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but with pitchers being able to use various angles I have called strikes on pitches that landed a good half a foot of the side of the plate because it crossed a portion of the plate.
It may look that way, but unless the pitcher was illegal (sidearm or stepping way out of the 24 limit), or throwing a ton of ball movement, it probably is not mathematically possible. If the pitcher releases the ball 4-6 outside (your left) of the pitching plate, appx 34 from home plate, and the ball just nicks the outside (right) of home plate, and F2 frames the catch you will see the ball is an inch or less outside the edge of the plate.
However, the issue brought up by booker227, and not answered so far, is our strike zone being challenged more today than in the past. Booker said: For the first time in many seasons, I find my strike zone being challenged considerably more than in the past by high school and travel ball coaches and players.
that for the first time I'm beginning to get defensive with coaches and players. Have any of my brethren suffered through this like I am, and how did, or do, you deal with it?
I share that position with booker. Over the past two years I also have been subjected to strike zone criticism, especially with respect to the outside pitch. This is happening with high-level HS or Travel or college pitchers. They want the outside pitch and I am not giving it!
Girls are getting bigger, and they are hitting the weight room, and are swinging 34 bats. They crowd the plate and coaches feel that they can hit a pitch that is 3 6 off the plate. And they want it called for their own pitchers.
I also have an oval strike zone; I have always given the pitchers 1 2 off the plate. But they want more, and Ive had some real battles with stubborn pitchers. In a tournament semi-final 18U game last summer I had two college pitchers throwing 6 off the plate. For three innings I called balls, and the undercurrent in the dugouts was not pleasant. Eventually both pitchers brought the ball in and then we had four innings of hits and great fielding and a good ball game. But at the end of the game I had two coaches madder than wet hornets as I fled for the security of the officials room.
Coaches dont want the low pitch, and they sure dont want the high pitches. But you better give them inside and outside by several inches or youll hear it. Booker227 asks how do we deal with it? I am really looking at this issue in preparation for the coming year. I am stubborn and I dont want to call a strike on a pitch 4 off the plate. But I am realistic enough to know that the game is constantly changing and I have to adapt. The next time I have high-level pitchers I am probably going to widen the plate. And probably drop the top and raise the bottom to compensate for the wider zone.
WMB
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