by Coach Griff
It is THE most talked about topic in catching - framing.
Extra strikes are worth their weight in gold, and you’ll save many runs through an extra strike here and there.
Your pitchers will love you and they’ll ask for you to catch when they throw.
Framing is the technique of holding or moving your glove within the strike zone after catching a pitch.
Sometimes the pitch is within the strike zone… sometimes you might move your glove a little to make it appear like it’s in the zone. Either way, you are attempting to help/influence the umpire’s decision on what to call (it’s a strike obviously).
No one is perfect - including umpires.
The way they make decisions on strikes is largely based on how you catch the ball.
If it appears effortless and caught at the intended location, it’s likely a strike. But if your glove drops and touches the ground, the pitch must be too low and therefor a ball. Often the difference is in how well you caught the ball and where your glove ended up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhY6okE0n_Q
You will find a million and one videos on YouTube about how to frame a pitch.
In the last ten years, there has been a lot of improvement in the technique used to frame pitches, especially low ones.
This technique involves dropping your glove to the ground just before the pitch is released, then bringing the glove upwards quickly at the last second to receive the pitch. Here’s how it looks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLyy3ZFeZtY
This technique takes time to develop, strong forearms, and the right positioning over the plate. However, it also makes blocking pitches far easier, as your glove is already in the correct location. Here are some of the best drills to get you started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwo1k2i-tSE&t=45s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJxsndeD2lE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPN0MLxG1oU&t=137s
The growing popularity of OKD catching is well suited to framing.
With a more stable base for receiving a pitch, many catchers find framing easier using OKD.