Do you guys adjust your strike zone based on the quality of play? Regularly, I see teams from cities with pop over 12,000 people to towns with less than 500 people. Some teams have quality pitching while other teams struggle to have nine players who care. Some of you I'm sure have a regular dose of quality baseball, but in my neck of the woods, we see the whole spectrum. Two really bad teams--adjust?? Thoughts?

Assuming High School Varsity. Regardless of the quality of the teams my high and low part of the zone are the same. Where I "adjust" is in and out. High and low is obvious to everyone in and out only you the batter and catcher know.

Re: hourly pay?
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by David B
[B]If you're not getting paid by the hour, then make them throw strikes. Sure you can change based on the level of play or the score on the board.

Do I? Well we're blessed to be in an area with very good baseball at all levels that I call so I don't really have to worry too much - unless the score is way out of hand and then I just tell them be swinging at everything guys.

Just make it consistent for everyone involved and you won't get any flack.

Thanks
David

[Edited by David B on Apr 20th, 2005 at 12:37 AM]

I don't get this. I thought the rulebook strike was the rulebook strike in your world.

Tits to knees, over the plate, that is the only strike I know. Unless it's a slaughter, then I might help things a little to move it along to that 5th inning. Untill then though, I don't care who is good and who isn't, a strike is a strike and a ball is a ball. Don't get me wrong, I am not calling batters box to box a strike, but if a spec of dirt on the ball touches the zone it will be a strike in a slaughter.

<b>Tits to knees, over the plate, that is the only strike I know.</b>

What level do you work?

HS

My first Horror show , oops, varsity game of the season was a 25-0 game. By the fifth inning I informed the coaches that my strike zone expanded. Arm pits to knees, Well, mabey a litte bigger. The first batter to complain got one of these from the coach, "Shutup and swing the bat".

But I attempt to always call a strike zone that is as big as possible, yet consistent. If I recall, I have already defined the exact size though.

Is informing the coaches appropriate?
Is it recommended?
Just for my own information.
Thanks

Appropriate? Recommended? I don't know Tony. But, when the coaches responses are, "thank you", I guess it's not all that bad.

Certainly if the coaches had objections to this, I might reconsider, mabey. Then again, I guess I could say "time", coach I need to borrow a laptop and go online for an official response to my suggeted , expanded strike zone, NOT.

I'm sure there are about 3700 other opinions about this but, this opinion is the one doing my game.

Oftentimes, I've had both coaches tell me at the pregame meeting, "Hey, we want a big zone on our guys, they need to swing the bat." This is usually before a JV game, and I'm always happy to oblige. It gets some groans from the fans, but the coaches love it. It also moves the game along rather quickly...if I called a varsity zone on a JV game, we'd be there 3+ hours, and that's something no one wants.

Varsity games, though, I'm going to make the pitcher earn it unless the score is way out of hand...as in the 27-1 game I had earlier in the year that, thank the Good Lord, had a time limit of 1:45 so we only had to play 3 1/2 innings.

OK,
 

So I worked 36 years to develop a strike zone that is consistent and appropriate for "big boy ball" and now . . .

You tell me I should CHANGE IT DURING A GAME.

Sorry, I ain't that good!

A pitch is a strike until proved otherwise.

This is why it is great to be a big dog. I have a simple solution to this problem. When in doubt about the quality of play that you will be seeing, I assign my partner to the plate! :D

But then you have to do the JV game! Had to do JV game tues. Had a huge zone. Rich you would of been proud. Only had two walks and game was under 1:30 for 5 innings. Score 14-10. Felt alittle uncomfortable, but I am learning. Coaches were fine with it. Thanks for your suggestions.

Nope, big dogs do not do JV. Someone else comes in and cleans up that mess.