[tdarko]

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'm not talking about framing, which is what most people call recieving. The big league catchers don't really frame the ball in the aspect of making it look like a strike. Really what you are trying to do is give the umpire the best look at the pitch. Piazza couldn't get low strikes because he would block the umpire's view and if he does that they shouldn't get the call. If you watched Ausmus, he always gives the umpire I nice consistent clean look at each pitch. There is also alot of dialogue that goes on with the ump and catcher at most levels that nobody gets to here or be aknowledged for. It is a cool part of the game if you are a catcher to get to where you feel like you are working together with the umpire. Perfect example of something most people might not know about the right thing to do to keep umps happy is if they get a pitch fouled off their body in any way you always go talk to your pitcher unless the ump tells you he doesn't need a minute. Umps do the same thing for catchers by rubbing the ball alittle longer, etc.

Working umps was one of my favorite parts of catching, and I would hate to see them just start putting big donkeys like Piazza back there because recieving pitches is no longer important.

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this is a really good post.

big league umpires hate catchers that "frame" pitches, it pisses them off and they will actually start to take pitches away. all they want is for you to be "quiet" behind the dish, and do the best job of catching the ball in a presentable manner for the umpire as collin said.

the catcher's that take away strikes are the ones that move to much blocking the sight of an umpire, or ones that feel it necessary to do too much and then resulting of them not getting any calls.