Quote:
Originally Posted by beachbum
this is the situation. High school JV game. Two good teams
Left handed batter lined up with the toe on his left rear foot just behind home plate, but on the left edge of the plate.. During one at bat, the toe was actually past the left edge of the plate, but behind it( not touching the plate).
His hands were over the plate and he was in a crouch with his front arm high and his rear arm low. This position made it almost impossible to see the ball comming from the pitcher. My only clean look would have been to go to the right side of the plate. after his second at bat, in which i moved to many different spots to see the ball, I finally just set up in a normal position and waited until the ball came into my vision OVER THE PLATE, to make a call.
I was able to make most calls, but the outside corner was tough, especially for curve balls. I only had an instant to make a decision and i never knew exactly where the ball would come into my vision.
Late in game, I called a pitch ( think it was a curve), on the outside of the plate a strike. Player reacted in badly. After game, the coach came up and said, "you need to work on your zone, that pitch on 14 was a ball". I tried to explain the severity of his crowding the plate and me making proper calls, but he wasn't listening.
So, How do the experienced officials handle players when they crowd the plate in a way that your vision is blocked?
As an asside, the assistant coach for that same team came up afterthe game and said " I am disapointed that you did not throw 14 out for unsportman conduct, he shouldn't have reaacted like he did and it was unsportsman like". i have never had a coach want his own player thrown out!!!!
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The way you describe it, this batter is not legally in the box. His entire foot must be within the lines. Even when the lines are not there you know that the box does not extend "past the left edge of the plate, but behind it( not touching the plate)."
Move him back and if he refuses to back up, charge him a strike.
And, without seeing in real life, it sounds like the coach was right - you should have dumped the player for "reacting badly."
And you should learn not to talk to coaches after the game - especially if they are going to be critical of your work. And you definitely do not owe him an explanation of "crowding the plate in a way your vision is blocked." If you need correcting, that is the job of your assigner or training chairman. The coach needs to be with his team. And remember, even after the game a coach or player can be "ejected" for unsportsmanlike conduct, with a report to the state. Don't let them get away with that.