Art of Framing Pitches and Welington Castillo

[dabynsky]

A lot of articles have popped up in recent years about studying the effects of catcher defense on the game. A very well written one at Grantland popped up a few days ago by Ben Lindbergh, editor in chief at Baseball Prospectus.

In a September 2011 article titled "Spinning Yarn: Removing the Mask," Mike Fast, then an analyst for Baseball Prospectus (and now an analyst for the Houston Astros), attempted to determine what catcher receiving was worth. By studying where strikes are typically called and establishing which pitchers were getting more or fewer strikes than they "should" have, given where their pitches crossed the plate, Fast was able to isolate the effect of the catcher. He concluded that pitch framing can make a major impact, and it also is more consistent from year to year than even reliable offensive metrics like on-base percentage or slugging percentage. In other words, it's not insignificant, and it's not just noise. It's a valuable skill that persists from season to season.

There is a lot of cool stuff in the article, but the bolded quote is the most important thing that has stuck out to me in reading various articles on the topic. And the reason this stuck out to me was because this was a criticism of Welington Castillo that we heard last year.

Cubs television analyst Bob Brenly, a former catcher, pointed that out during Fridays broadcast, and the idea that Castillo has trouble framing pitches quickly gained traction on Twitter.

Now I haven't noticed any problems with Castillo defensively, but I'm not an expert on the subject. It has also felt like the Cubs have been squeezed a number of games, but that could be just the fact that those moments are more memorable than when the Cubs pitchers got a break on a call. At the end of the day it is something that stats and scouts agree is an important factor on winning baseball games that probably warrants closer watching on a potential key piece of a hopefully, we all hope, competitive team in the near future.

Here are some more stats heavy articles on the topic:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=20596
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15093*

*This article leads to an interesting aside as well. The data is older, it comes from 2008-2011, but it points to Brian McCann, potential free agent next offseason, to be above average in this area of his game. It also points to potential free agents Carlos Ruiz as being below average with last offseason signing Dionner Navarro being just a tick better than Ruiz.

 

[Rice Cube]

Cubs catchers, both Castillo and Dioner Navarro (who was supposed to be a good defender but meeeeeeeh) also seem to have trouble blocking the ball and making consistent throws to 2B, but I haven't actually ran the numbers or anything on that. I think the pitch framing thing has merit though, especially when you compare Cubs catchers to, say, a Molina brother.

 

[chibears55]

never really paid that much attention, but it is tougher for a catcher to be consistent with framing pitches when most of the pitching staff is pretty bad with location.

so, sometimes its not just the catcher who is bad at framing pitches, you also need the pitcher to be able to hit their spot just off the plate to give the catcher a chance.

 

[Willrust]

It's all bullshit anyway. They have the technology to get ball/strike calls right each and every time (and use this system to grade umps), but refuse to use it in actual game action.

 

[KBisBack!]

It's all bullshit anyway. They have the technology to get ball/strike calls right each and every time (and use this system to grade umps), but refuse to use it in actual game action.

They refuse to use it in game action because it is a dumb idea that very, very, very few people wish to see.

 

[SilenceS]

They refuse to use it in game action because it is a dumb idea that very, very, very few people wish to see.

Castillo is much better this year then last year. Last year he would look bad sometimes catching the ball, but I havent seen it this year. As for throwing runners out, he is at 30% but I dont put that on him. It should be much better. A lot of those came off the pitchers. Like David Wright yesterday was all on Russell. Castillo is quick out the chute with a strong arm. He is usually pretty accurate. I wouldnt worry about Castillo defense. He is going to one of the better defensive catchers. Just have to hope he keeps hitting. Also, he has shown more patience then he has this year so I would like him to start doing that again.

 

[chibears55]

It's all bullshit anyway. They have the technology to get ball/strike calls right each and every time (and use this system to grade umps), but refuse to use it in actual game action.

when MLB start using comp. to determine balls and strikes , that will be the day i stop watching the game..
yea umpires arent perfect and most have crazy strike zones but that the beauty of the game and thats where pitchers and catchers need to earn some of their pay and adjust to what the umpires are calling.

 

[dabynsky]

Castillo is much better this year then last year. Last year he would look bad sometimes catching the ball, but I havent seen it this year.

I haven't noticed it either, but I must admit for myself it is a subtle part of the game that I often miss. I think having a former catcher in the booth last year mention it is the only reason it got any attention.

As for throwing runners out, he is at 30% but I dont put that on him. It should be much better. A lot of those came off the pitchers. Like David Wright yesterday was all on Russell. Castillo is quick out the chute with a strong arm. He is usually pretty accurate. I wouldnt worry about Castillo defense. He is going to one of the better defensive catchers. Just have to hope he keeps hitting. Also, he has shown more patience then he has this year so I would like him to start doing that again.

I've never questioned Castillo's tools behind the plate, but I think gunning runners down is too often overly emphasized. You've mentioned a number of factors that affect the percent, but even with that low number I think we all feel fine with that part of Castillo's game. It is the other, subtler skill behind the plate that are gaining more attention in the stats community recently that I think warrants a closer look from Castillo.

 

[mountsalami]

I guess when the coaches themselves have stated for years that Castillo's weakness was his ability to call the game (IQ). His defense, arm, framing, were never the glaring topic at hand.

The article was not very interesting nor contained "cool stuff" at all.

