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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 84 (from laksa069)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa084.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7080194/2026/03/02/giants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7080194/2026/03/02/giants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7080194\/2026\/03\/02\/giants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training\/","crawl_time":1774324570,"first_indexed_time":1772504660,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,nytimes!www,\/athletic\/7080194\/2026\/03\/02\/giants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training\/ s443","src_root_hash":"4566504020376537684","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Challenge accepted: Giants catcher Patrick Bailey plans to boost his value this season - The Athletic","meta_descriptions":["Bailey is the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner. Now, he wants to raise the bar as a hitter."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t execute his pitch in the second inning Sunday afternoon.\nThe San Francisco Giants’ right-handed ace wanted to throw a two-strike sinker on the inner half to San Diego Padres batter Jose Miranda. Instead, he yanked it to his glove side, and Miranda took ball two. Even for a catcher as skilled as Patrick Bailey, who is hands-down the best pitch framer in the major leagues, there wasn’t much to do except stab it with his mitt.\n“I kind of missed away, and that never gets called a strike,” Webb said.\nBut Bailey was certain it clipped the zone. He tapped the top of his helmet, the Automated Ball-Strike system overturned the call, and the Giants recorded the second out of the inning. It was the seventh time this spring Bailey has used a challenge. He’s been right five times. With the ABS system set to roll out this season, Bailey is confident his success rate will be much higher than the 56 percent overturn rate for catchers who participated in testing last spring.\nABS should just be Patrick Bailey.\npic.twitter.com\/JkuEDhnhtU\n— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja)\nMarch 1, 2026\nA year ago, Bailey viewed the ABS system as an existential threat to catchers like him who create massive value with their framing skills. Now the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner is realizing those skills won’t be mitigated too much by the ability for teams to challenge pitches. With his innate feel for the zone, the new rules might even enhance his value.\n“You’re still trying to get a good presentation for the umpires,” Bailey said. “But on a pitch like that, it doesn’t matter how I catch it. If I know it’s a strike, I can challenge it. If I don’t, I won’t. And if I think it’s close, then we’ll see about the situation of the game, right?\n“My goal is to take the emotion out of it. I think I have pretty good feel for it, and I’m excited. I think it’s going to be another level that I can take my game.”\nThere are next levels, and then there is the stratosphere where the game’s most valuable superstars reside. Bailey already generates lots of value with his defensive skills. He’s fully aware it wouldn’t take a lot of offensive improvement — a .260 average, 15 home runs, maybe 25 doubles — for the switch hitting catcher to become an absolute monster when it comes to generating Wins Above Replacement.\nSo it was eye-popping Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe when Bailey scalded a double that left the bat at 109.7 mph. It matched the hardest contact he’s recorded as a left-handed hitter in the major leagues. Bailey also hit a sacrifice fly with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph against the Angels. He’s confident the mechanical changes he made at the plate — staying on his back side a bit longer, eliminating drift — will translate to more consistent results this season.\n“I would never say catching is easy, but I’d also never use it as an excuse (for a lack of hitting),” Bailey said. “I’ve had success at the plate. I’ve had success for\nmonths\nat the plate. I believe it’s in there. I’ve proved it for myself. Catching is not easy by any means, but there’s a lot of guys that do both, and I expect that from myself.”\nThe overall numbers weren’t pretty — .222 average, .277 on-base percentage, a 73 OPS+ that was the sixth lowest among 177 major-league batters with at least 450 plate appearances — and they would have been even worse if Bailey hadn’t heated up in September, when you’d figure his legs were the heaviest.\nIt’s hard to have your legs under you as a hitter when you’re one of six catchers who surpassed 1,000 innings behind the plate, as Bailey did last season. But here’s the counterintuitive wrinkle: His struggles last season came in the first three innings, not the waning moments of games. He had far less success against starting pitchers (.184 with one home run and a .497 OPS) compared with relievers (.261 with five home runs and a .709 OPS). Although Bailey excels at formulating a pregame plan to attack an opposing lineup, he was unsuccessful at executing a plan at the plate against opposing pitchers. He hit just .162 in his first at-bat of the game.\nAnd, of course, Bailey’s two signature moments at the plate — he became the first player in major-league history to hit a walk-off\ngrand slam\nand a walk-off\ninside-the-park home run\nin one season — came in the Giants’ last at-bat.\nNew Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense has watched a lot of film on Bailey, arrived at a few conclusions and is preaching a change in approach this spring.\nHe wants Bailey to treat every early at-bat like it’s his last.\n“It’s one of the first things we talked about,” Mense said. “I told him, ‘Look, you’ve got the ability to hit the ball hard. I’ve seen you do it from afar. I saw you do it in the minor leagues from afar. I’ve seen you damage the ball and do things other people can’t do.’ A lot of times, when a hitter becomes cautious, they almost put a governor on their body. They kind of forget how to move fast. They kind of forget how to swing it fast. It’s not physical. It has to do with intent. And sometimes you have to help them unlock that, whether it’s a mental approach or it’s helping him to understand when to take a chance, when to be a hitter, when to get your best swing off, when to move really big and freely.”\nBailey is enthused about working with Mense to plan for opposing pitchers. He was surprised by how quickly the Toronto Blue Jays made lineup-wide adjustments to Giants pitchers during a series in July at Rogers Centre.\n“It’s getting back to the plan, which is something Hunter has talked about,” said Bailey, who was a .128 hitter in 246 plate appearances that got to a two-strike count. “I’ve been a pretty dreadful two-strike hitter. I’m going to try to do a much better job with two strikes. You’re still up there looking for a pitch to hit. That doesn’t change.”\nBailey might have an expert knowledge of sorting balls from strikes as a catcher, but he also has the benefit of seeing the pitch into his mitt. As a hitter, you have to make that yes\/no decision a whole lot sooner. Mense is stressing a simple mental cue that should help Bailey be a more competitive and feisty two-strike hitter in every plate appearance, not just the high-leverage ones late in games.\n“I’ve never been around a good decision-maker who isn’t intending to swing,” Mense said. “It’s having the aggression to get going, and then you slam on the brakes if you need to, instead of trying to slam on the accelerator when you’re just kind of idling along and then trying to speed up to get to it. You’re never going to catch up that way.\n“You can see it at the plate (this spring). He’s not moving as cautiously. He’s not fearful of what happens if he swings and misses. He’s not fearful of what happens if he chases. He’s hitting foul balls, pull side, really hard. He’s not fearful of, ‘If I get the bat head out, what’s gonna happen?’ He’s good enough in the box to make adjustments, and he’s beginning to understand that.”\nBailey said he’s never considered abandoning switch hitting. He’s a natural right-handed hitter, and he produced from that side in his rookie season. He’s had stretches of success from both sides. It’s a lot to ask a player to hone two swings while doing all the other physical and mental work required of a major-league catcher. But Bailey said he’s never taken a left-on-left at-bat in his life, “so I doubt doing that in the big leagues is a smart decision.”