Catcher ability in OOTP 13

[endgame]

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

I would just like to see some indication of this ability someplace.

I'm not certain that one day you won't, just not by release.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by OldFatGuy

I see what you mean.

It's sort of an issue now, though, isn't it?? The current Catcher Ability rating includes things like fielding bunts, allowing passed balls, preventing wild pitches, etc. Looking at it now, we see one number but we can't be sure which catcher is necessarily good at quickness, and gets out from behind the plate before the batter is out of the box and throws out the attempted bunt by 20 feet. Or maybe he's big, and strong, and oblivious to pain and almost never, ever, ever let's a ball, or a baserunner when blocking the plate, get by him.

You know?? We can't really be sure what catchers do those things well either, so I guess this will be one more "piece" of overall catcher ability that we may not be able to separate out.

I think framing pitches is possibly such an important aspect that it would be nice to have it as a separate rating since that affects way more pitches than the other abilities do. But if it's not, I'll just assume, like I do now, that a catcher rated 15 means the game believes he's more valuable overall, to me as a catcher considering all of those abilities than one rated 10, even though the one rated 10 may be better at one of those things (including framing pitches).

I dunno, sorry, I know I didn't answer your question, was just throwing in my thoughts I guess.

Actually, OFG, you did answer my question and very well. Excellent point to make in that those other aspects are not independently rated, either. Some things in this game (really, many things) must be taken on faith. It's just that this particular one is a hot discussion topic right now; it will fade with this thread. Your response was the best one so far, however, and I thank(ed) you for it.

Originally Posted by silvam14

Maybe when markus adds 3d graphics next year, we'll be able to see the catcher frame the pitches and the ability would become more clear to those who care that deeply about this.

Heh. There would have to be editable 3D framed pitch location codes, like the 2D ball flight field markers that we have now, all around the catcher image to suit this crowd!

Originally Posted by endgame

I'm not certain that one day you won't, just not by release.

Translation: "Maybe someday."

[gehrig38]

Though it is not quantifiable this is an absolute certainty. It is real and it is important. It is NO accident that Jason Varitek has taken 7 no-hitters into the 9th.