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Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown
Had a clinician tell me that mathematically any pitch that was 6 feet in the air at it's apex and didn't hit the plate should be a strike - given that it is not too high in the zone. Don't know that this is true having never checked the math myself - and I don't really prescribe to this philosophy.
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You cannot use math to figure that out as it does not take speed into consideration. However, I have seen it demonstrated a few times at schools by members of the NUS. From 50', if the ball reaches 6', it will clear the plate unless thrown at too fast.
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Honestly though, what I have found is that the mat ball calls are what people readily accept; whereas, calling the strike zone based upon where the ball crosses the batter (as if they were standing at the front of the plate) gets some of them excited and gets me some strange looks. The catcher always wants to argue when a flat pitch hits behind the plate and I call a ball. They also want to argue when a big arch hits near the back of the batter's box and I call a ball. When a relatively flat pitch comes across the batter's waist and the catcher makes their catch well behind the batter's box and I call strike... then the batter wants to argue.
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I get some of those looks, but little argument. However, if you are calling legal pitches that just clear the plate between the batter's boxes a ball, you're setting yourself up for trouble. It's a strike.
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My response is usually, "That pitch was flat and too low, or too high and came down behind the batter. The batter couldn't possibly have hit it." or "That pitch came across the plate below your waist, how could it possibly not be strike?" Of course these comments assume the pitch height requirements were met - there is always the illegal pitch call to save your bacon.
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One more reason I prefer ASA's mechanic of calling it when it becomes illegal. There may be some second-guessing on the umpire's judgement of the height of a pitch, but not of his/her integrity.
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Slowpitch has got a big zone... 17 inch wide plate plus the width of the ball (any part of the ball over the plate qualifies as a strike)... makes a zone that is nearly 2 feet wide! And it is a hitter's game so call lots of strikes.
PS. I also recommend covering up the black at the back of the the plate to alleviate any arguments about whether it hit the plate or hit the dirt (Dirt is what you want so you can call a strike.)
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Don't worry about the black. It adds approximately 2" to the strike zone which brings it closer to 27" wide.