What GOOD framing looks like. How to present a pitch as a catcher.

Every catcher wanting to be good should watch the whole video. There's gold in there.
Receiving is about getting your pitcher ALL the strike calls he should get. It's not about framing pitches that are not strikes to be called strikes. It's not about stealing strikes, although, it can and does occur, that should NOT be the mindset of the catcher. He should be thinking about how to present the pitch accurately so the umpire makes a good call.

[@TheSpeyfisher]

Excellent video! I'm a umpire and this really is outstanding on many levels! Thanks

[@garygemmell3488]

When I was a HS coach the Varsity staff would attend an annual clinic held over a weekend time frame. A lot of topics were covered over the weekend by many well known college coaches and professional players. Mike Scioscia gave a presentation one year while he was still catching for the Dodgers. His topic was framing pitches. He had a simple method that consisted of catching the part of the ball farthest from the middle of the plate. Basically, if the pitch was off the inside corner you would envelop the part of the ball furthest from the plate and vice versa on a pitch off of the opposite corner. The same thing applied on pitches that were borderline high or low. It was simply a matter of turning\twisting your glove a few degrees off center. Envelop the ball and hold the glove still for a split second, never pull it into the zone. It sounds a little strange and can best be shown to you rather than explained. He said he NEVER tried to frame a pitch that was obviously out of the strike zone because it made the umpire indifferent to the framing. Like the boy who cried wolf too often. He considered his efforts a success if he could get an umpire to call anywhere from 3-5 pitches per game a strike when they were balls. I taught all my catchers from the freshman team to the varsity to do this and the results were worth it.

[@aycroth]

Thanks for the videos here MJH as a first year umpire they are great resources to view

[@RonaldGorman]

Your pitcher, #20 is going to be good one. Throwing 80mph at his age, along with what he showed with his off speed stuff. Very nice.

[@MJHBaseball]

Topped out at 88 this year as a Sophomore. Won every game he pitched too.

[@bryanrmcnair01]

Both need body movement...sway out ir in so ita catch is between ya shoulders...NOT reaching out of ya body framw then draging back into zone! Get AROUND OR UNDER and catch as headed back into zone and that sway over with hips help stay in frame cause the best of rhe BEST dont jt do glove work! Edit to add: Yes if over 2 balls out or down jt catch and get it back to pitcher!

[@teebob21]

Catchers: Catch the pitch where it's thrown and STICK IT (pulling as little as possible), and you'll buy a few extra strikes at all levels up to NCAA. Once you get into college ball, none of the umpires are going to get "fooled" by a catcher's glove, because none of them are looking at the catcher's glove, or knees, for that matter.

[@MJHBaseball]

An umpire should see the pitch all the way into the catcher's glove. They should see the back of the glove before deciding. Of course, most youth umpires don't do that. They decide way too early. I think "sticking" a pitch where it hit the glove is great, but if your glove is going to move, it should move toward the zone and not out of it. I've umpired behind the catcher in green and it's pretty impressive, especially on the low pitches or low/inside to righties. Nearly every catcher's glove drops on low pitches, so when you see a catcher receive like he does... makes seeing that pitch correctly WAY more easy than the catcher that drops his glove down when receiving. Not to mention, you don't get near as much bitching about calls from spectators/coaches with a great receiver. At least that's how I experience it anyway.

[@teebob21]

@@MJHBaseball While I can understand your perspective, most higher level umpires pay no attention to the glove, as it's location and/or movement are not relevant to judging the pitch as is passes through the strike zone.

[@davej3781]

@@MJHBaseball where you at MJH? No videos for over a month? I admittedly didn't notice for a bit, but now we're halfway through the LLWS Regionals and still no content. I hope you're ok.

[@MH-Tesla]

​@@davej3781Life changes! Sorry. Not sure when I'll get back to it. Been working 80+ hours a week lately.

[@jonathanpalmos2911]

There's something you pointed out that is not correct. You stated that "Receiving is not about a particular umpire." It is about each individual umpire. At the start of the game and no zone is the same. By the 3rd inning, a catcher should have the umpires unique zone 80% figured out. You start sticking in the fist inning, you'll lose the umpire's trust. The faster you can relate with the umpire and find his zone, the better off you are. This is more advanced since you already covered drifting to the zone vs pulling to the zone. You are also correct about the people saying the umpire is not in a correct position. That is a static and you cannot change that. It's no different than poker. You're dealt the cards and now you have to work with them.

[@MJHBaseball]

Absolutely correct. My comment at the start was in reference to comments I had on an earlier video that focused on an umpire that wasn't so good rather than on the catcher. And I should have mentioned your point in the video (certainly had enough time do to it.) Once the catcher knows the zone of a particular umpire, he should not be sticking pitches he knows that guy will not call. 100%. And early on, just present close pitches long enough for the umpire to see it...don't hold it there for an extended time. It's frustrating when a catcher waits to hear ball/strike before they move their glove. If it's a strike, I have to stand up and then call it. It takes some time and all the while their still holding their glove. Ugh.

[@AUClay]

Home plate umpires need to go away in place of a computer/high speed camera strike zone like launch monitors used in golf. Framing catchers should be told that it doesn’t matter where they put their glove.

[@weevilsnitz]

You talk about how high school catchers only frame when it's close, not on obvious balls, and haven't learned how to properly frame by moving toward the strike zone - not catching and dragging - and yet watching an MLB game is atrocious. It's so frustrating to see professional catchers stick their glove out where they know the ball is coming, miles outside the zone, catch, and slide their glove, not even into an outside strike position, but well inside the strike zone. To me is gross, it's completely against the spirit of the game, and it's just annoying to watch.