires view.

My goal in receiving is to catch all strikes so they still look like strikes. I want no part of my body hanging off the plate, even an elbow. If I start in the 3 o-clock position (elbow down) it is much easier to get to the outsdie of the pitch to the glove side. My glove will now be up and down and my elbow will be inline with the glove, not hanging off the plate outside of glove.

Did I make that clear?