The point I made is a simple one..for the final time. Most pitchers...as in 90% or more, at any level don't have a preferred catcher. They just don't. They call their own pitches by shaking off whenever they want and they throw it where they want. AZ thinks 100% of pitchers have a preferred catcher. That is pure bullshit.
I can tell you for HS softball (I know not baseball)... but most pitchers/parents have preferred catchers. Some of it is just personalities that leads to good communications. Other times it is how a catcher frames their best pitches .... yes a HS boy who throws 85-95 down the middle doesn't care as much which may lead to your stats. But, ones they start spinning the ball, certain catchers do it better than others. I can tell you a pitcher cared last year when Zunino couldn't fricken dig a ball out of the dirt and why they got rid of him. If a pitcher doesn't have confidence that a catcher adjusting to a ball in the dirt will keep the runner from coming home at 3rd, they will try to adjust accordingly and fuck it up anyways.
But, with with 8-10 pitchers that my daughter has played with in the last year or so on different teams ... I can tell you 4-5 absolutely care who is their catcher is (both saying not my daughter and some saying definitely my daughter to others saying girl y first but then my daughter). All from personalities, to how she blocks and frames, to her being a lefty and which side of plate they throw to more -- it all factors in. The pitcher/catcher bond is the most important one on the field. Sometimes a pitcher doesn't care (absolutely right) ... other times it absolutely matters. Yet, at a professional level, it may matter less as catchers have about the same skill (more so than amature level).
But, as Bimbo has stated, if Bieber had a preference between Hedges (scores high on framing and pitch calling) and Fry (who is still learning), he is absolutely going to pick Hedges if he can shave 0.5 off his ERA with blocking, framing and other skills as that will mean at least $10 million - $50 million on his contract next year. Would you give up that money??? Really???? That's then the manager call on what is best for the team.
Edit -- And, remember, the pitch clock limits the pitcher's actual control of pitch calling. Before, he could shake off 2-3-4 times to get a fastball low to be changed to a fastball high. Now, he only has time for one shake off (maybe eek out two). Thus, if fastball low is good enough, he will go with that versus getting a curveball that he absolutely doesn't want. Only a couple pitchers actually carry their pitch com devise vs just ear piece.
