Theoretical question about balls and strikes...

[brost]

I think there is more to #3 than it seems like on the first glance. So let's check with the exact words in the rules:

A STRIKE is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which [...] (b) Is not struck at, if any part of the ball passes through any part of the strike zone

So if we follow this strictly, nothing is a strike until so called by the umpire. That way, #3 is the only correct answer since there can be no strike before it is called.

So maybe it should be:
Some pitches pass through the strike zone and some don't. Those that pass through, I call strikes.

Or: those that I see passing the Strike Zone, I call strikes.

These are questions to keep you thinking during the off-season.