\n“It’s been a lot of learning,” Bailey said. “There’s been some incredible moments, and I’m blessed and grateful for them. But at the same time, I know there’s a lot more in the tank than what I’ve done. I’m definitely not pleased with how last year went offensively.”\nCan Bailey raise the bar as a hitter? It’s a challenge that he is eager to accept. No helmet tapping required.","attrs_markdown":"[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Premier League](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/premier-league\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Champions League](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/champions-league\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)2026 Men's World Cup](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/world-cup\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Tennis](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/tennis\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Formula 1](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/formula-1\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)FA Cup](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/fa-cup\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Cricket](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/cricket\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)La 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Classic](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/world-baseball-classic\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Fans Speak Up](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7073556\/2026\/03\/02\/mlb-state-of-game-fan-survey-2026\/)\n\n[![](data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Top Prospects](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6985939\/2026\/01\/26\/top-mlb-prospects-2026-keith-law-konnor-griffin\/)\n\n[Log In](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/login2\/?ref_page=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fathletic%2F7080194%2F2026%2F03%2F02%2Fgiants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training%2F&login_source=site_nav&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fathletic%2F7080194%2F2026%2F03%2F02%2Fgiants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training%2F)\n\nMLB's ABS\n\nSystem\n\n[Effect On Catchers](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7122786\/2026\/03\/17\/mlb-catchers-strike-zone-umpire-judge-altuve\/)\n\n[Umpire Hot Mic](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7137192\/2026\/03\/21\/hot-mic-umpire-bill-miller-sf-giants-guardians-abs\/)\n\n[Which Pitchers Benefit?](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7064417\/2026\/02\/24\/mlb-abs-system-challenges-pitcher-benefits\/)\n\n[WBC's Impact](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7121843\/2026\/03\/16\/world-baseball-classic-automated-ball-strike-system\/)\n\n[What to Watch For](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7064808\/2026\/02\/23\/mlb-abs-spring-training\/)\n\n[A Complicated Call](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7055392\/2026\/02\/20\/mlb-abs-team-challenge-pitchers\/)\n\n# Challenge accepted: Giants catcher Patrick Bailey plans to boost his value this season\n![San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey follows through on his swing as he bats during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/03\/01225539\/AP26059683668028-1024x683.jpg?width=1920&quality=70&auto=webp)\n\nPatrick Bailey batted .222 last season with six home runs and 55 RBIs. Ross D. Franklin \/ Associated Press\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%2740%27%20height=%2740%27\/%3e)![Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2020\/01\/29231002\/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=96&quality=70&auto=webp) ![Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2020\/01\/29231002\/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=96&quality=70&auto=webp)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/author\/andrew-baggarly\/)\n\nBy\n\n[Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/author\/andrew-baggarly\/)\n\nMarch 2, 2026\n\nShare full article\n\n84\n\nSCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t execute his pitch in the second inning Sunday afternoon.\n\nThe San Francisco Giants’ right-handed ace wanted to throw a two-strike sinker on the inner half to San Diego Padres batter Jose Miranda. Instead, he yanked it to his glove side, and Miranda took ball two. Even for a catcher as skilled as Patrick Bailey, who is hands-down the best pitch framer in the major leagues, there wasn’t much to do except stab it with his mitt.\n\n“I kind of missed away, and that never gets called a strike,” Webb said.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nBut Bailey was certain it clipped the zone. He tapped the top of his helmet, the Automated Ball-Strike system overturned the call, and the Giants recorded the second out of the inning. It was the seventh time this spring Bailey has used a challenge. He’s been right five times. With the ABS system set to roll out this season, Bailey is confident his success rate will be much higher than the 56 percent overturn rate for catchers who participated in testing last spring.\n\n> ABS should just be Patrick Bailey. [pic.twitter.com\/JkuEDhnhtU](https:\/\/t.co\/JkuEDhnhtU)\n> \n> — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) [March 1, 2026](https:\/\/twitter.com\/PitchingNinja\/status\/2028208074217889952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\n\nA year ago, Bailey viewed the ABS system as an existential threat to catchers like him who create massive value with their framing skills. Now the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner is realizing those skills won’t be mitigated too much by the ability for teams to challenge pitches. With his innate feel for the zone, the new rules might even enhance his value.\n\n“You’re still trying to get a good presentation for the umpires,” Bailey said. “But on a pitch like that, it doesn’t matter how I catch it. If I know it’s a strike, I can challenge it. If I don’t, I won’t. And if I think it’s close, then we’ll see about the situation of the game, right?\n\n“My goal is to take the emotion out of it. I think I have pretty good feel for it, and I’m excited. I think it’s going to be another level that I can take my game.”\n\n[What You Should Read Next ![Giants](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/02\/28150710\/DSC09197-1-1024x819.jpeg?width=400&quality=70&auto=webp) Marco Scutaro showed Luis Arraez what was possible for a kid from small-town Venezuela Arraez grew up watching Scutaro, who believes in his fellow countryman: \"The Giants will love him and he'll stay here for a while.\"](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7077856\/2026\/02\/28\/sf-giants-luis-arraez-marco-scutaro-venezuela-connection\/)\n\nThere are next levels, and then there is the stratosphere where the game’s most valuable superstars reside. Bailey already generates lots of value with his defensive skills. He’s fully aware it wouldn’t take a lot of offensive improvement — a .260 average, 15 home runs, maybe 25 doubles — for the switch hitting catcher to become an absolute monster when it comes to generating Wins Above Replacement.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nSo it was eye-popping Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe when Bailey scalded a double that left the bat at 109.7 mph. It matched the hardest contact he’s recorded as a left-handed hitter in the major leagues. Bailey also hit a sacrifice fly with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph against the Angels. He’s confident the mechanical changes he made at the plate — staying on his back side a bit longer, eliminating drift — will translate to more consistent results this season.\n\n“I would never say catching is easy, but I’d also never use it as an excuse (for a lack of hitting),” Bailey said. “I’ve had success at the plate. I’ve had success for *months* at the plate. I believe it’s in there. I’ve proved it for myself. Catching is not easy by any means, but there’s a lot of guys that do both, and I expect that from myself.”\n\nThe overall numbers weren’t pretty — .222 average, .277 on-base percentage, a 73 OPS+ that was the sixth lowest among 177 major-league batters with at least 450 plate appearances — and they would have been even worse if Bailey hadn’t heated up in September, when you’d figure his legs were the heaviest.