[badbamaump]

that almost all of us advocate calling a pitch OFF of the plate a STRIKE.

C Rabby, I don't know how far you aspire to go. I also know that I wouldn't want you calling balls and strikes in any game I'm coaching if you're not calling strikes off of the plate.

The outside pitch is hard to get right. Almost as hard as getting the knee pitch correct. Just about all new umpires that haven't had some serious instruction seem unable to call these pitches consistently.

Some words from the guys that have taught me to call balls and strikes:

"There are 8 defensive players, 1 batter and at least 2 umpires wanting some kid to throw a strike. Don't MAKE the kid throw a strike, LET him throw a strike."

That theory kinda guides my zone from game to game. BTW, he wasn't referring to Youth ball either. This was at our state FED umpire camp.

Call strikes, call a lot of em, then get 20 more strikes.

Will