[bkbjones]

While I long ago called the dead horse to be displayed on this thread, I will respond since my "stop sign" strike zone has been a bone of contention.

My zone is shaped like a strike zone because of several factors. But I'll be go-to-hell damned if I care whether or not a batter can hit a pitch.

The top of the zone and bottom of the zone are well defined for every batter. Hell, everyone can see that from the dugout, the left field corner on a right handed batter...even Helen Keller can see those points.

Now, those who have seen me know that the entire freakin ball better be above the knee or below the top of the zone.

Now, why is it shaped like a stop sign? One word: survivability.

This poster says his daughter is a pitcher. Well, my stop sign strike zone you have taken to task is damned well a pitcher's strike zone. It's wide, and when I am having a good day and well hydrated and have remembered to put my mask on the right way the son-of-agun is 25 inches wide. I even give as much inside as I do outside.

If I have to compromise at all it is with the width. I do not compromise at the bottom at any time, which has more than once bothered a pitcher and even another umpire or two along the way.

But it all comes down to survivability, in many forms. I could go on and on about that and would be happy to address that, as would many others I'm sure. But I'm on vacation right now and about to hit the sack. But I will defend my damned old stop sign strike zone any time any where...and would be delighted to hear that others use it too. It's not for everyone - I understand that some have an 18-inch-wide rectangular zone, and some have 28-inch wide trapezoids. But I'll not let my zone be defiled.