Victor Caratini’s Mind Game Shows the Next Evolution of ABS

[Cody Christie]

Major League Baseball’s ABS system has brought changes to the game, and teams are still ironing out its wrinkles. With only a limited number of challenges available, every decision carries weight.

It did not take long for players to realize that this system is not just about accuracy, it is also about strategy. On Tuesday night, Victor Caratini may have given the clearest example yet of how gamesmanship can play a role in this new era.

Catchers have traditionally built their value around pitch framing, subtly moving their glove to influence an umpire’s call. The ABS system changes that dynamic. With the ability to challenge pitches, framing becomes less essential in the traditional sense. But that does not mean it is irrelevant. In fact, Caratini showed it can still be a weapon, just in a different way.

With Andruw Monasterio at the plate, Caratini received a pitch that clearly went through the bottom half of the strike zone. Instead of presenting it cleanly, he exaggerated his glove movement well outside the zone. The visual suggested a clear ball, even though the pitch itself was a strike.

That was the trap. Monasterio took the bait and called for a challenge, convinced the pitch had missed. Moments later, the review confirmed what Caratini already knew. The pitch was a strike. The Red Sox lost a challenge, and Monasterio was left with a long, quiet walk back to the dugout.

It was a small moment in the game, but one that could have larger implications. Challenges are a finite resource, and burning one on a pitch that was never close is a costly mistake. By manipulating perception, Caratini essentially gave his pitcher an advantage without throwing another pitch.

This kind of thinking is exactly what many expected when ABS was first implemented. Players and coaches are constantly looking for edges, and this is simply the latest example.

Aaron and John talked about this scenario playing out on Wednesday’s mailbag episode of Gleeman and the Geek. Aaron agreed that it could be something that is seen more regularly this season. However, John had a tough time imagining the situation playing out the way it did for Monasterio.

There is also a psychological layer to it. Hitters trust their eyes and instincts, but when a catcher presents a pitch in a misleading way, it introduces doubt. In a system where players can challenge calls, that doubt can turn into a costly decision.

For Minnesota, it was another example of doing the little things right in a win over Boston. Now, fans will have to wait and see if any other batters fall for a similar tactic.

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[Linus]

Do we know this was actually the motivation?  Has anybody on the Twins confirmed it?

[jorgenswest]

Patrick Bailey is probably the best at receiving pitches in the league. He was asked if ABS was going to diminish the value of this skill. He responded that it was an opportunity to coax the other team to using a challenge.

I am certain every catcher is trying to make balls look like strikes to the umpire. Now they can also get an advantage by making strikes look like balls to the batter. I am sure they all came into the season trying to make this happen.

I have not checked every team but I noticed the Pirates have cost their opponents 16 challenges. The Twins 10. Bailey’s Giants only 3 but they haven’t been challenged as often by opposing hitters.

[bean5302]

Feels like a stretch.

[Doctor Gast]

Nothing beats the catcher's feel for the game. 

[FlyingFinn]

If other teams even think Caratini or the Twins are doing this, it makes them doubt when they are thinking about challenging, possibly not doing so when they should have. Seems like Wallner and the Twins batters who were always wrong early on have stopped challenging (haven't caught every game so someone can tell me if I'm wrong).

[C-Gangster]

Weve been doing some good work with the challenge system! we probably wouldn't of been winning as many games without it! Huge for us! Absolutely love it!