One of the in-vogue ways to judge catchers defensively these days is based upon framing metrics. That is, how many balls to they turn into strikes -- and vice versa -- by a veritable sleight of hand. With Pitch Fx data so readily available, it’s simple to measure, too. It’s not an eye test. It’s provable data.
We often discuss catchers by saying he’s a “good framer” or “poor framer” or somewhere in between, but I came to the realization this week that we rarely actually point out how we know.
The stat here is RAA (runs above average) based upon a formula from StatCorner (full explanation here -- be warned, it’s a lot of thinking).
The Top 10
1. Buster Posey, Giants, 26.8 RAA
2. Yasmani Grandal, Dodgers, 24.1
3. Miguel Montero, Cubs, 16.1
4. Tyler Flowers, Braves, 13.3
5. Jason Castro, Astros, 12.8
6. Francisco Cervelli, Pirates, 9.9
7. Tony Wolters, Rockies, 9.5
8. Yadier Molina, Cardinals, 9.3
9. Roberto Perez, Indians, 8.9
10. David Ross, Cubs, 8.7
We definitely see the backstops of some good pitching staffs in there. Of particular note is the Cubs have two of the top 10 and add to just a touch shy of Buster Posey. In fact, Willson Contreras in limited time had 3.3 as well. It’s no coincidence that the Cubs had the best ERA in the majors. Sure, they had good pitchers, but they also had an excellent defense and pitch-framing chops behind the plate. All the pieces of the puzzle fit.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, might we find a few underachieving pitching staffs tied to the poor framers below?
The Bottom 10
Salvador Perez, Royals, -19.5 RAA
Juan Centeno, Twins, -16.9
Ramon Cabrera, Reds, -15.9
J.T. Realmuto, Marlins, -15.7
Dioner Navarro, White Sox, -15
Stephen Vogt, Athletics, -14.4
Nick Hundley, Rockies, -12.8
Chris Iannetta, Mariners, -12.3
Robinson Chirinos, Rangers, -9.5
Alex Avila, White Sox, -9.5
Some part-timers in there. It’s probably a bit jarring for many to see Salvador Perez in there, but he’s graded out pretty terribly throughout his career. He works well with his staff, is exceptional at all other aspects of catching and is known as a clubhouse leader, but he’s not a good framer.
What’s interesting now is that if MLB eventually automates the strike zone -- and Commissioner Rob Manfred says he might start unilaterally implementing new rules -- this skill goes away. Everyone would be exactly a zero. Do we want that? The counterpoint is that framing shouldn’t actually be a skill, right? The strike zone is the strike zone. The catcher shouldn’t have an impact on it. This is really an interesting discussion and I don’t think I lean heavily either way. There are merits to the catcher being good at receiving and to saying it shouldn’t matter, in my view.