\n\nIt’s hard to have your legs under you as a hitter when you’re one of six catchers who surpassed 1,000 innings behind the plate, as Bailey did last season. But here’s the counterintuitive wrinkle: His struggles last season came in the first three innings, not the waning moments of games. He had far less success against starting pitchers (.184 with one home run and a .497 OPS) compared with relievers (.261 with five home runs and a .709 OPS). Although Bailey excels at formulating a pregame plan to attack an opposing lineup, he was unsuccessful at executing a plan at the plate against opposing pitchers. He hit just .162 in his first at-bat of the game.\n\nAnd, of course, Bailey’s two signature moments at the plate — he became the first player in major-league history to hit a walk-off [grand slam](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6625522\/2025\/09\/13\/patrick-bailey-giants-walkoff-homer-dodgers\/) and a walk-off [inside-the-park home run](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6482357\/2025\/07\/09\/patrick-bailey-walk-off-home-run-giants-phillies\/) in one season — came in the Giants’ last at-bat.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nNew Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense has watched a lot of film on Bailey, arrived at a few conclusions and is preaching a change in approach this spring.\n\nHe wants Bailey to treat every early at-bat like it’s his last.\n\n“It’s one of the first things we talked about,” Mense said. “I told him, ‘Look, you’ve got the ability to hit the ball hard. I’ve seen you do it from afar. I saw you do it in the minor leagues from afar. I’ve seen you damage the ball and do things other people can’t do.’ A lot of times, when a hitter becomes cautious, they almost put a governor on their body. They kind of forget how to move fast. They kind of forget how to swing it fast. It’s not physical. It has to do with intent. And sometimes you have to help them unlock that, whether it’s a mental approach or it’s helping him to understand when to take a chance, when to be a hitter, when to get your best swing off, when to move really big and freely.”\n\nBailey is enthused about working with Mense to plan for opposing pitchers. He was surprised by how quickly the Toronto Blue Jays made lineup-wide adjustments to Giants pitchers during a series in July at Rogers Centre.\n\n“It’s getting back to the plan, which is something Hunter has talked about,” said Bailey, who was a .128 hitter in 246 plate appearances that got to a two-strike count. “I’ve been a pretty dreadful two-strike hitter. I’m going to try to do a much better job with two strikes. You’re still up there looking for a pitch to hit. That doesn’t change.”\n\nBailey might have an expert knowledge of sorting balls from strikes as a catcher, but he also has the benefit of seeing the pitch into his mitt. As a hitter, you have to make that yes\/no decision a whole lot sooner. Mense is stressing a simple mental cue that should help Bailey be a more competitive and feisty two-strike hitter in every plate appearance, not just the high-leverage ones late in games.\n\n“I’ve never been around a good decision-maker who isn’t intending to swing,” Mense said. “It’s having the aggression to get going, and then you slam on the brakes if you need to, instead of trying to slam on the accelerator when you’re just kind of idling along and then trying to speed up to get to it. You’re never going to catch up that way.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“You can see it at the plate (this spring). He’s not moving as cautiously. He’s not fearful of what happens if he swings and misses. He’s not fearful of what happens if he chases. He’s hitting foul balls, pull side, really hard. He’s not fearful of, ‘If I get the bat head out, what’s gonna happen?’ He’s good enough in the box to make adjustments, and he’s beginning to understand that.”\n\nBailey said he’s never considered abandoning switch hitting. He’s a natural right-handed hitter, and he produced from that side in his rookie season. He’s had stretches of success from both sides. It’s a lot to ask a player to hone two swings while doing all the other physical and mental work required of a major-league catcher. But Bailey said he’s never taken a left-on-left at-bat in his life, “so I doubt doing that in the big leagues is a smart decision.”\n\n“It’s been a lot of learning,” Bailey said. “There’s been some incredible moments, and I’m blessed and grateful for them. But at the same time, I know there’s a lot more in the tank than what I’ve done. I’m definitely not pleased with how last year went offensively.”\n\nCan Bailey raise the bar as a hitter? It’s a challenge that he is eager to accept. No helmet tapping required.\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%2740%27%20height=%2740%27\/%3e)![Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2020\/01\/29231002\/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=96&quality=70&auto=webp)](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/author\/andrew-baggarly\/)\n\nBy\n\n[Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/author\/andrew-baggarly\/)\n\nSenior Writer, Giants\n\nTagged To:\n\n[Patrick Bailey](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/mlb\/player\/patrick-bailey-7CICTPC0hn48nFA6\/)\n\n[San Francisco Giants](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/mlb\/team\/sf-giants\/)\n\nYour Next Read\n\n[The World Baseball Classic is arriving at a good time for the Giants](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7085433\/2026\/03\/04\/world-baseball-classic-sf-giants\/)\n\n[Aaron Judge meets his 6-foot-7 equal, predicts Giants’ Bryce Eldridge will be ‘cornerstone player’](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7085521\/2026\/03\/03\/san-francisco-giants-bryce-eldridge-aaron-judge\/)\n\n[Is MLB headed in the right direction? 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Logo](data:image\/png;base64,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)\n\n![Connections: Sports Edition Logo](data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAASAAAAEgCAMAAAAjXV6yAAAA0lBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/v7+\/f39\/Pz8+\/v7+gw1qWt1WWt1SgoKCfn5+Mq0+Mqk+QkJCCn0qCn0mCnkqCnkl4kkSAgIBwcHBkejlkejhabjNabjJgYGBQYi1QYS1QUFBGVidGVShGVSc8SiI8SSJAQEAyPR0yPRwwMDAoMRceJRIeJREeJBEgICAUGQwUGQsUGAsQEBAKDQYKDAYKDAVRd1CXAAAAFXRSTlP\/ABAgMEBQYG9wgI+Qn6CvsL\/P3+959xIgAAAEn0lEQVR42u3c4VYaVxSG4e8wDlRlsHBGTUYb0qaJialoWtE6tRBR7v+WupbaOHuGwYRl4oLzvlcAz9r7\/NsjN6eotZn0fKrVzXe3NpqRm5NcTY048QoknzS\/FSjeTBVUaRJ\/A1DcVYD1WjOB4HnIN78CKOoq4JLoMaCfUgWdb80FaiQKvs1GPVDUw0fyUR1Q5NGxQhZoLcXmLr9WAGJ+ZpRGD0D41G2ZBWrgY+o1SkCbqun6cvhDymU6OVokmcbDx\/o7v1ZNiQVqaWb5x9fZD+pQppfbiyTTMPuK3n7INbP1e6D6B+j6eC8zrQ6QrX88nvlQF4ASVTM8KwhkiVSt+wDUVKV\/3mTZigNZorEqxV+AvMr9uZcFAGT6a\/YIaeYLfZxlwQFlxyoX3wP1qj4hAlWFundAcWW\/sjCBqlsW3wIlso2zUIH2L2Vr3wKlsvWDBcreypY2nFyz8gCFC5QNKjum8oaN+yED7d\/IlDg5Xx6gcIGqI+SdItn6YQPtyxapKVOehQ2U5TK1tCHTh9CBPsrU1pZMv4cO1JcpUVfFbrLQgbIbFevJq1gO0KWKednOATpVsVS2IUAWSAABBBBAAAEEEEAAAQQQQAABBBBAAAEEEEAAAQQQQAABBBBAAAEEEEAAAQRQMEBX+XN1JdPF2SI9xZ+ZchNPREREREREy9X156VOpslokSaa1zBb6mQ62l6kI4AAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAPquQOfvljqZTl4u0hm370REREREREQrVX64SLmKTV4t0pFMg8PnKpft6b+TP9pepFcyvcueq1OAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAD6rkDTz4s0lRVapEn5hzxXU27fiYiIiIiIaLmanC3SSKZ8qRvL9vTfyb\/KlrpTgAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAggggAACCCCAAAIIIIAAAigYoBQg27lsXsUuAMpLPD0VmwB0o2JddWTaDR3oN5l+VlumX0MHOpRpQy2ZzkIHymVqKpJtJ2ygvmyRnJfpIGyggUzeyXVkmuyEDNS\/kilxcrFsByEDDWRrOrlGKtuLcIH6sqXOybm2bBc7wQJdyZbcAsUq9T5UoE8qFd8Cua5KHYQJNFCpnrsDilURChCo6qPWPVB1hPQ+OKC9Tyrn3f9AsSqNdsMCevOvKjW\/ALmuqh3shgO0N1C1xD0ARamqjQzRigFZnqmq+agA5NY1s7NfXqw60Os\/cs2s5YpArlN\/B31y9FgjFbsZLk+XU9XUdhao0eMmvphvlIBc5FExD1AZyEUpLsanDOTWmKH70jVngNiyyvwUgRAq1YtcHZBrtPHpNJwFsrW8gi5ddza5UlFHAdeNXAWoUtMHyxM7VwNka\/XgMUDV4k6qoErbhscA1dTseAWST+KGq0luTlFzY6u7ykyp7yXtVjTP4D\/6awC5wZMmhQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==)\n\nMar 24, 2026\n\n## Connections: Sports Edition\nSpot the pattern. Connect the terms\n\nFind the hidden link between sports terms\n\nPlay today's puzzle\n\n![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%27100%27%20height=%27100%27\/%3e)![Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2020\/01\/29231002\/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=256&quality=70&auto=webp)\n\n![Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2020\/01\/29231002\/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=256&quality=70&auto=webp)\n\n**[Andrew Baggarly](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/author\/andrew-baggarly\/)** is a senior writer for The Athletic and covers the San Francisco Giants. He has covered Major League Baseball for more than two decades, including the Giants since 2004 for the Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News and Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. He is the author of two books that document the most successful era in franchise history: “A Band of Misfits: Tales of the 2010 San Francisco Giants” and “Giant Splash: Bondsian Blasts, World Series Parades and Other Thrilling Moments By the Bay.” Follow Andrew on Twitter **[@extrabaggs](https:\/\/twitter.com\/extrabaggs)**\n\nCOMMENTS\n\n84\n\nM\n\nMichael M.