MLB '24 Regular Season Thread

When did so many catchers start going to a knee? I get trying to set up low in the zone, but ...
San Diego reliever just unleashed a wild pitch the catcher could only try to backhand. Rays runner at third easily scored to tie the game.

 

This is another one you can chalk up to the propeller-heads and their slide rules. The numbers suggest, loudly, that the one-kneed stance makes catchers far more effective at blocking the low-middle stuff, which is where the most wild pitches go. They can still get outside nearly as effectively. It also saves wear and tear. We teach all our travel kids this because that's what all their private coaches and camps are teaching now. They switch back to standard during stolen base situations.

 

I thought the one knee was about framing, not blocking. Catchers are far less effective at stopping a wild pitch when they get into that stance. I know it’s burned the Giants a few times this year.

 

Sitting at my local, had gotten the TVs set up for baseball and football tonight but apparently DIRECT TV and Disney are fighting again so no Sunday Night baseball or US Open for you, bar goers. Hard cut at 7 pm Eastern. Poof.

 

It helps frame the low pitch, but not much more in that regard. And it makes it way easier to stop one headed for the 5-hole, which is where they have to stop the most pitches in the dirt. A few more will get by them on the throwing side, but most of those would have anyway. We're used to seeing a standard crouch since ... forever ... so it looks weird. In 10 years, probably much sooner, you'll never see another one.

 

It’s just every time I’ve heard it talked about, they admit (and by they I mean managers and the like) it is a risk for the passed ball because they want to steal strikes. There’s been talk that catchers will have to relearn the crouch if they go to robo umps for the strike zone. I mean I’ll admit I’ve been passively listening and not actually working with the position, but there was my understanding.

 

Somewhere, Tony Pena is sporting a proud grin at this discussion.

 

Even since the days of Pena, and before him Benito Santiago and Manny Sanguillen, big huge thick-legged catchers have become pretty rare in MLB.

it's pretty hard to imagine guys like Fisk or Butch Wynegar scooching down into that semi recumbent position and watching any loose ball go straight to the screen.

 

Thanks to all for your input. Appreciate it.

 

Pro catcher (and Ivy Leaguer) says it is about stealing strikes, but also said it improved his blocking skills.

https://probaseballinsider.com/what-i-learned-after-a-full-season-catching-on-1-knee/

My weakness was stealing strikes at the bottom of the zone, partially because I am so tall, so I moved to a one-knee stance to get lower and improve those metrics.

Originally I only went to a knee with no runners on base and less than two strikes. Only in situations where I would not have to block or throw.

But my receiving numbers were SO drastically better from the one-knee stance, I was encouraged to learn how to perform the other skills from that stance so I could commit to the one-knee stance full time.

 

Stealing strikes will disappear when MLB goes to the automated strike zone, which is coming. Then they can fully concentrate on blocking and other aspects of the position.

 

[Don McLean voice]

“This will be the day Austin Hedges will die…”

Seriously, the Guardians have obsessed over strike stealing for 10 years. They won’t know what to do after it is gone.