Seattle Sports Insider

Seattle Sports Insider

Byte Sized: the Game Within the Game

Posted by

jemanji

2/22/16

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Mariners.com has a fluff piece up on pitch framing.

Except this fluff piece, isn't. Our default assumption is that this type of Feb. 22 article is "noise," but ... that's only a default position, subject to change. In this case, it so happens that mega-FIP-expert John Dewan just published a piece on pitch framing ca. 2016 A.D., and it is essentially an article on --- > Chris Ianetta!

You know how The Sixth Sense was two different movies, the first and second time you saw it? The Mariners.com article reads differently, before and after you realize that Iannetta actually led the league in delta. It's one thing to chat about your theories going forward; it's another thing to explain your successes going backward.

Chris Iannetta and former catcher Scott Servais have many ideas on the state of this "game within a game." In this specific case, Iannetta and Servais do in fact understand the keys to the game. Iannetta exploited his understanding last season to increase his pitch-framing skill, big time. He went from -7 strikes called per 1,000 pitches (about one week) to +10 strikes.

17 extra strikes per week ... that's about 300-350 balls converted to strikes, in a Chris Iannetta part-time season. I got yer strike zone control rat cheer, hoss.

....

One great takeaway for us, who see the game from the CF camera. Used to be, catchers wanted to "stick" the landing, like gymnasts, conveying confidence. That now backfires horribly. What catchers want is "soft hands," BLURRING the umpire's picture. We can infer that an umpire in doubt, now goes with the pitcher. We can infer from that, that the ump's bosses are giving them more flack for missing strikes than for anything else.

This "soft hands" development is new to Dr. D, and presents an interesting new facet of watching a ballgame. Also, he has nothing against the idea that the M's catcher is the most-improved in the league going into 2016.

BABVA,

Jeff

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Umpires will be part of the story this year

With the new "Control the zone" policy, framing will be important, as well as staying ahead in counts - for both pitchers and batters. Being good at both will depend on good technique, as well as consistent umpiring.

As in prior years, I expect that early on the Mariners will have an issue with inconsistent umpiring. It seems that each and every year, the Mariners have this issue, and it seems to at least distract the Mariners for a while each year. How these Mariners adapt / accept / fight these scenarios will dictate the rest of the year.

Will the pitchers start catching more of the plate after a few walks? Will the batters be steadfast in their belief of the policy even after striking out or being forced to hit in bad counts continually? Will Servais get thrown out of several games just to support his players and this new philosophy? Will Mather or Lincoln tell Servais to stop the team arguing about calls, since it is ruining the family environment or worse the league thinks the Mariners complain too much?

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