Pitch framing 110 years ago

[GeoPoto]

So, I have a pile of old baseball books, which I mix into my daily readings. Yesterday I started a book published in 1915 and authored by two college baseball coaches, who end their introduction with: "In the present work, the authors, after careful study based on personal experience, inquiry, and comparison, have formulated for the general public, including the amateur and professional player, the whole subject of baseball as it is played in the most advanced circles, namely, in the major leagues."

The first chapter is devoted to the catcher and contains the following: "While receiving the low ball, the catcher should not squat, with the hands in an upright position; he should rather drop the hands (fingers downward). But after catching a low ball he should not continue the downward course of the ball with the glove; the better way is to bring it up gracefully and easily. This upward motion will sometimes cause the ball to be called a strike, while if the hands went down, it would be a ball."

Maybe I shouldn't be, but I was surprised to see Pitch Framing included among "inside baseball" strategies and techniques as long ago as 1915. And I thought some of you might also find that interesting. And here's the Old Sarge from around that time:

[jingram058]

I guess they had to do something to keep batters honest. After all, pitchers were simply tossing overhand slow pitch softball speed. Those guys couldn't punch through wet paper sacks today.

Just ask the resident net54 armchair baseball experts.

[brianp-beme]

Fun to see that it was thought about and considered 100+ years ago. As far as it becoming a more prevalent tactic, and attracting notice from broadcasters calling the game, that seems to be within the last 20-25 years.

I have to admit it does bug me when catchers employing this are not subtle in their movements, (quickly jerking their gloves back to the center) or when they are doing it for pitches that are way out of the strike zone.

Brian

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

I have to admit it does bug me when catchers employing this are not subtle in their movements, (quickly jerking their gloves back to the center) or when they are doing it for pitches that are way out of the strike zone.

Brian

Maybe, but it still works on the umps...who are only human BTW.

Just check any random Aaron Judge at bat during these playoffs.

Not saying that umps have it out for him...just that it's hard to "judge" a strike zone on somebody that massive, who has that good an eye on the zone. Especially if you don't regularly call his games.

If they ever go to a robotic strike zone while he's still in his healthy prime, he's going to have one hell of a season.

[D. Bergin]

Yup, likely an undervalued skill that has always been important, but has gone mostly under the radar with the general public, until fairly recently with the advent of advanced defensive analytics.

I'm sure the various team coach's throughout the sport, took a notice of which catchers were giving their pitchers the best chance for called strikes, and which ones the worst.

[perezfan]

WAR Hates Dante Bichette!
*
*
So what is it good for?


Absolutely nothin'

[Mungo Hungo]

Connie Mack was known in the 19th century for "tipping" bats with his glove. If anything, that type of thing probably happened more back then, not less.

[pbspelly]

My grandfather (Billy Sullivan Jr.) was a pro catcher in the '30s and '40s. When I was a kid he taught me about pitch framing. I still remember him telling me that if the catcher simply moves the glove into the strike zone after catching the pitch, the umpires can usually tell, and they will sometimes get annoyed at the catcher for trying to dupe them. It can be too obvious. The better way, he said, was by positioning your body and holding the glove in such a way that a pitch might look more like it crossed the plate, even if it meant the catcher occasionally dropped the ball because it wasn't caught in the main webbing of the mitt. He probably learned this from his father, who was also an MLB catcher. The stuff I see catchers do on TV looks way too obvious to me, but I have to remind myself that I am seeing it in slow motion, so it is much more apparent that the catcher has moved his mitt at the last moment. It is a weird skill, but has been around for ages.

[mybuddyinc]

I totally understand the theory, but it annoys the heck out of me, especially when it's done almost every pitch outside of strike zone. I see catcher's do it even when ball is six inches out. It probably works once in awhile, but I'd bet it ticks umps off more often. Oh, and umps don't like to be ticked of ..................

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by perezfan

WAR Hates Dante Bichette!
*
*
So what is it good for?


Absolutely nothin'

Say it again.

[BigfootIsReal]

Most won't agree, but I say framing is cheating.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Originally Posted by jingram058

I guess they had to do something to keep batters honest. After all, pitchers were simply tossing overhand slow pitch softball speed. Those guys couldn't punch through wet paper sacks today.

Just ask the resident net54 armchair baseball experts.

Yes considering they are all dead.