\n\n· Mar 2\n\nThere was a lot of debate last year amongst the fans as to the impact coaches and managers can really have at the major league level, not so much with in game decisions but with player development. With the addition of Mense, Vitello, Ron Washington ......, I am looking forward to more articles like this as we see what difference (or little to no difference) a seemingly more development focused approach may have in increasing the ceiling for some of these guys. Good stuff.\n***\n\nN\n\nNick K.\n\n· Mar 2\n\n56% league average on challenges, I’m taking the OVER for Bailey this year, what a great challenge stealing that strikeout for Webby.   \nExcited to see Mense work some magic with Bailey at the plate, he was clutch late in games and just has to find a way to produce earlier and in 2 strike counts.   \nI’d like to see a backup push Bailey with the bat, Haase\/Susac both at +900 OPS so far in Spring. Great piece as always Baggs\\!\n***\n\nD\n\nDick R.\n\n· Mar 2\n\nFingers crossed on this one. If Bailey hits consistently it becomes, as they say, a whole new ballgame.\n\nView all comments\n\nNational\n\n[Boxing](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/boxing\/)\n\n[Bundesliga](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/bundesliga\/)\n\n[Champions League](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/champions-league\/)\n\n[Championship](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/efl-championship\/)\n\n[College Football](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/college-football\/)\n\n[College Sports](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/college-sports\/)\n\n[Copa America](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/copa-america\/)\n\n[Copa del Rey](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/football\/copa-del-rey\/)\n\n[Cricket](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/cricket\/)\n\n[Culture](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/culture\/)\n\n[Cycling](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/cycling\/)\n\n[Europa 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Store](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/logos\/team\/appstore-ios.png?width=256&quality=70&format=auto)](https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/the-athletic-sports-news\/id1135216317)\n\n[![](data:image\/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%27100%27%20height=%2730%27\/%3e)![Get it on Google Play](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/logos\/team\/appstore-android.png?width=256&quality=70&format=auto) ![Get it on Google Play](https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/logos\/team\/appstore-android.png?width=256&quality=70&format=auto)](https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.theathletic)","attrs_readable_markdown":"SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t execute his pitch in the second inning Sunday afternoon.\n\nThe San Francisco Giants’ right-handed ace wanted to throw a two-strike sinker on the inner half to San Diego Padres batter Jose Miranda. Instead, he yanked it to his glove side, and Miranda took ball two. Even for a catcher as skilled as Patrick Bailey, who is hands-down the best pitch framer in the major leagues, there wasn’t much to do except stab it with his mitt.\n\n“I kind of missed away, and that never gets called a strike,” Webb said.\n\nBut Bailey was certain it clipped the zone. He tapped the top of his helmet, the Automated Ball-Strike system overturned the call, and the Giants recorded the second out of the inning. It was the seventh time this spring Bailey has used a challenge. He’s been right five times. With the ABS system set to roll out this season, Bailey is confident his success rate will be much higher than the 56 percent overturn rate for catchers who participated in testing last spring.\n\n> ABS should just be Patrick Bailey. [pic.twitter.com\/JkuEDhnhtU](https:\/\/t.co\/JkuEDhnhtU)\n> \n> — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) [March 1, 2026](https:\/\/twitter.com\/PitchingNinja\/status\/2028208074217889952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\n\nA year ago, Bailey viewed the ABS system as an existential threat to catchers like him who create massive value with their framing skills. Now the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner is realizing those skills won’t be mitigated too much by the ability for teams to challenge pitches. With his innate feel for the zone, the new rules might even enhance his value.\n\n“You’re still trying to get a good presentation for the umpires,” Bailey said. “But on a pitch like that, it doesn’t matter how I catch it. If I know it’s a strike, I can challenge it. If I don’t, I won’t. And if I think it’s close, then we’ll see about the situation of the game, right?\n\n“My goal is to take the emotion out of it. I think I have pretty good feel for it, and I’m excited. I think it’s going to be another level that I can take my game.”\n\nThere are next levels, and then there is the stratosphere where the game’s most valuable superstars reside. Bailey already generates lots of value with his defensive skills. He’s fully aware it wouldn’t take a lot of offensive improvement — a .260 average, 15 home runs, maybe 25 doubles — for the switch hitting catcher to become an absolute monster when it comes to generating Wins Above Replacement.\n\nSo it was eye-popping Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe when Bailey scalded a double that left the bat at 109.7 mph. It matched the hardest contact he’s recorded as a left-handed hitter in the major leagues. Bailey also hit a sacrifice fly with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph against the Angels. He’s confident the mechanical changes he made at the plate — staying on his back side a bit longer, eliminating drift — will translate to more consistent results this season.\n\n“I would never say catching is easy, but I’d also never use it as an excuse (for a lack of hitting),” Bailey said. “I’ve had success at the plate. I’ve had success for *months* at the plate. I believe it’s in there. I’ve proved it for myself. Catching is not easy by any means, but there’s a lot of guys that do both, and I expect that from myself.”\n\nThe overall numbers weren’t pretty — .222 average, .277 on-base percentage, a 73 OPS+ that was the sixth lowest among 177 major-league batters with at least 450 plate appearances — and they would have been even worse if Bailey hadn’t heated up in September, when you’d figure his legs were the heaviest.\n\nIt’s hard to have your legs under you as a hitter when you’re one of six catchers who surpassed 1,000 innings behind the plate, as Bailey did last season. But here’s the counterintuitive wrinkle: His struggles last season came in the first three innings, not the waning moments of games. He had far less success against starting pitchers (.184 with one home run and a .497 OPS) compared with relievers (.261 with five home runs and a .709 OPS). Although Bailey excels at formulating a pregame plan to attack an opposing lineup, he was unsuccessful at executing a plan at the plate against opposing pitchers. He hit just .162 in his first at-bat of the game.\n\nAnd, of course, Bailey’s two signature moments at the plate — he became the first player in major-league history to hit a walk-off [grand slam](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6625522\/2025\/09\/13\/patrick-bailey-giants-walkoff-homer-dodgers\/) and a walk-off [inside-the-park home run](https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6482357\/2025\/07\/09\/patrick-bailey-walk-off-home-run-giants-phillies\/) in one season — came in the Giants’ last at-bat.\n\nNew Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense has watched a lot of film on Bailey, arrived at a few conclusions and is preaching a change in approach this spring.\n\nHe wants Bailey to treat every early at-bat like it’s his last.