The league and MLB are both aware of the potential risks involved with catcher’s interference. What steps can be taken to reduce these risks and prevent injuries? One suggestion from Cardinals’ pitcher Miles Mikolas is to create a physical line behind the plate that catchers cannot cross, essentially giving them their own designated area. Another possibility is implementing an automated ball-strike system, though this currently has flaws in the minor leagues and is not yet ready for the major leagues.
The league and MLB are both aware of the potential risks involved with catcher’s interference. What steps can be taken to reduce these risks and prevent injuries? One suggestion from Cardinals’ pitcher Miles Mikolas is to create a physical line behind the plate that catchers cannot cross, essentially giving them their own designated area. Another possibility is implementing an automated ball-strike system, though this currently has flaws in the minor leagues and is not yet ready for the major leagues.
The league and MLB are both aware of the potential risks involved with catcher’s interference. What steps can be taken to reduce these risks and prevent injuries? One suggestion from Cardinals’ pitcher Miles Mikolas is to create a physical line behind the plate that catchers cannot cross, essentially giving them their own designated area. Another possibility is implementing an automated ball-strike system, though this currently has flaws in the minor leagues and is not yet ready for the major leagues.
The league and MLB are both aware of the potential risks involved with catcher’s interference. What steps can be taken to reduce these risks and prevent injuries? One suggestion from Cardinals’ pitcher Miles Mikolas is to create a physical line behind the plate that catchers cannot cross, essentially giving them their own designated area. Another possibility is implementing an automated ball-strike system, though this currently has flaws in the minor leagues and is not yet ready for the major leagues.
During his initial year in St. Louis, the Cardinals completely changed Contreras’ strategy, including his positioning behind the plate (Contreras abandoned the traditional crouching stance in favor of the one-knee down approach). They also did, in fact, shift Contreras towards the plate.“
According to Pérez, it’s beneficial to be in close proximity to the hitter because it’s believed that it leads to more favorable calls.
Contreras was hit directly by a strong swing from New York Mets’ designated hitter J.D. Martinez. The catcher had a surgery on Wednesday and will be absent for at least six to eight weeks. Contreras had a poor record last year in accurately catching borderline pitches below the strike zone. The Cardinals, who prioritize defensive skills, diligently worked with Contreras to enhance his ability in that area.
Certain teams place more emphasis on the low strike than others. Rob Thomson, the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, spent four seasons as a catcher in the Tigers organization. He learned that as the bat swings through the strike zone, the glove should also move in unison.
The tactic was successful enough to prompt catchers to move closer to the batter’s box. The recent memo urged teams to stop this behavior and instead have catchers positioned further back from the plate for safety reasons.
However, the impacts from a hit towards the back of the catcher can also come from both sides. Batsmen often accidentally hit catchers with their swings, regardless of their position. Since the average bat speed is around 75 mph, there is debate over whether the responsibility falls on the batter to not only keep themselves within the boundaries of the batter’s box, but also control their swing.
The rate of catcher’s interference calls has risen dramatically in recent years. From 2010 to 2018, the average number of calls was 31. However, in the current year, there have already been 33 calls in less than two months.
Contreras appeared to be in that position due to Martinez’s forceful swing. Martinez has a naturally powerful swing and takes a stance as close to the back of the batter’s box as he can. The replays illustrated that Martinez’s bat struck Contreras’ left arm directly. It also revealed how much Contreras had extended himself in an effort to frame the pitch.
Prior to the start of the current baseball season, Major League Baseball issued a memo to all 30 teams alerting them to an increase in catcher’s interference. The frequency of catchers getting hit by opposing players’ bats was on the rise. In the year 2023, there were 94 instances of catcher’s interference, which was almost 20 more occurrences than in 2022.
