I do an annual spring training vacation, and the last two years have gone to Arizona for (mostly) Rangers games.

It's been my observation for those two years that the weather was damn nice, the games were all reasonably competitive, and the umpires appeared, to me at least, to be doing what they should be doing, i.e., working their own spring training and tuning up for the real deal. I've noticed umpires experimenting with different stances and different mechanics, but I have not observed what I would consider any "mercy" calls to try to Kevork an out-of-hand game.

But I promise I won't get as emotional about our differing viewpoints as ozzy6900 got.

Coach of a 13-14 team winning big should not need to ask for a larger zone in a fall ball game for 2 reasons:

1. He can tell his players to be aggressive at the plate and swing at at anything close and if they connect, well sh*t happens.

2. The zone should already be BIG, for both teams equally.

And the NCAA says...
 

From the NCAA Umpire Evaluation Standards:

http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/cham...eval_standards

"Consistency of Strike Zone Throughout the Game

Maintains the same zone throughout the game and is the same for both teams from inning 1 to inning 9. Has a grasp of how the zone can be adjusted in lopsided game. Note: Umpires "miss" pitches occasionally, just because an umpire calls a pitch that bounces a strike once does not mean that he should continue to call that pitch a strike in the name of consistency." (Emphasis added)

I guess you can decide for yourself what "adjusted" means.

Walter

Good one. I actually am smiling!:D