Teaching the strike zone

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

First of all - I call NCAA Softball. I came into the baseball threads because of the LL stuff.

Okay, you call NCAA softball and you are interested in LL. And the point is.......... ?

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Secondly, I didn't say "BOUNCE", I said caught below the catcher's knees.

Not always a good thing to do in baseball. But if you do call it that way, you better call it that way the whole game. Of course, your NCAA Baseball assigner will not be giving you too many more D1 games anymore. Better resolve yourself to being a D3 umpire!

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Thirdly, I assure you that if the ball that passes through the strike zone and bounces will be called a STRIKE.

Which tells me that you have "tunnel vision" when calling balls and strikes. What that means is once the pitch reaches a certain point in flight, you mentally close down. Oh, you may track the pitch, but registration is over - you've already made up your mind. One more thing, your NCAA Baseball assigner has just demoted you to your local High School Board. You are now qualified to do HS Varsity!

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Are you disappointed?

With you as an NCAA official, yes! But I understan now why you have an interest in LL - you will soon be calling at that level!

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Are you saying a ball at the bottom of the strike zone when it crosses the front of the plate and drops below the catcher's knees when he catches it is a ball??? I personally don't care where he catches it - where was the pitch when it enters the strike zone? That's my key. (IMHO)

At the lower levels, I'll call a pitch a strike if it crosses as a strike but is caught like $#!t... but at higher levels (HS and up) if F2 butchers the pitch, I'm not gonna call it. If I do, guarenteed someone is pi$$ed in the dugout, and I will hear about it. Call the zone of least resistance... JMHO

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Are you saying a ball at the bottom of the strike zone when it crosses the front of the plate and drops below the catcher's knees when he catches it is a ball??? I personally don't care where he catches it - where was the pitch when it enters the strike zone? That's my key. (IMHO)

How do you call the pitch that crosses the front of the plate and then rises out of the strike zone?

I've read here that that happens every now and then.

[David B]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Are you saying a ball at the bottom of the strike zone when it crosses the front of the plate and drops below the catcher's knees when he catches it is a ball??? I personally don't care where he catches it - where was the pitch when it enters the strike zone? That's my key. (IMHO)

Your question has been answered; however, I just wanted to add again that the pitch you described should be called a ball everytime.

Now, we see this pitch called a strike very often, (seen it a lot on TV lately); however, you won't see that pitch called a strike in baseball.

As I often describe it, small ball is a different world with umpires who often just want to go home, help out a local league, etc.,

If you make the kids throw strikes, they will learn to throw strikes. If we reward them by calling balls a strike, we have taught them nothing.

Thanks
David

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by David B

Your question has been answered; however, I just wanted to add again that the pitch you described should be called a ball everytime.

Now, we see this pitch called a strike very often, (seen it a lot on TV lately); however, you won't see that pitch called a strike in baseball.

As I often describe it, small ball is a different world with umpires who often just want to go home, help out a local league, etc.,

If you make the kids throw strikes, they will learn to throw strikes. If we reward them by calling balls a strike, we have taught them nothing.

Thanks
David

David, thanks for your kind response. A breath of fresh air. I don't disagree with you on making them call strikes. Again, it may be a difference in the two sports, but if a ball passes through the strike zone, I'm confused how it can be anything else. Are we basing it on where everyone perceives it to be because of where it's caught? In baseball maybe it should be called a ball everytime. In softball there's no way that's called a ball. With pitching from 43' and the spin and speed of a change-up in softball, it can very easily hit the strike zone and drop to the catcher's feet. If I call that a ball in a college game I assure you I'd be back in HS in no time. I guess it's the difference between two sports.

My mistake was comparing two different sports. I realize that most baseball and softball umpires ride each other about their respective sports but some of these people take it to another level. Some good natured ribbing can be fun - but my gosh, some of you hate me because I umpire softball. Get a life! I don't think you are a horrible person because you umpire baseball nor do I think you are a horrible umpire because some of you are an a$$. Shoot, I don't even think you are horrible because you call the pitch in question a ball. I was just trying to explain why I think it's a strike - in my sport.

Sorry to have offended some of you. David, again, thanks for at least being civil.

[Uncle George]

It sound like to me that you guys who are afraid to say "strike" to a pitch that passes through the strike zone don't have the nad's to stand behind the plate! It's a frickin' strike if the pitch passes through the rule book strike zone for God's sake! If you're calling balls and strikes just to keep out of a
confrontation with the coaches, YOU should be doing 10 & under ball! I've been doing this for a mere 15-years and not once have I called a pitch that goes through the strike zone, then short hops the cather a ball! I never have and I never will! Now, some of you will say, well you'll never advance in this business. Look, if comprimising the rules of the game are what I need to advance, what's that say for you guys who do comprimise the game? Pretty darn bad if you ask me! The umpires job is to make sure the game is played fairly by both teams. That's it! Don't make up your own rules and call the game the way the rule book says to! OK guys, lock and load! I've got the target taped to my back! Go ahead, aim and fire!

