Just out of morbid curiosity...

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

56,

IMO,

Just from watching him and other balloon guys, I think they have a little harder time being consistent on the low pitch, and the outside low pitch in particular.

I can see that issue especially if the balloon rides out from your body.

I think there are ways people try to adjust to compensate for that, but when you are working over the head or shoulder of a catcher, unless he is very, very good at framing pitches, getting a look at low strikes is harder to do than working the slot w/ an inside protector. And with other people I have seen, not my partner, their adjustments make their zone worse instead of better.

But, hey, don't get me wrong, my friend is a pretty consistent umpire, and a good friend. I trust his zone a lot more than other people I know.

I have seen some great PU zones behind those balloons, like to think I had one, probably didn't.

[jkumpire]

56,

Remember, in the history of Baseball the zone was much different than today. With a higher zone in Baseball for most of its history, the high strike was as important as the low strike. Now, everybody has to keep the ball down esp. w/metal bats.

Everything has adjusted to the low pitch, and the outside corner, where the Balloon has a hard time making such adjustments.

Maybe one day the balloon will rise again in some form, some way that you can deinflate and reinflate a bladder very, very quickly so you can run with it easily, and carry a mask. For protection it's a no contest for the balloon.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

56,

Remember, in the history of Baseball the zone was much different than today. With a higher zone in Baseball for most of its history, the high strike was as important as the low strike. Now, everybody has to keep the ball down esp. w/metal bats.

Everything has adjusted to the low pitch, and the outside corner, where the Balloon has a hard time making such adjustments.

Maybe one day the balloon will rise again in some form, some way that you can deinflate and reinflate a bladder very, very quickly so you can run with it easily, and carry a mask. For protection it's a no contest for the balloon.

That's a great idea, jk, inflate/deflate. Why not?

True about the zone, it has come vertically full circle (??). In the 80s, anything at or above the belt was a "Ball". In the 90s, we had umpires like Eric Gregg calling strikes in the opposite batter's box.