\n\tMajor League Baseball\u2019s 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.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tIt 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<\/a> may have given the clearest example yet of how gamesmanship can play a role in this new era.\n<\/p>\n \n\tCatchers have traditionally built their value around pitch framing, subtly moving their glove to influence an umpire\u2019s 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.\n<\/p>\n \n\tWith Andruw Monasterio<\/a> 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.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tThat 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.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIt 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.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThis 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.\n<\/p>\n