plate mechanic

[archangel]

Depending upon the nature of the game your strike zone may change and a pitch you called a ball and verbalized outside may now be a strike because of the way the game is progressing.



Since when does the progression of the game decide a strike zone ?. Yes, we all make mistakes, but I really try to keep a consistant zone ALL GAME LONG.

[NickG]

"Depending upon the nature of the game your strike zone may change and a pitch you called a ball and verbalized outside may now be a strike because of the way the game is progressing."

Oh, I see a long and disturbing thread brewing -- maybe as heated as the "strike" in the dirt grazing the edge of the zone thread we had not long ago.

Wandering zones aside (which I don't subscribe to, BTW), I add myself to the list of those who announces on close pitches inside/outside (never high/low). The dugouts can see high/low, and if they ask me on these, they're sniping, and I say so. In/out, on the other hand, can't be seen from the side. Everyone's happier, it seems, if everyone knows where a pitch missed. And I like happy -- especially when it's me!

[NIump50]

Originally Posted by NickG

I add myself to the list of those who announces on close pitches inside/outside (never high/low). The dugouts can see high/low, and if they ask me on these, they're sniping, and I say so. In/out, on the other hand, can't be seen from the side. Everyone's happier, it seems, if everyone knows where a pitch missed. And I like happy -- especially when it's me!

I have no quarrel one way or the other relative to announcing inside or outside, but I do have a comment as to sniping.
As a coach, you don't have to be very smart to figure why a pitch was called a ball. If a coach sees the ball is not hi or lo then he knows it is inside or outside, that's perfectly logical. Based on the catchers position and glove placement no coach is going to confuse an outside pitch with an inside pitch.

My point
It's sniping either way!

99% of the time the coach knows the answer in/out hi/lo before he asks the question. He's only asking to make a point and if he's inclined to make a point he'll make it one way or the other.

[DG]

Originally Posted by NIump50

I have no quarrel one way or the other relative to announcing inside or outside, but I do have a comment as to sniping.
As a coach, you don't have to be very smart to figure why a pitch was called a ball. If a coach sees the ball is not hi or lo then he knows it is inside or outside, that's perfectly logical. Based on the catchers position and glove placement no coach is going to confuse an outside pitch with an inside pitch.

My point
It's sniping either way!

99% of the time the coach knows the answer in/out hi/lo before he asks the question. He's only asking to make a point and if he's inclined to make a point he'll make it one way or the other.

After the top of the first tonight I hear an assistant tell the manager that I am calling a ball and a half off the plate a strike so tell the batters to swing at that pitch. And at that point in the game I don't think I had called anything that was off the black. Simply amazing how well coaches can call 'em from the dugout.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by DG

After the top of the first tonight I hear an assistant tell the manager that I am calling a ball and a half off the plate a strike so tell the batters to swing at that pitch. And at that point in the game I don't think I had called anything that was off the black. Simply amazing how well coaches can call 'em from the dugout.

Probably just trying trying to get them up swinging on pitches they can reach on the outer half of the plate. God bless him. Rather umpire a game where I don't have to call anyone out on strikes, and the teams are at very minimum attempting to put the ball in play.

[pdxblue]

My take on this is that if you have established a good zone in the first couple of innings, and are CONSISTENT calling it, the catcher will usually take care of you concerning letting the coach know where the pitch was. If he lies to him, I "clean" the already clean plate while letting the catcher know that I don't appreciate him crossing me up. They usually get the point!

Really, with a consistent zone coupled with 99 out 100 catchers, I don't need to announce the location of a ball because the catcher will do that for me. EVEN on very close pitches, the catcher will usually defend my call to the coach.

I found that if the coach and catcher aren't visibly disturbed by my call, the fans shut up too.

So really, the key is the call a consistent, good zone.

[waltjp]

On the few occasions where the catcher has told that coach that a pitch that was clearly outside of the zone was "right there" I've called time, come around to clean the plate and have told the catcher in a voice loud enough for the coach to hear, "You're not doing yourself, your pitcher or your coach any favors by telling him that THAT pitch was a strike. Understand?"

I've only had to do this twice and each time it was effective. Of course, we're talking youth games. The bigger guys know better.

[pdxblue]

Originally Posted by archangel

[/I]
Since when does the progression of the game decide a strike zone ?. Yes, we all make mistakes, but I really try to keep a consistant zone ALL GAME LONG.

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

Also, you can see in those standards too that the Gerry Davis stance is totally discouraged! I agree with that one for sure!!!

[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.

[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?

[lawump]

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?

Well, after one of my minor league games in 1997...as I was taking a shower, my Dad was waiting for me outside our locker room, and he started talking to one of the team's pitching coaches, Bob Stanley.

After Bob asked my Dad who he was with (and my dad said the umpire), Bob cracked a joke. He said, "If your son was umpiring 10 years ago, I'd still be in the major leagues!"

[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.