[Tap]

Thanks everyone. I'll print all this out.

The ASA league that I call is a church league that's about E ball. The USSSA league that I call is called "B" but is more like C ball at best. In the USSSA league, the pitchers are generally ok control wise, but most cannot throw strikes at will. In the ASA league, the pitchers have much worse control and walks are more common.

I am accurate on inside corner/inside calls and on my determinations about whether a ball is over 12' (10' USSSA) or below 6' (or 3' from release in USSSA) and whether a pitch is excessive speed or has no arc. I sometimes (accidentally) let a pitcher get away with a pitch below the minimum height. I also am pretty consistent on outside corner/outside pitches.

My main concern is the borderline high pitch. I'm probably doing fine, but I get more gripes from pitchers on balls in that category than any other call. I know the strike zone extends to the shoulder (back one in ASA, highest one in USSSA) in the book, but I generally will call strikes only up to the middle of the chest. As a player, I think that's the way to do it, and I think the players expect it that way (and believe that's what the rule book says, like MLB).

Now, my problem is determining whether a pitch crossed into that zone or over it. I know it depends on the arc of the pitch, as a flatter pitch is more likely to have stayed low enough through the zone than a pitch with maximum arc, assuming they end up in the same place. I know where the ball lands is not supposed to be a determining factor, but sometimes I do rely on that, as well as the amount of arc. I'm going to try all your suggestions in this week's games.

I think what I really need is some videotaping and national clinics.

Thanks for the input.

Steve