\n\n“It’s one of the first things we talked about,” Mense said. “I told him, ‘Look, you’ve got the ability to hit the ball hard. I’ve seen you do it from afar. I saw you do it in the minor leagues from afar. I’ve seen you damage the ball and do things other people can’t do.’ A lot of times, when a hitter becomes cautious, they almost put a governor on their body. They kind of forget how to move fast. They kind of forget how to swing it fast. It’s not physical. It has to do with intent. And sometimes you have to help them unlock that, whether it’s a mental approach or it’s helping him to understand when to take a chance, when to be a hitter, when to get your best swing off, when to move really big and freely.”\n\nBailey is enthused about working with Mense to plan for opposing pitchers. He was surprised by how quickly the Toronto Blue Jays made lineup-wide adjustments to Giants pitchers during a series in July at Rogers Centre.\n\n“It’s getting back to the plan, which is something Hunter has talked about,” said Bailey, who was a .128 hitter in 246 plate appearances that got to a two-strike count. “I’ve been a pretty dreadful two-strike hitter. I’m going to try to do a much better job with two strikes. You’re still up there looking for a pitch to hit. That doesn’t change.”\n\nBailey might have an expert knowledge of sorting balls from strikes as a catcher, but he also has the benefit of seeing the pitch into his mitt. As a hitter, you have to make that yes\/no decision a whole lot sooner. Mense is stressing a simple mental cue that should help Bailey be a more competitive and feisty two-strike hitter in every plate appearance, not just the high-leverage ones late in games.\n\n“I’ve never been around a good decision-maker who isn’t intending to swing,” Mense said. “It’s having the aggression to get going, and then you slam on the brakes if you need to, instead of trying to slam on the accelerator when you’re just kind of idling along and then trying to speed up to get to it. You’re never going to catch up that way.\n\n“You can see it at the plate (this spring). He’s not moving as cautiously. He’s not fearful of what happens if he swings and misses. He’s not fearful of what happens if he chases. He’s hitting foul balls, pull side, really hard. He’s not fearful of, ‘If I get the bat head out, what’s gonna happen?’ He’s good enough in the box to make adjustments, and he’s beginning to understand that.”\n\nBailey said he’s never considered abandoning switch hitting. He’s a natural right-handed hitter, and he produced from that side in his rookie season. He’s had stretches of success from both sides. It’s a lot to ask a player to hone two swings while doing all the other physical and mental work required of a major-league catcher. But Bailey said he’s never taken a left-on-left at-bat in his life, “so I doubt doing that in the big leagues is a smart decision.”\n\n“It’s been a lot of learning,” Bailey said. “There’s been some incredible moments, and I’m blessed and grateful for them. But at the same time, I know there’s a lot more in the tank than what I’ve done. I’m definitely not pleased with how last year went offensively.”\n\nCan Bailey raise the bar as a hitter? It’s a challenge that he is eager to accept. No helmet tapping required.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7080194/2026/03/02/giants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training/
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Meta Title	Challenge accepted: Giants catcher Patrick Bailey plans to boost his value this season - The Athletic
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Boilerpipe Text	SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t execute his pitch in the second inning Sunday afternoon. The San Francisco Giants’ right-handed ace wanted to throw a two-strike sinker on the inner half to San Diego Padres batter Jose Miranda. Instead, he yanked it to his glove side, and Miranda took ball two. Even for a catcher as skilled as Patrick Bailey, who is hands-down the best pitch framer in the major leagues, there wasn’t much to do except stab it with his mitt. “I kind of missed away, and that never gets called a strike,” Webb said. But Bailey was certain it clipped the zone. He tapped the top of his helmet, the Automated Ball-Strike system overturned the call, and the Giants recorded the second out of the inning. It was the seventh time this spring Bailey has used a challenge. He’s been right five times. With the ABS system set to roll out this season, Bailey is confident his success rate will be much higher than the 56 percent overturn rate for catchers who participated in testing last spring. ABS should just be Patrick Bailey. pic.twitter.com/JkuEDhnhtU — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 1, 2026 A year ago, Bailey viewed the ABS system as an existential threat to catchers like him who create massive value with their framing skills. Now the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner is realizing those skills won’t be mitigated too much by the ability for teams to challenge pitches. With his innate feel for the zone, the new rules might even enhance his value. “You’re still trying to get a good presentation for the umpires,” Bailey said. “But on a pitch like that, it doesn’t matter how I catch it. If I know it’s a strike, I can challenge it. If I don’t, I won’t. And if I think it’s close, then we’ll see about the situation of the game, right? “My goal is to take the emotion out of it. I think I have pretty good feel for it, and I’m excited. I think it’s going to be another level that I can take my game.” There are next levels, and then there is the stratosphere where the game’s most valuable superstars reside. Bailey already generates lots of value with his defensive skills. He’s fully aware it wouldn’t take a lot of offensive improvement — a .260 average, 15 home runs, maybe 25 doubles — for the switch hitting catcher to become an absolute monster when it comes to generating Wins Above Replacement. So it was eye-popping Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe when Bailey scalded a double that left the bat at 109.7 mph. It matched the hardest contact he’s recorded as a left-handed hitter in the major leagues. Bailey also hit a sacrifice fly with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph against the Angels. He’s confident the mechanical changes he made at the plate — staying on his back side a bit longer, eliminating drift — will translate to more consistent results this season. “I would never say catching is easy, but I’d also never use it as an excuse (for a lack of hitting),” Bailey said. “I’ve had success at the plate. I’ve had success for months at the plate. I believe it’s in there. I’ve proved it for myself. Catching is not easy by any means, but there’s a lot of guys that do both, and I expect that from myself.” The overall numbers weren’t pretty — .222 average, .277 on-base percentage, a 73 OPS+ that was the sixth lowest among 177 major-league batters with at least 450 plate appearances — and they would have been even worse if Bailey hadn’t heated up in September, when you’d figure his legs were the heaviest. It’s hard to have your legs under you as a hitter when you’re one of six catchers who surpassed 1,000 innings behind the plate, as Bailey did last season. But here’s the counterintuitive wrinkle: His struggles last season came in the first three innings, not the waning moments of games. He had far less success against starting pitchers (.184 with one home run and a .497 OPS) compared with relievers (.261 with five home runs and a .709 OPS). Although Bailey excels at formulating a pregame plan to attack an opposing lineup, he was unsuccessful at executing a plan at the plate against opposing pitchers. He hit just .162 in his first at-bat of the game. And, of course, Bailey’s two signature moments at the plate — he became the first player in major-league history to hit a walk-off grand slam and a walk-off inside-the-park home run in one season — came in the Giants’ last at-bat. New Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense has watched a lot of film on Bailey, arrived at a few conclusions and is preaching a change in approach this spring. He wants Bailey to treat every early at-bat like it’s his last. “It’s one of the first things we talked about,” Mense said. “I told him, ‘Look, you’ve got the ability to hit the ball hard. I’ve seen you do it from afar. I saw you do it in the minor leagues from afar. I’ve seen you damage the ball and do things other people can’t do.’ A lot of times, when a hitter becomes cautious, they almost put a governor on their body. They kind of forget how to move fast. They kind of forget how to swing it fast. It’s not physical. It has to do with intent. And sometimes you have to help them unlock that, whether it’s a mental approach or it’s helping him to understand when to take a chance, when to be a hitter, when to get your best swing off, when to move really big and freely.” Bailey is enthused about working with Mense to plan for opposing pitchers. He was surprised by how quickly the Toronto Blue Jays made lineup-wide adjustments to Giants pitchers during a series in July at Rogers Centre. “It’s getting back to the plan, which is something Hunter has talked about,” said Bailey, who was a .128 hitter in 246 plate appearances that got to a two-strike count. “I’ve been a pretty dreadful two-strike hitter. I’m going to try to do a much better job with two strikes. You’re still up there looking for a pitch to hit. That doesn’t change.” Bailey might have an expert knowledge of sorting balls from strikes as a catcher, but he also has the benefit of seeing the pitch into his mitt. As a hitter, you have to make that yes/no decision a whole lot sooner. Mense is stressing a simple mental cue that should help Bailey be a more competitive and feisty two-strike hitter in every plate appearance, not just the high-leverage ones late in games. “I’ve never been around a good decision-maker who isn’t intending to swing,” Mense said. “It’s having the aggression to get going, and then you slam on the brakes if you need to, instead of trying to slam on the accelerator when you’re just kind of idling along and then trying to speed up to get to it. You’re never going to catch up that way. “You can see it at the plate (this spring). He’s not moving as cautiously. He’s not fearful of what happens if he swings and misses. He’s not fearful of what happens if he chases. He’s hitting foul balls, pull side, really hard. He’s not fearful of, ‘If I get the bat head out, what’s gonna happen?’ He’s good enough in the box to make adjustments, and he’s beginning to understand that.” Bailey said he’s never considered abandoning switch hitting. He’s a natural right-handed hitter, and he produced from that side in his rookie season. He’s had stretches of success from both sides. It’s a lot to ask a player to hone two swings while doing all the other physical and mental work required of a major-league catcher. But Bailey said he’s never taken a left-on-left at-bat in his life, “so I doubt doing that in the big leagues is a smart decision.” “It’s been a lot of learning,” Bailey said. “There’s been some incredible moments, and I’m blessed and grateful for them. But at the same time, I know there’s a lot more in the tank than what I’ve done. I’m definitely not pleased with how last year went offensively.” Can Bailey raise the bar as a hitter? It’s a challenge that he is eager to accept. No helmet tapping required.
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Up](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7073556/2026/03/02/mlb-state-of-game-fan-survey-2026/) [![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACw=)Top Prospects](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6985939/2026/01/26/top-mlb-prospects-2026-keith-law-konnor-griffin/) [Log In](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/login2/?ref_page=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fathletic%2F7080194%2F2026%2F03%2F02%2Fgiants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training%2F&login_source=site_nav&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fathletic%2F7080194%2F2026%2F03%2F02%2Fgiants-catcher-patrick-bailey-spring-training%2F) MLB's ABS System [Effect On Catchers](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7122786/2026/03/17/mlb-catchers-strike-zone-umpire-judge-altuve/) [Umpire Hot Mic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7137192/2026/03/21/hot-mic-umpire-bill-miller-sf-giants-guardians-abs/) [Which Pitchers Benefit?](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7064417/2026/02/24/mlb-abs-system-challenges-pitcher-benefits/) [WBC's Impact](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7121843/2026/03/16/world-baseball-classic-automated-ball-strike-system/) [What to Watch For](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7064808/2026/02/23/mlb-abs-spring-training/) [A Complicated Call](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7055392/2026/02/20/mlb-abs-team-challenge-pitchers/) # Challenge accepted: Giants catcher Patrick Bailey plans to boost his value this season ![San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey follows through on his swing as he bats during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2026/03/01225539/AP26059683668028-1024x683.jpg?width=1920&quality=70&auto=webp) Patrick Bailey batted .222 last season with six home runs and 55 RBIs. Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%2740%27%20height=%2740%27/%3e)![Andrew Baggarly](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2020/01/29231002/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=96&quality=70&auto=webp) ![Andrew Baggarly](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2020/01/29231002/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=96&quality=70&auto=webp)](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/andrew-baggarly/) By [Andrew Baggarly](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/andrew-baggarly/) March 2, 2026 Share full article 84 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t execute his pitch in the second inning Sunday afternoon. The San Francisco Giants’ right-handed ace wanted to throw a two-strike sinker on the inner half to San Diego Padres batter Jose Miranda. Instead, he yanked it to his glove side, and Miranda took ball two. Even for a catcher as skilled as Patrick Bailey, who is hands-down the best pitch framer in the major leagues, there wasn’t much to do except stab it with his mitt. “I kind of missed away, and that never gets called a strike,” Webb said. Advertisement But Bailey was certain it clipped the zone. He tapped the top of his helmet, the Automated Ball-Strike system overturned the call, and the Giants recorded the second out of the inning. It was the seventh time this spring Bailey has used a challenge. He’s been right five times. With the ABS system set to roll out this season, Bailey is confident his success rate will be much higher than the 56 percent overturn rate for catchers who participated in testing last spring. > ABS should just be Patrick Bailey. [pic.twitter.com/JkuEDhnhtU](https://t.co/JkuEDhnhtU) > > — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/2028208074217889952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) A year ago, Bailey viewed the ABS system as an existential threat to catchers like him who create massive value with their framing skills. Now the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner is realizing those skills won’t be mitigated too much by the ability for teams to challenge pitches. With his innate feel for the zone, the new rules might even enhance his value. “You’re still trying to get a good presentation for the umpires,” Bailey said. “But on a pitch like that, it doesn’t matter how I catch it. If I know it’s a strike, I can challenge it. If I don’t, I won’t. And if I think it’s close, then we’ll see about the situation of the game, right? “My goal is to take the emotion out of it. I think I have pretty good feel for it, and I’m excited. I think it’s going to be another level that I can take my game.” [What You Should Read Next ![Giants](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2026/02/28150710/DSC09197-1-1024x819.jpeg?width=400&quality=70&auto=webp) Marco Scutaro showed Luis Arraez what was possible for a kid from small-town Venezuela Arraez grew up watching Scutaro, who believes in his fellow countryman: "The Giants will love him and he'll stay here for a while."](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7077856/2026/02/28/sf-giants-luis-arraez-marco-scutaro-venezuela-connection/) There are next levels, and then there is the stratosphere where the game’s most valuable superstars reside. Bailey already generates lots of value with his defensive skills. He’s fully aware it wouldn’t take a lot of offensive improvement — a .260 average, 15 home runs, maybe 25 doubles — for the switch hitting catcher to become an absolute monster when it comes to generating Wins Above Replacement. Advertisement So it was eye-popping Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe when Bailey scalded a double that left the bat at 109.7 mph. It matched the hardest contact he’s recorded as a left-handed hitter in the major leagues. Bailey also hit