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Originally Posted by Carl Childress
I don't agree with Rich very often; he's management, I was always labor. But....
Rich Garcia's comment describing the strike zone is one of umpiring's classic statements: "A strike is where I call it and they don't b!tch!" Paste that on the back of your catcher's helmet, follow it religiously, and watch your evaluations climb.
...SNIP...
I was pleased with this thread: Most of the posters recognized that there is no magical zone, that it takes two (a pitcher and a catcher) to create a strike. Ten years ago, Rich and I might have been alone.
We've come a long way, Baby.
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Management? Heck, I'm a grunt. I've never managed anyone.
I've only worked 9 games so far this season. Because of a foul ball to a plate shoe that bent the plate (new ones arrived late Friday afternoon), I spent the last week working the bases in single games, so I got to watch a lot of strike zones. 7 college games, 2 HS games so far. The observations are mine alone, but certainly apply to when I work the plate, too. I have worked 2 college plates this year and so far, so good.
(1) Most college pitchers can throw darts at the hollow of the knee. You'd better be prepared to call that a strike when the catcher sticks it. It's the bread and butter pitch and missing that was the biggest cause of *****ing I saw this past week. Timing, timing, timing.
(2) Catchers know when they cost their pitchers strikes. I had a catcher flub a borderline curve ball and I called it a ball. The coach yelled -- at the catcher. The pitcher glared -- at the catcher. The catcher apologized to both.
(3) Pitchers, to a degree, need to hit their spots. I had a catcher set up 3 inches outside on an 0-2 count and the pitch made the catcher dive back over the inside corner to catch the ball. I'm lucky I didn't get drilled. If I call that a strike, I may as well sign up for nothing but freshman and JV HS games (Carl's area is more competitive for umpires as no matter how bad I am, I'd never be relegated to 10u, although the MILF ratio is higher in those games).
(4) Use the strike zone. I've started calling the top of the strike zone as written and nobody has said a word. If they do in a college game, I'll say, "That's what the NCAA wants." In a HS game, I don't have to worry as they're just happy for consistency.
My new Spot-Bilt High Tops are here and I'm ready for my DH tonight. Time to quit stealing (although since my partners last week were all regular partners, I will make it up to them at some point this year).