2013 MLB Catch-All thread

[caulfield12]

Segura was from the Angels organization, not the Dodgers

 

 

Ooops, forgot that he didn't stay with the Angels, since he's still in So Cal.

 

I guess the point still stands, the best Angels' teams of the Scioscia regime were mostly homegrown, not the product of 3-4 huge FA signings.

 

Trout obviously was their draft, but all those guys like Vernon Wells, Haren, Torii Hunter, etc., weren't.

 

And they used to have the best, most reliable bullpen in baseball in the heyday of Shields/K-Rod. It was even more of a lockdown pen than the Twins' great bullpens.

 

Plus, they could attack you on the basepaths with speed and versatility, back when Figgins was in him prime.

[balfanman]

And they used to have the best, most reliable bullpen in baseball in the heyday of Shields/K-Rod. It was even more of a lockdown pen than the Twins' great bullpens.

 

Plus, they could attack you on the basepaths with speed and versatility,

 

Kind of like when the Sox were good. God I hate a team that relies way too much on Homerun ball.

[LittleHurt05]

Kind of like when the Sox were good. God I hate a team that relies way too much on Homerun ball.

 

Like the 2005 White Sox? Other than their leadoff hitter, they were very dependent on the home run ball.

[Brian]

But really. We need another lefty, yes?

 

Nothing to lose. Would bring in more female eye candy each game as well.

[Jordan4life_2007]

And here come the Rays once again. They looked like a bunch of broke dick dogs 10 days ago. After tonight's win (Matt Moore was filthy after a rough first), they've won 6 in a row and 8 of 10. Anybody know how Wil Myers is doing? I haven't followed any minor league baseball so far.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Jordan4life

[caulfield12]

And here come the Rays once again. They looked like a bunch of broke dick dogs 10 days ago. After tonight's win (Matt Moore was filthy after a rough first), they've won 6 in a row and 8 of 10. Anybody know how Wil Myers is doing? I haven't followed any minor league baseball so far.

 

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?p...&pid=571976

 

770 OPS.

 

Josh Phegley's seriously outhitting him.

[Jordan4life_2007]

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?p...&pid=571976

 

770 OPS.

 

Josh Phegley's seriously outhitting him.

 

Thanks. So he's been just alright so far. If he heats up, I hope the Rays learned from the Angels and don't wait around.

[fathom]

Thanks. So he's been just alright so far. If he heats up, I hope the Rays learned from the Angels and don't wait around.

 

Of course, James Loney has been incredible for Tampa

[Jordan4life_2007]

Of course, James Loney has been incredible for Tampa

 

Somethin' about that Tampa jersey. Scrubs just flourish over there. Most efficient organization in baseball.

[zenryan]

Kelly Johnson has even gotten life back into his bat this year. We'll see for how long.

 

If the offense doesnt fall back to what they were in the first few weeks,(asking them to keep this pace is asking too much) and if the bullpen figures itself out then the Rays are going to be mighty dangerous. Looks like Rodney has found last year's form since he gave up that HR to Toronto. 4IP, 1H, 9K's.

[LittleHurt05]

Somethin' about that Tampa jersey. Scrubs just flourish over there. Most efficient organization in baseball.

 

If they ever moved to a city with actual baseball fans, they could become a powerhouse.

[LittleHurt05]

Hey Don Mattingly, half your rotation is already injured. Should your 25-year old ace really be throwing 132 pitches on May 14?

[zenryan]

If they ever moved to a city with actual baseball fans, they could become a powerhouse.

 

 

And that would be moving from St Pete to Tampa.

[Steve9347]

How awesome has Jean Segura been this year for Milwaukee? Good to see the Brewers get a great return on their Greinke investment.

He's 2013 Mike Trout.

[southsider2k5]

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi 19m

 

Sergio Santos will have elbow surgery tomorrow. #BlueJays

[witesoxfan]

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi 19m

 

Sergio Santos will have elbow surgery tomorrow. #BlueJays

 

Glad he took the payday when he did.

[IlliniKrush]

Long, but really good article on pitch-framing. Perception is reality when it comes to umpiring and calling pitches, and organizations are finally picking up on it and making it a focus.

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/927575...e-molina-others

[iamshack]

Long, but really good article on pitch-framing. Perception is reality when it comes to umpiring and calling pitches, and organizations are finally picking up on it and making it a focus.

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/927575...e-molina-others

Krush...I know you have been an umpire before and I always wondered this...how can the ump even see the framing when you're behind the catcher? I mean it seems like it makes a huge difference from the pitcher's vantage point or the center field camera, but can umps really see a well-framed pitch when looking over the shoulder of the catcher?

[IlliniKrush]

Krush...I know you have been an umpire before and I always wondered this...how can the ump even see the framing when you're behind the catcher? I mean it seems like it makes a huge difference from the pitcher's vantage point or the center field camera, but can umps really see a well-framed pitch when looking over the shoulder of the catcher?

Good question, and yes you can. You can see more than you think you would be able to back there, but it's hard to describe until you've actually done it, and then you realize you see the majority of the catcher's arm in addition to the glove. You're lined up off center (we call it the slot, between the batter and the catcher's head/shoulder) and you see them catching it out front.

 

You track the ball the entire way in with your eyes, but you're also watching it all the way in and watching how the catcher receives the ball. You absolutely see the glove and the ball going into the glove and any associated movement with the glove. When I said perception is reality, what I mean is this...and it's much easier to see at a HS level (obviously I'm not calling MLB games). Catchers can absolutely help "steal" pitches or cost their pitchers the marginal ones. Every umpire wants to call strikes. We're taught to call strikes. Coaches want strikes. So you're not looking to call it a ball, but catchers can make you do so on some.