a sacrifice fly with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph against the Angels. He’s confident the mechanical changes he made at the plate — staying on his back side a bit longer, eliminating drift — will translate to more consistent results this season. “I would never say catching is easy, but I’d also never use it as an excuse (for a lack of hitting),” Bailey said. “I’ve had success at the plate. I’ve had success for months at the plate. I believe it’s in there. I’ve proved it for myself. Catching is not easy by any means, but there’s a lot of guys that do both, and I expect that from myself.” The overall numbers weren’t pretty — .222 average, .277 on-base percentage, a 73 OPS+ that was the sixth lowest among 177 major-league batters with at least 450 plate appearances — and they would have been even worse if Bailey hadn’t heated up in September, when you’d figure his legs were the heaviest. It’s hard to have your legs under you as a hitter when you’re one of six catchers who surpassed 1,000 innings behind the plate, as Bailey did last season. But here’s the counterintuitive wrinkle: His struggles last season came in the first three innings, not the waning moments of games. He had far less success against starting pitchers (.184 with one home run and a .497 OPS) compared with relievers (.261 with five home runs and a .709 OPS). Although Bailey excels at formulating a pregame plan to attack an opposing lineup, he was unsuccessful at executing a plan at the plate against opposing pitchers. He hit just .162 in his first at-bat of the game. And, of course, Bailey’s two signature moments at the plate — he became the first player in major-league history to hit a walk-off [grand slam](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6625522/2025/09/13/patrick-bailey-giants-walkoff-homer-dodgers/) and a walk-off [inside-the-park home run](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6482357/2025/07/09/patrick-bailey-walk-off-home-run-giants-phillies/) in one season — came in the Giants’ last at-bat. Advertisement New Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense has watched a lot of film on Bailey, arrived at a few conclusions and is preaching a change in approach this spring. He wants Bailey to treat every early at-bat like it’s his last. “It’s one of the first things we talked about,” Mense said. “I told him, ‘Look, you’ve got the ability to hit the ball hard. I’ve seen you do it from afar. I saw you do it in the minor leagues from afar. I’ve seen you damage the ball and do things other people can’t do.’ A lot of times, when a hitter becomes cautious, they almost put a governor on their body. They kind of forget how to move fast. They kind of forget how to swing it fast. It’s not physical. It has to do with intent. And sometimes you have to help them unlock that, whether it’s a mental approach or it’s helping him to understand when to take a chance, when to be a hitter, when to get your best swing off, when to move really big and freely.” Bailey is enthused about working with Mense to plan for opposing pitchers. He was surprised by how quickly the Toronto Blue Jays made lineup-wide adjustments to Giants pitchers during a series in July at Rogers Centre. “It’s getting back to the plan, which is something Hunter has talked about,” said Bailey, who was a .128 hitter in 246 plate appearances that got to a two-strike count. “I’ve been a pretty dreadful two-strike hitter. I’m going to try to do a much better job with two strikes. You’re still up there looking for a pitch to hit. That doesn’t change.” Bailey might have an expert knowledge of sorting balls from strikes as a catcher, but he also has the benefit of seeing the pitch into his mitt. As a hitter, you have to make that yes/no decision a whole lot sooner. Mense is stressing a simple mental cue that should help Bailey be a more competitive and feisty two-strike hitter in every plate appearance, not just the high-leverage ones late in games. “I’ve never been around a good decision-maker who isn’t intending to swing,” Mense said. “It’s having the aggression to get going, and then you slam on the brakes if you need to, instead of trying to slam on the accelerator when you’re just kind of idling along and then trying to speed up to get to it. You’re never going to catch up that way. Advertisement “You can see it at the plate (this spring). He’s not moving as cautiously. He’s not fearful of what happens if he swings and misses. He’s not fearful of what happens if he chases. He’s hitting foul balls, pull side, really hard. He’s not fearful of, ‘If I get the bat head out, what’s gonna happen?’ He’s good enough in the box to make adjustments, and he’s beginning to understand that.” Bailey said he’s never considered abandoning switch hitting. He’s a natural right-handed hitter, and he produced from that side in his rookie season. He’s had stretches of success from both sides. It’s a lot to ask a player to hone two swings while doing all the other physical and mental work required of a major-league catcher. But Bailey said he’s never taken a left-on-left at-bat in his life, “so I doubt doing that in the big leagues is a smart decision.” “It’s been a lot of learning,” Bailey said. “There’s been some incredible moments, and I’m blessed and grateful for them. But at the same time, I know there’s a lot more in the tank than what I’ve done. I’m definitely not pleased with how last year went offensively.” Can Bailey raise the bar as a hitter? It’s a challenge that he is eager to accept. No helmet tapping required. [![](data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%2740%27%20height=%2740%27/%3e)![Andrew Baggarly](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2020/01/29231002/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=96&quality=70&auto=webp)](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/andrew-baggarly/) By [Andrew Baggarly](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/andrew-baggarly/) Senior Writer, Giants Tagged To: [Patrick Bailey](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/player/patrick-bailey-7CICTPC0hn48nFA6/) [San Francisco Giants](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/mlb/team/sf-giants/) Your Next Read [The World Baseball Classic is arriving at a good time for the Giants](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7085433/2026/03/04/world-baseball-classic-sf-giants/) [Aaron Judge meets his 6-foot-7 equal, predicts Giants’ Bryce Eldridge will be ‘cornerstone player’](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7085521/2026/03/03/san-francisco-giants-bryce-eldridge-aaron-judge/) [Is MLB headed in the right direction? 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Mar 24, 2026 ## Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle ![](data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%27100%27%20height=%27100%27/%3e)![Andrew Baggarly](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2020/01/29231002/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=256&quality=70&auto=webp) ![Andrew Baggarly](https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2020/01/29231002/HS_Square_0038_Andrew-Baggarly-.jpg?width=256&quality=70&auto=webp) [Andrew Baggarly](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/andrew-baggarly/) is a senior writer for The Athletic and covers the San Francisco Giants. He has covered Major League Baseball for more than two decades, including the Giants since 2004 for the Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News and Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. He is the author of two books that document the most successful era in franchise history: “A Band of Misfits: Tales of the 2010 San Francisco Giants” and “Giant Splash: Bondsian Blasts, World Series Parades and Other Thrilling Moments By the Bay.” Follow Andrew on Twitter [@extrabaggs](https://twitter.com/extrabaggs) COMMENTS 84 M Michael M. · Mar 2 There was a lot of debate last year amongst the fans as to the impact coaches and managers can really have at the major league level, not so much with in game decisions but with player development. With the addition of Mense, Vitello, Ron Washington ......, I am looking forward to more articles like this as we see what difference (or little to no difference) a seemingly more development focused approach may have in increasing the ceiling for some of these guys. Good stuff. * N Nick K. · Mar 2 56% league average on challenges, I’m taking the OVER for Bailey this year, what a great challenge stealing that strikeout for Webby. Excited to see Mense work some magic with Bailey at the plate, he was clutch late in games and just has to find a way to produce earlier and in 2 strike counts. I’d like to see a backup push Bailey with the bat, Haase/Susac both at +900 OPS so far in Spring. Great piece as always Baggs\! * D Dick R. · Mar 2 Fingers crossed on this one. If Bailey hits consistently it becomes, as they say, a whole new ballgame. 