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

My mistake was comparing two different sports... some of you hate me because I umpire softball. Get a life!

Larry - assuming your signature is correct, and you really do call NCAA softball and LL Baseball, surely you recognize a significant difference in the games. Heck, I call them different sports. You (as I assume you know) really have to truly have a different mindset in each game.

However ... all of that said - unless you're working youth ball or calling an eephus pitch, you are going to have trouble advancing if you consistently call a pitch that you perceive as skimming the bottom of the zone before bouncing into the catcher's glove a strike. Seriously. I work mostly upper level FED and ASA softball but have filled in at NCAA level - I can't remember calling a bounce-pitch a strike at that level. I also suspect that if you did, and then saw that pitch on tape, you'd realize it was actually low.

You can be forgiven when you call a hittable ball outside the zone a strike. You might get yelled at by the coach, but you're not going to damage your career. And if you are consistent with it, they will swing at it. But when you call an UNhittable ball outside the zone a strike, you're going to hear about it from every angle, and possibly hurt your career if you don't correct this error.

I gave one poster a hard time far above for making the blanket statement that ALL bouncers are non-strikes, trying to point out that at 10U or even bad 12U (either baseball or softball), you will have MANY bouncing strikes. But above this level, it should not happen. And while you may defend your position that "if it goes through the zone, it's a strike", I would maintain that the physics of the situation dictate that if it bounced, it was almost definitely NOT actually in the zone. Another good use of film if you are calling these pitches strikes - take a look at what your pitch looks like from another angle and you may agree that you are missing these pitches.

[gordon30307]

Getting a good strike zone is a result of:

1. Timing
2. Good Positioning
3. Learning how to "work with your catcher". Eg. A borderline low pitch with the glove down is a ball, same pitch with the glove up is a strike, if the ball pops out of his mitt it's a ball. This applies only to higher level games. High School Varsity on up.
4. Getting feedback from your partner. He can be especially helpful on high and low pitches.
5. Doing lots and lots of games.


I know if I miss an obvious ball or strike it's usually because of poor timing.

[PeteBooth]

Originally Posted by NickG

I've read with interest the recent threads bashing the LLWS umpires -- particularly their strike zone. And I don't disagree with the general view that they're calling big and, worse, inconsistent zones. The bottom of the zone is a disaster, and the low outside corner is a mess. The top of the zone can be anywhere from belt to armpits. And this from the same ump, same batter, from pitch to pitch.

Rather than add to the bashing, though, I'd like to raise an issue that I bring up with my league and district peers and get consistently jeered. We all (I suspect) work with umpires who can't call a decent zone. The worst problems are at the bottom of the zone (IMHO). I've worked the rails in games where I stand there and watch "strikes" called on balls coming in mid-shin, and sometimes lower. I'm not talking about big breaking balls, either. These are fastballs kissing the dirt under the catcher's glove. I'm sure you see this yourself. The manager is in the coache's box at third just tearing his hair. These balls are unhittable (Ichiro can golf these low ones, but not 12-year-olds), and, frankly, I don't blame the coaches for complaining.

So here's the problem: Every time I bring up the issue of "teaching" the zone, I hear nothing but complaints. We spend hours at clinics going over mechanics and rotations, but when it comes to this most central part of the game (and a part defined by rule, no less), we hear things like "ah, your zone is your zone", and "just stay consistent and you'll be fine", and the all-time lame-brainer: "strikes are good".

Why don't we teach calling balls and strikes with the same rigor that we teach rotations? Or maybe you do? That's why the long post, because I'd like to hear from those of you who do provide (or have taken) clinics in calling the ball. How do you do it? How do you approach an otherwise dedicated and hard-working umpire and tell him his zone needs work -- and THEN provide a means for him to work on it?

I'll be interested in your views on this. I would very much like to begin a course of clinics in my leage and district, but it would be great to learn from experience first. Or do most of you go with the conventional wisdom that a zone is a zone so shut up and swing. I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts.

You received good advice thus far and I will add this.

Before one can become better at something they must first understand what they are doing wrong.

How is this accomplished?

If at all possible see if someone can tape you behind the dish to get a good look at your mechanics. Once you see what you are doing wrong then you can work on correcting it.

Also, what's missing even in PRO ball is a good solid mentoring program. I was fotunate enough to have good mentors in my career. Also, as an umpire you must set aside your "ego" and be willing to take constructive criticism to help you.

The best advice I received about the strike zone came from Jon Bible who recommended that you treat the strike zone as a "window" and if the ball hits the window it's a strike.

That philosophy has helped me become more consistent because it takes the "guess" work out of calling the so called "border-line" pitches.

As for LL, the strike zone varies because during the regular season where there is not the talent level we are seeing on TV one tends to have a bigger zone. Also, I believe the LL definition of the strike zone is bigger to begin with.

Pete Booth