Your Zone
 

I've done 3 games behind the plate and haven't been too pleased with my performance. I'd grade myself out at C- (although i'm hard on myself at times i'll admit).

In general, how many plate games do you think it takes to get back in the groove?

If I use this season as a gauge, I was on the first game of the season that I worked the plate.

Honestly, I think the job we do is mostly subjected to the pitchers we have on the bump. I really think we are at their mercy more what the pitchers do as compared to how good we are behind the plate. If you have a pitcher that is all over the place it is really hard to look good at all.

In my case this year some of my early plate games were all college games and calling the game was very easy. The pitchers understood what they wanted to do and executed.

Peace

My first 6 games were all house league due to travel, 13-14. The games were all high scoring, lot of walks and errors, just plain sloppy. The starting pitchers for the most part were pretty decent, but went downhill rapidly from there, so it was hard to get in the groove and stay there. If you get some good crisp play, it's a lot easier.

My first game this year lasted 2:45 and I did not feel comfortable at all. One team was making many pitching changes and aorund the 5th inning, when the 4th pitcher went in the HC told me he had lost his 1 and 4 pitcher due to mono and they would be out for 3-4 weeks. I was aware they played a game the day before and probably used their 2 man or maybe 2 and 3, so basically, they were having pitching tryouts, 5 pitchers used in a 7 inning game. After than I didn't feel so bad, because I was having a hard time finding strikes.

The second game was also behind the plate, one team one run in the first and that was all the scoring in a 1-0 game. The winning pitcher pitched a 1 hitter and the loser a 3 hitter and both pitchers were throwing strikes.

Both games were varsity 4A schools (highest class in the state).

So I think you can get in the groove quickly but it depends on the quality of pitching.

By my second game of the season I have my strikezone consistent to within one to one and a half inches on the corners, an inch on the low part of the zone, and I've got a general idea of the high part of my zone as well. Usually just takes me one plate game to get me back in the swing of things.

Canada...i'm curious as to how you measure an inch on the low and 1.5 on the corners. I'm not saying you're wrong...but i'm curious as to how you measure that. thanks

Me too. Anything that close is a STRIKE.

He got the conversion wrong. He's thinking meters.

I had a coach the other day vigorously insist to me that since the 'black' was not part of the plate, I had to ball all pitches that only touched the black.

I asked to borrow his microscope for the next game.

Haha nice one Garth. And by the way I've sent you a private message inviting you to see one of my games.

I'm really just guestimating when I give those measurements. At the level I do, I tend to give the pitcher about an inch off the plate on the outside corner. When the pitch is an inch or more off this part of the zone, I can fairly accurately call the pitch. Anything less than an inch off the outside corner and I'm probably taking a 50-50 stab at it.

I might be tempted to vigorously insist that the coach STFU pronto, and continue to call my zone wherever I establish it.:) I don't bring digital calipers to my games either.

Our association requires us to work at least one pre-season scrimmage game to get ourselves "In the zone". Although, I am finding that after many years of doing this 9 months out of the year, I can step out onto the field and have my zone any time.

I think getting into a "Groove" is a matter of years, not games.

Many of you may jump all over me for this, but...

At this point, my zone is so well tuned in (for me), that I don't even need to see the plate any more. On some pitches, the catchers move and block my view of part of the plate, but it doesn't matter, because I know where it is. The inside corner is lined up exactly on my nose, and 9' in front of me.

My performance depends on whether I have good pitching.

My first game, I was on. I had good pitching, a close game, etc. etc.

I haven't struggled yet, but I've only worked six plates (all D3 college). My first high school game is Monday with 2 smaller schools that will likely have limited pitching. We'll see.

What it comes down to -- go back to basics. On the rubber, get set, have good timing, call it. My mechanics can be crap when the pitchers are grooving strike. When they aren't, my good mechanics help me quite a bit.

As I once responded, "Are you saying its part of the ground coach? Because its either part of the ground or part of the plate, and since I've never seen rubber grow around here, its part of the plate."

I think most of us need some pre-season games to get the 'kinks" out.

IMO, Good Pitching (on the part of both teams) = a good plate performance

When both F1's are around the plate most of the time and the game is competitive you are "into it" You are concentrating and can get into a real good zone.

For me thus far my grade would probably be a D because I haven't had one competetive game to date. They have all been blow-outs.

In Summary: IMO, the more competetive the game the more we are "into it" and our performance is better. If you have one of those marathon games, or the pitching is bad is very difficult to stay focused and have a good zone.

Pete Booth