How To Frame A Pitch

In the next few paragraphs I will teach you step by step on how to frame a pitch.

First, we will talk about stance. As a catcher you should be in a squat with your feet fairly wide. (Wider than shoulder with) And your toes pointed outward. In your squat you should be leaning on the inside of your feet. From here it should be easy to sway using your hips. For example, for an outside pitch, sway to your right and catch the pitch with your arm extended in the middle of your body. Umpires are more likely to call strikes if you catch it in the center of your body.

Next we will talk about how to physically catch the pitch. Keep swaying and catching pitches in the center of your body.

To catch an inside pitch sway to your left and when you catch it you should close your mitt, and as your mitt closes point your thumb straight up. From here break your wrist and curl it inward. Do this quickly in one motion. If the pitch is too far inside do not frame it, simply catch it and throw it back to the pitcher. No matter where the pitch is, you should catch it and break your wrist back toward the center of the strike zone. except for a low pitch!

Catch the low pitch just as you would a pitch down the middle. Try and get your thumb under it. For curve balls you want to catch the pitch as close as you can to the center of the strike zone. Catch a high one close to your body and a low one with your arm extended.