plate mechanic

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by pdxblue

If you were being evaluated by NCAA standards, and you kept your same strike zone in a lopsided game, you would get dinged for keeping that zone.

But it also says:

Maintains the same zone throughout the game.

and

Is the same for both teams from inning 1 to inning 9.

So, what do they expect you to do exactly in lopsided games?

[pdxblue]

You adjust your zone, evenly, for both teams!

My interpretation that seems to work is to go a tad higher and wider. Not much, just a couple of inches.

Those other standards you listed are for regular games, NOT lopsided games. But in the lopsided game, you need to expand a bit to keep things going.

We have a lot of D III around here, and the pitching isn't so hot, so the games tend to have a LOT of runs. Anyway, I have found that is blowouts, neither coach seems to mind if you expand your zone a little bit, as long as it goes both ways.

[DG]

A tip I got years ago, I still use. On an obvious ball you really don't have to call it. When it's close but still considerably out say ball loud enough for catcher, batter and anyone close to hear. When it is real close say BALL as in "I'm sure of it". I don't explain where they were, but you can tell by the loudness of the call how close it was. And as I mentioned earlier, I will explain them to the catcher if he asks, but not to the bench.

[pdxblue]

I call ball, even if the pitcher throws it over the back stop. But, I agree that on a "close" pitch, you need to make it more emphatic. I suppose that is why I don't get a lot of questioning on my ball calls. I hear groaning sometimes though!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by pdxblue

I call ball, even if the pitcher throws it over the back stop. But, I agree that on a "close" pitch, you need to make it more emphatic. I suppose that is why I don't get a lot of questioning on my ball calls. I hear groaning sometimes though!

Isn't it funny that the same pitches that they groan at when you call them balls, are the same pitches they would boo you if you called them strikes when their team was batting?

[pdxblue]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Isn't it funny that the same pitches that they groan at when you call them balls, are the same pitches they would boo you if you called them strikes when their team was batting?

Goes without saying!

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by pdxblue

I call ball, even if the pitcher throws it over the back stop. But, I agree that on a "close" pitch, you need to make it more emphatic. I suppose that is why I don't get a lot of questioning on my ball calls. I hear groaning sometimes though!

I disagree with the concept of calling "close" balls more emphatically. To me and many of the rats I've observed, It conveys exactly the opposite message to "he's confident in that call." It's more of a "wow that was close; it was so close I better call it loud and emphatically; damn that was close; hmmm, I wonder why the pitcher's looking at me like that; maybe I should have called it a strike...."

[pdxblue]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

I disagree with the concept of calling "close" balls more emphatically. To me and many of the rats I've observed, It conveys exactly the opposite message to "he's confident in that call." It's more of a "wow that was close; it was so close I better call it loud and emphatically; damn that was close; hmmm, I wonder why the pitcher's looking at me like that; maybe I should have called it a strike...."

You are welcomed to think that way. But that kind of thinking goes against just about every umpiring mechanics training I have received.

In my personal experience, I have found that it sells the call a LOT better, and people have told me that it actually shows MORE confidence in the call. It is akin to calling close plays on the bases more emphatically.

Anyway, if your local evaluators don't see any value in adjusting how much emphasis you use on calls that are obvious or close, then go ahead and call everything the same. But I am about 99.9% sure that your local evaluators would be more impressed with your calling close "ball" calls more emphatically.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by pdxblue

You are welcomed to think that way. But that kind of thinking goes against just about every umpiring mechanics training I have received.

In my personal experience, I have found that it sells the call a LOT better, and people have told me that it actually shows MORE confidence in the call. It is akin to calling close plays on the bases more emphatically.

Anyway, if your local evaluators don't see any value in adjusting how much emphasis you use on calls that are obvious or close, then go ahead and call everything the same. But I am about 99.9% sure that your local evaluators would be more impressed with your calling close "ball" calls more emphatically.

What's a local evaluator? I'm so glad I don't have to put up with someone consistently second-guessing my officiating.

[lawump]

Originally Posted by pdxblue

If you were being evaluated by NCAA standards, and you kept your same strike zone in a lpsided game, you would get dinged for keeping that zone. http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/cham...PreviewState=0

Just so you know I umpired a 38-0 NCAA Division 1 game (both teams Division 1). After the game the evaluator said (and this is a quote, not a paraphrase), "damn, son, you had the same strike zone the entire game. That was a hell of a game you had."

Also, for the rest of that season, several umpires came up to me and said, "I saw (the evaluator) recently, he went on and on about how consistent you were."

It was the best damn evaluation I ever had.

So I guess it depends on which evaluator you have.

[left coast]

Originally Posted by pdxblue

You adjust your zone, evenly, for both teams!

My interpretation that seems to work is to go a tad higher and wider. Not much, just a couple of inches.

Those other standards you listed are for regular games, NOT lopsided games. But in the lopsided game, you need to expand a bit to keep things going.

We have a lot of D III around here, and the pitching isn't so hot, so the games tend to have a LOT of runs. Anyway, I have found that is blowouts, neither coach seems to mind if you expand your zone a little bit, as long as it goes both ways.

When the team who is behind puts up 6 runs in the seventh inning, do you then "adjust" it back in for the 8th and 9th innings?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by left coast

When the team who is behind puts up 6 runs in the seventh inning, do you then "adjust" it back in for the 8th and 9th innings?

Perhaps you should ask the person(s) who wrote the NCAA Evaluation Standards, since he/she/they wrote this as one of the criteria:

"Has a grasp of how the zone can be adjusted in lopsided game."

I don't think that anybody considers a 6 run deficit to be "lopsided." Lopsided is usually 10 runs or more behind.

And maybe lawump had a big strike zone to start with, and couldn't have widened it out more than it already was. How about it, lawump?

[CJN]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Perhaps you should ask the person(s) who wrote the NCAA Evaluation Standards, since he/she/they wrote this as one of the criteria:

"Has a grasp of how the zone can be adjusted in lopsided game."

I don't think that anybody considers a 6 run deficit to be "lopsided." Lopsided is usually 10 runs or more behind.

And maybe lawump had a big strike zone to start with, and couldn't have widened it out more than it already was. How about it, lawump?

I think left coast was tralking about a game where a team was behind by 10 or 12 and then they score six runs in the seventh are you going to adjust your zone back for the eighth or ninth inning?

[LMan]

Once you widen, you cannot go back. Its done.

[pdxblue]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

What's a local evaluator? I'm so glad I don't have to put up with someone consistently second-guessing my officiating.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm... I am not sure how to take that statement. Evaluators don't "second guess" MY officiating. I suppose somebody that is not secure in the job they are doing could feel that way by some of their comments though.