The Strike Zone

[anonlooker]

It's widely known that different umpires call different strike zones. Not at all unusual for a blue to call pitches just off the plate strikes.

I've seen coaches livid when their hitters are rung up by an outside pitch, and I've seen coaches mad as hell if the ump isn't giving their pitchers that slight extra leeway.

I've heard the argument that the pitchers are being taught to throw just off the corners, countered by hitters being taught the proper strike zone. Both the pitchers and hitters are paying good money to instructors to perfect their trade.

I understand that come game time, both hitters and pitchers make adjustments based on what the PU is calling. What I don't understand is why there is a variance in the first place?

Is there a section in the umpire book that says "feel free to adjust your strike zone"? Should it be up to each individual umpire to create a pitchers duel or a hitters game? And how is that fair to the kids who are only plying their hard won expertise?

It seems if ASA wanted a bigger strike zone they would let us all know. Absent that, why do umpires toy with it at all?

It only creates a situation in which somebody is going to be upset - hitters being called out on balls, or pitchers being "forced" to throw "meatballs", otherwise known as, ahem, "strikes".

Last, and most egregious, I've seen umps tighten up their strike zones for some pitchers and loosen it up for others. In the same game! Different zones for each team, as if it's the umpires job to try to "level the playing field". Or somehow make the game more fun, or interesting.

I'm curious as to the different viewpoints among umps, coaches, players (and okay, parents too!) ((pertaining to ASA "A" travel ball only, please.))

[MTR]

It's widely known that different umpires call different strike zones. Not at all unusual for a blue to call pitches just off the plate strikes.

I've seen coaches livid when their hitters are rung up by an outside pitch, and I've seen coaches mad as hell if the ump isn't giving their pitchers that slight extra leeway.

I've heard the argument that the pitchers are being taught to throw just off the corners, countered by hitters being taught the proper strike zone. Both the pitchers and hitters are paying good money to instructors to perfect their trade.

I understand that come game time, both hitters and pitchers make adjustments based on what the PU is calling. What I don't understand is why there is a variance in the first place?

Great, a subject that gets beat to hell about four times a year. Oh, what the hell!

And just where do you see this varience? From the stands, watching TV, standing along the fence.

Is there a section in the umpire book that says "feel free to adjust your strike zone"?

That's it! Wow, first guess and you got it! It's on page 193.

It seems if ASA wanted a bigger strike zone they would let us all know. Absent that, why do umpires toy with it at all?

ASA? How about every association that trains umpires?

Last, and most egregious, I've seen umps tighten up their strike zones for some pitchers and loosen it up for others. In the same game! Different zones for each team, as if it's the umpires job to try to "level the playing field". Or somehow make the game more fun, or interesting.

Yeah, that's right, the umpire needs that team to win to pick up the big bucks s/he got on that game. Of maybe they are doing it just to force the game to go longer so they can spend more time sweating their tail off in that equipment listening to all that whining and crying from the experts behind the fence.

NAFC

[wadeintothem]

Obviously... some peoples DD's did not do so well so we have the biannual strike zone whine fest.

There are the hitters and those who dont hit very well.

Its not dependent on the blues. Bustos did not get "all good strike zone umps" and now she is on the Olympic Team. She can plain hit the ball. Maybe your DD cannot hit the ball.

So... let me help you guys out who are counting on blue to help your DD become a hitter.



"Lil Suzie, you got two strikes, you gotta protect".

There is absolutely no charge for the above tip. Some parents are paying good money for batting coaches, but I just helped you for free.

Glad I could help.

[jofus]

Anon, have you ever umpired behind the plate?

If not, try it sometime, preferable with a pitcher hitting mid 50's at least, with good spin/movement, that is living on the corners, then get back with us

[dustyshoes]

Aw, cmon blue, yer killing me! I'm paying top dollar to help DD perfect her craft!

[Bill_B]

Obviously... some peoples DD's did not do so well so we have the biannual strike zone whine fest.

There are the hitters and those who dont hit very well.

Its not dependent on the blues. Bustos did not get "all good strike zone umps" and now she is on the Olympic Team. She can plain hit the ball. Maybe your DD cannot hit the ball.

So... let me help you guys out who are counting on blue to help your DD become a hitter.

"Lil Suzie, you got two strikes, you gotta protect".

There is absolutely no charge for the above tip. Some parents are paying good money for batting coaches, but I just helped you for free.

Glad I could help.

Man, I love this game! Umpires are a huge part of the game and really help make it what it is.

It is technically possible to use instrumentation that positively determines whether a ball passes through a defined strike zone. If implemented, there would be no need for an umpire to call balls and strikes. In fact, much of the game could be instrumented to make calls typically made by umpires.

IMHO, that would absolutely ruin the game. There is nothing so great as the human element in this game. The game is about players and coaches adjusting to field conditions, weather conditions, calls, and the opposition. We go into a game with an understanding of what to expect but must adjust based on the reality of the situation.

If we stubbornly pitch the ball or swing the bat in our own strike zone, and the other team adjusts, we are going to lose the game.

[narent]

I'm always amazed by the coach who can sit on the first or third base side on his/her bucket and be able to tell the difference between a pitch that catches the corner vs. a pitch that is 6 inches off the plate, and then actually believe that they saw the ball better than the blue who has a better angle than anyone.

[Sftbll4ever]

How about the coaches and tournament people standing behind the backstop and shaking their heads in disbelief at the strikezone?

It happened at Westerns too. Started with a different team on the field and just kept going. I can honestly say that we did see maybe 2 good blues behind the plate that week (I'm going to say that I'm sure one of the good ones was our very own wadeintothem, but I did not get to meet him).

Thing is, you need to teach the hitter and the pitcher to work with the different strikezones. Should you have to no, but fact of the matter is you do. Some like them high, some like them low, some like them right over the plate. You have to make it work. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

[weekend4trvl]

I'm always amazed by the coach who can sit on the first or third base side on his/her bucket and be able to tell the difference between a pitch that catches the corner vs. a pitch that is 6 inches off the plate, and then actually believe that they saw the ball better than the blue who has a better angle than anyone.

If at Angel stadium I can call balls and strikes from 200' down the left field line, I can certainly do it from the dugout of a softball field. The girls learn the strike zone in rec ball and see the same 5 or 6 umps every season than you go TB and see a hundred different umps. Bt the time you figure the guy out the game is 75% over.I figure umps are like fields some are good and some bad ,it should all even out.

[narent]

Thing is, you need to teach the hitter and the pitcher to work with the different strikezones. Should you have to no, but fact of the matter is you do. Some like them high, some like them low, some like them right over the plate. You have to make it work. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

There's no question that different blues are going to have different zones. Batters and pitchers both have to ajust to new zones every time they see a new ump. As long as you know what the blue is going to be calling and it doesn't change from one inning or batter to another, I don't have a problem. A good catcher/umpire relationship is also very important. A catcher can get more strikes with good framing mechanics, i.e., "beating the ball to the spot" and by maybe informing some of the less experienced umpires of the different pitches the pitcher has and how they behave.