 

Take your pitch that's on the corner, or slightly off the corner. If a catcher can stick that (and let me say that framing doesn't mean pull...you don't take pitches and then move your glove towards the center of the plate. That's telling me you think it's a ball anyway and it's sloppy) then that can be a strike, and no coach is going to have an issue with it. It looked close enough to be a strike, catcher caught it like a strike. It was crisp.

 

Now, if the catcher stabs at it, or carries it out of the zone, that's a ball. Why? Even if it was marginal and could have gone either way, he showed everyone in the park that it was a ball. He gave up on it. You call that a strike, and the perception is reality comes into play. Good luck explaining that to a coach as the catcher is making it look awful. Same thing on a low pitch. If you carry the ball all the way to the ground, it makes that pitch look worse than it may have been in reality. Umpires aren't taught just to call it where you think it came through the zone. You're calling the entire action of the pitch, if that makes sense. You don't reward terrible catching, but you will certainly reward solid catching.

 

I love getting a solid catcher back there that will give you a great look at it and not hurt the perception to everyone else. Even at the HS level, coaches get it. I'll have a pitch that a coach thinks may have caught a corner, or the lower part, and as I ball it with a terrible reception of the pitch, he's telling the catcher hey, stick that, don't give up on it, etc and not barking at me. They get it. So it's definitely something that's taught, and can make a difference in a game. That's why that article was great. Hell, even if at the MLB level, where they are all better framers than HS catchers, it can be a subconscious thing. Guy's throwing 90mph fastball and everything about the pitch looked good, catcher stuck it...you think you saw a strike even if pitchfx says it was an inch off. Catcher pulls it and isn't "quiet" with it it makes it look bad, you think you saw a worse pitch than it actually was, ball...and the pitches they had in the article did a good job of showing it.

 

I don't know if any of this makes sense, but there's my take on it.

Edited May 15, 2013 by IlliniKrush

[iamshack]

Good question, and yes you can. You can see more than you think you would be able to back there, but it's hard to describe until you've actually done it, and then you realize you see the majority of the catcher's arm in addition to the glove. You're lined up off center (we call it the slot, between the batter and the catcher's head/shoulder) and you see them catching it out front.

 

You track the ball the entire way in with your eyes, but you're also watching it all the way in and watching how the catcher receives the ball. You absolutely see the glove and the ball going into the glove and any associated movement with the glove. When I said perception is reality, what I mean is this...and it's much easier to see at a HS level (obviously I'm not calling MLB games). Catchers can absolutely help "steal" pitches or cost their pitchers the marginal ones. Every umpire wants to call strikes. We're taught to call strikes. Coaches want strikes. So you're not looking to call it a ball, but catchers can make you do so on some.

 

Take your pitch that's on the corner, or slightly off the corner. If a catcher can stick that (and let me say that framing doesn't mean pull...you don't take pitches and then move your glove towards the center of the plate. That's telling me you think it's a ball anyway and it's sloppy) then that can be a strike, and no coach is going to have an issue with it. It looked close enough to be a strike, catcher caught it like a strike. It was crisp.

 

Now, if the catcher stabs at it, or carries it out of the zone, that's a ball. Why? Even if it was marginal and could have gone either way, he showed everyone in the park that it was a ball. He gave up on it. You call that a strike, and the perception is reality comes into play. Good luck explaining that to a coach as the catcher is making it look awful. Same thing on a low pitch. If you carry the ball all the way to the ground, it makes that pitch look worse than it may have been in reality. Umpires aren't taught just to call it where you think it came through the zone. You're calling the entire action of the pitch, if that makes sense. You don't reward terrible catching, but you will certainly reward solid catching.

 

I love getting a solid catcher back there that will give you a great look at it and not hurt the perception to everyone else. Even at the HS level, coaches get it. I'll have a pitch that a coach thinks may have caught a corner, or the lower part, and as I ball it with a terrible reception of the pitch, he's telling the catcher hey, stick that, don't give up on it, etc and not barking at me. They get it. So it's definitely something that's taught, and can make a difference in a game. That's why that article was great. Hell, even if at the MLB level, where they are all better framers than HS catchers, it can be a subconscious thing. Guy's throwing 90mph fastball and everything about the pitch looked good, catcher stuck it...you think you saw a strike even if pitchfx says it was an inch off. Catcher pulls it and isn't "quiet" with it it makes it look bad, you think you saw a worse pitch than it actually was, ball...and the pitches they had in the article did a good job of showing it.

 

I don't know if any of this makes sense, but there's my take on it.

Yeah, it makes a ton of sense. I guess you just need to actually stand back there and see it for yourself. Whenever they show those behind the plate camera angles you can only track the ball until it's about 55 feet or so.

[Jake]

Before I tore my groin (ouch, by the way), receiving the ball like Krush described was by far my biggest strong suit as a catcher. It's totally underrated and I was lucky to have some great instruction from a former pro who taught me how to frame from the first time I put the gear on.

 

BTW, tearing my groin didn't make me bad at framing, it just turned me into a pitcher instead of catcher

[Steve9347]

BTW, tearing my groin didn't make me bad at framing, it just turned me into a pitcher instead of catcher

So many innuendos.

[Brian]

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi 19m

 

Sergio Santos will have elbow surgery tomorrow. #BlueJays

 

Feel bad for him. My favorite part of that season of The Show was when KW told him he made the team and he started crying.

[iamshack]

Feel bad for him. My favorite part of that season of The Show was when KW told him he made the team and he started crying.

On the other hand, how lucky is he that we extended him?

[Soxfest]

On the other hand, how lucky is he that we extended him?

He is very lucky money wise.