 

[Boobaby1]

Castillo is much better this year then last year. Last year he would look bad sometimes catching the ball, but I havent seen it this year. As for throwing runners out, he is at 30% but I dont put that on him. It should be much better. A lot of those came off the pitchers. Like David Wright yesterday was all on Russell. Castillo is quick out the chute with a strong arm. He is usually pretty accurate. I wouldnt worry about Castillo defense. He is going to one of the better defensive catchers. Just have to hope he keeps hitting. Also, he has shown more patience then he has this year so I would like him to start doing that again.

Castillo's issue's that I have seen are his inability to block balls. He stabs at them sometimes versus using his body to keep the ball in front of him. A catcher this early in his career should be all about defense like Molina was. When that falls into place, then he can work on the hitting.

And yes Silence, far too many teams steal on the Cubs pitchers. There is no way in hell like yesterday that a lefty like Russell should let David Wright have a very short lead and still steal second base on him. That is simply from not paying attention to detail, and it start's at the top.

 

[SilenceS]

Castillo has a ways to go but I see a little Molina in him. Has all the tools.

I have noticed it on almost all Cubs pitchers. Castillo hasnt had much of a shot most of the time and he still keeps it close. Feldman is bad about it. The one on Russel yesterday was pretty bad. David Wright was more then half way when the ball got to Castillo. The Cubs arent very good at keeping runners close and they are slow to home.

 

[SilenceS]

Case in point. Players are 9 for 9 running against Feldman this year. They run at every chance and Castillo has very little shot of throwing them out.

 

[Boobaby1]

Case in point. Players are 9 for 9 running against Feldman this year. They run at every chance and Castillo has very little shot of throwing them out.

Exactly. And like I said, it starts at who hired the pitching coach. If Bosio can't change those little things on the staff that are wrong, then it is the brass' responsibility to find someone that can.

 

[chibears55]

Exactly. And like I said, it starts at who hired the pitching coach. If Bosio can't change those little things on the staff that are wrong, then it is the brass' responsibility to find someone that can.

pitching coaches can offer suggestions, but its up to the pitcher to change the way he holds runners on or keeps them close..

alot to all of the pitchers are pretty much set in the way their motion is when they pitch by the time they get to the major league level ( changes and corrections if needed shouldve been done in the minors ) and their comfortable with it and dont want to risk altering something ( to hold a baserunner closer ) at the risk of throwing their pitches.

BUT that said, what it really comes down to for pitchers who has such a motion that runners can easily get a good jump off of, is for them to just simply change the timing of when they thow pitches while runner A occupies the base..

 

[Boobaby1]

pitching coaches can offer suggestions, but its up to the pitcher to change the way he holds runners on or keeps them close..

alot to all of the pitchers are pretty much set in the way their motion is when they pitch by the time they get to the major league level ( changes and corrections if needed shouldve been done in the minors ) and their comfortable with it and dont want to risk altering something ( to hold a baserunner closer ) at the risk of throwing their pitches.

BUT that said, what it really comes down to for pitchers who has such a motion that runners can easily get a good jump off of, is for them to just simply change the timing of when they thow pitches while runner A occupies the base..

Molina or not, Dave Duncan pitchers scouted teams properly, notoriously stepped off the rubber, held long in the stretch, or continuously threw over to first base to keep the runner close. If anything, it frustrated the runners.

That said, it is either the pitching coach, the manager, the GM for giving pitchers those contracts, or the VP of operations that hired the GM. The finger gets pointed to one of those guys. Which is it?

 

[chibears55]

That said, it is either the pitching coach, the manager, the GM for giving pitchers those contracts, or the VP of operations that hired the GM. The finger gets pointed to one of those guys. Which is it?

ok.. i agree

but do you really think that the cubs pitchers or the ones that cant hold runners on closer are the only ones in baseball that have that problem..
i would all but guarantee there at least 1 in a rotation and 1-2 in a bullpen on every team that struggles to hold a runner close

 

[Boobaby1]

ok.. i agree

but do you really think that the cubs pitchers or the ones that cant hold runners on closer are the only ones in baseball that have that problem..
i would all but guarantee there at least 1 in a rotation and 1-2 in a bullpen on every team that struggles to hold a runner close

All I am saying is that if they have a slow delivery with runners on base and the coach can't fix the issue at hand, then you don't want them on the team at all.

If Theo is indeed trying to implement one of the best staff's in all of baseball which is what I hope and why he was hired, then it should be in every facet of the game.

 

[mountsalami]

All I am saying is that if they have a slow delivery with runners on base and the coach can't fix the issue at hand, then you don't want them on the team at all.

If Theo is indeed trying to implement one of the best staff's in all of baseball which is what I hope and why he was hired, then it should be in every facet of the game.

Epstein also went on the cheap with the staff. They had little to no experience at the ML level in their said positions.

All part of the tanking, or I mean, rebuild process.

I preface "The Land Of The Misfit Toys" as an accurate comparison......



Misfit Toys
The Island of Misfit Toys is the home of toys that no little boy or girl wants. Yukon, Hermey and Rudolph accidentally land on the island and ask King Moonraiser if they can stay since they're misfits, too. Unfortunately, the island is for toys alone, so he lets them stay the night, when Rudolph sneaks out on his own. In the end, Santa returns to the island to pick up the misfit toys to find them homes for Christmas.


:fap: