I’m a catcher. If my ability to frame a pitch can fool an umpire then he/she shouldn’t be an umpire.
But I hate automated strike zones.....
You’re not fooling the umpire, you’re selling the pitch.
If you’re a catcher you should know better than most that an umpire can’t see perfectly on both sides of the plate. If the umpire sets up on the inside he’s not gonna get a “perfect look” at a pitch 96 on the outer black edge of the plate.
That said, if the pitch does skirt the outer black of the plate where the umpire can’t get a good look, he will then have to make a bit of an educated decision based on a few factors that includes how the pitch was received and framed by the catcher.
The pitch might have been a strike however, if your glove is moving away from the plate you’re not going to get the call. On the other hand if the pitch was just a 1/2” off the plate yet 90 percent of your glove was in the strike-zone when you caught the pitch the umpire will likely give you the call.
Framing pitches is a great skill and I will hate to see it fully taken from the game. Suzuki is one of the best.
Keep taking the human element from the game and humans might just stop paying for tickets.
Go Naaaaaaaaats!