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Readable Markdown	SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Logan Webb didn’t execute his pitch in the second inning Sunday afternoon. The San Francisco Giants’ right-handed ace wanted to throw a two-strike sinker on the inner half to San Diego Padres batter Jose Miranda. Instead, he yanked it to his glove side, and Miranda took ball two. Even for a catcher as skilled as Patrick Bailey, who is hands-down the best pitch framer in the major leagues, there wasn’t much to do except stab it with his mitt. “I kind of missed away, and that never gets called a strike,” Webb said. But Bailey was certain it clipped the zone. He tapped the top of his helmet, the Automated Ball-Strike system overturned the call, and the Giants recorded the second out of the inning. It was the seventh time this spring Bailey has used a challenge. He’s been right five times. With the ABS system set to roll out this season, Bailey is confident his success rate will be much higher than the 56 percent overturn rate for catchers who participated in testing last spring. > ABS should just be Patrick Bailey. [pic.twitter.com/JkuEDhnhtU](https://t.co/JkuEDhnhtU) > > — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/2028208074217889952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) A year ago, Bailey viewed the ABS system as an existential threat to catchers like him who create massive value with their framing skills. Now the two-time reigning NL Gold Glove winner is realizing those skills won’t be mitigated too much by the ability for teams to challenge pitches. With his innate feel for the zone, the new rules might even enhance his value. “You’re still trying to get a good presentation for the umpires,” Bailey said. “But on a pitch like that, it doesn’t matter how I catch it. If I know it’s a strike, I can challenge it. If I don’t, I won’t. And if I think it’s close, then we’ll see about the situation of the game, right? “My goal is to take the emotion out of it. I think I have pretty good feel for it, and I’m excited. I think it’s going to be another level that I can take my game.” There are next levels, and then there is the stratosphere where the game’s most valuable superstars reside. Bailey already generates lots of value with his defensive skills. He’s fully aware it wouldn’t take a lot of offensive improvement — a .260 average, 15 home runs, maybe 25 doubles — for the switch hitting catcher to become an absolute monster when it comes to generating Wins Above Replacement. So it was eye-popping Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe when Bailey scalded a double that left the bat at 109.7 mph. It matched the hardest contact he’s recorded as a left-handed hitter in the major leagues. Bailey also hit a sacrifice fly with an exit velocity of 107.1 mph against the Angels. He’s confident the mechanical changes he made at the plate — staying on his back side a bit longer, eliminating drift — will translate to more consistent results this season. “I would never say catching is easy, but I’d also never use it as an excuse (for a lack of hitting),” Bailey said. “I’ve had success at the plate. I’ve had success for months at the plate. I believe it’s in there. I’ve proved it for myself. Catching is not easy by any means, but there’s a lot of guys that do both, and I expect that from myself.” The overall numbers weren’t pretty — .222 average, .277 on-base percentage, a 73 OPS+ that was the sixth lowest among 177 major-league batters with at least 450 plate appearances — and they would have been even worse if Bailey hadn’t heated up in September, when you’d figure his legs were the heaviest. It’s hard to have your legs under you as a hitter when you’re one of six catchers who surpassed 1,000 innings behind the plate, as Bailey did last season. But here’s the counterintuitive wrinkle: His struggles last season came in the first three innings, not the waning moments of games. He had far less success against starting pitchers (.184 with one home run and a .497 OPS) compared with relievers (.261 with five home runs and a .709 OPS). Although Bailey excels at formulating a pregame plan to attack an opposing lineup, he was unsuccessful at executing a plan at the plate against opposing pitchers. He hit just .162 in his first at-bat of the game. And, of course, Bailey’s two signature moments at the plate — he became the first player in major-league history to hit a walk-off [grand slam](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6625522/2025/09/13/patrick-bailey-giants-walkoff-homer-dodgers/) and a walk-off [inside-the-park home run](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6482357/2025/07/09/patrick-bailey-walk-off-home-run-giants-phillies/) in one season — came in the Giants’ last at-bat. New Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense has watched a lot of film on Bailey, arrived at a few conclusions and is preaching a change in approach this spring. He wants Bailey to treat every early at-bat like it’s his last. “It’s one of the first things we talked about,” Mense said. “I told him, ‘Look, you’ve got the ability to hit the ball hard. I’ve seen you do it from afar. I saw you do it in the minor leagues from afar. I’ve seen you damage the ball and do things other people can’t do.’ A lot of times, when a hitter becomes cautious, they almost put a governor on their body. They kind of forget how to move fast. They kind of forget how to swing it fast. It’s not physical. It has to do with intent. And sometimes you have to help them unlock that, whether it’s a mental approach or it’s helping him to understand when to take a chance, when to be a hitter, when to get your best swing off, when to move really big and freely.” Bailey is enthused about working with Mense to plan for opposing pitchers. He was surprised by how quickly the Toronto Blue Jays made lineup-wide adjustments to Giants pitchers during a series in July at Rogers Centre. “It’s getting back to the plan, which is something Hunter has talked about,” said Bailey, who was a .128 hitter in 246 plate appearances that got to a two-strike count. “I’ve been a pretty dreadful two-strike hitter. I’m going to try to do a much better job with two strikes. You’re still up there looking for a pitch to hit. That doesn’t change.” Bailey might have an expert knowledge of sorting balls from strikes as a catcher, but he also has the benefit of seeing the pitch into his mitt. As a hitter, you have to make that yes/no decision a whole lot sooner. Mense is stressing a simple mental cue that should help Bailey be a more competitive and feisty two-strike hitter in every plate appearance, not just the high-leverage ones late in games. “I’ve never been around a good decision-maker who isn’t intending to swing,” Mense said. “It’s having the aggression to get going, and then you slam on the brakes if you need to, instead of trying to slam on the accelerator when you’re just kind of idling along and then trying to speed up to get to it. You’re never going to catch up that way. “You can see it at the plate (this spring). He’s not moving as cautiously. He’s not fearful of what happens if he swings and misses. He’s not fearful of what happens if he chases. He’s hitting foul balls, pull side, really hard. He’s not fearful of, ‘If I get the bat head out, what’s gonna happen?’ He’s good enough in the box to make adjustments, and he’s beginning to understand that.” Bailey said he’s never considered abandoning switch hitting. He’s a natural right-handed hitter, and he produced from that side in his rookie season. He’s had stretches of success from both sides. It’s a lot to ask a player to hone two swings while doing all the other physical and mental work required of a major-league catcher. But Bailey said he’s never taken a left-on-left at-bat in his life, “so I doubt doing that in the big leagues is a smart decision.” “It’s been a lot of learning,” Bailey said. “There’s been some incredible moments, and I’m blessed and grateful for them. But at the same time, I know there’s a lot more in the tank than what I’ve done. I’m definitely not pleased with how last year went offensively.” Can Bailey raise the bar as a hitter? It’s a challenge that he is eager to accept. No helmet tapping required.
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