Quote:
Originally posted by mcrowder
Re: 17" vs 22" - I did say 17 (plus the width of the ball) in the first post, but shortened that to just 17 for future posts (got tired of typing the extra).
I see your points, and I do understand that sometimes the PERCEIVED call is the one that is made. Where I was going with that is that I've seen umpires call a pitch 6-8 inches outside where the catcher set up just outside of the corner and only moved the glove 3-4 inches... and then justify it using the logic posted here. I feel that's patently unfair to the hitter, who (most times) has no clue where the catcher has set up. It sounds like you are not saying here that YOU call it that way.
I believe that I will continue to call the strike on the inside black, with catcher set up outside a strike. If I called it with the catcher in the middle, I'm calling it wherever he sits. I also do not see the justification for calling a borderline pitch a strike if the catcher catches it, and a ball if he drops it. Frankly, that seems exceedingly silly. A strike is a strike is a strike.
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You are missing one thing, probably cause I haven't said it well. I'm talking about a borderline pitch where I'm using every bit of evidence from the time the pitch leaves the pitcher's hand until he catches it. If he catches it well, I'm able to continue processing information and it may end up giving me enough to call it a strike. If he drops it and the ball is rolling around, well, it's going to be harder for me to do that.
I don't intentionally punish catchers who don't catch pitches. But I will say -- even on a cock shot at the higher levels -- if I call it a ball because the catcher didn't catch it, the coach is going to be yelling at the catcher to squeeze it, not at me.