Smittyisms

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Jim Porter

Do you realize you've made these comments to an employee of Major League Baseball? I watch games for a living. It's my job to pay attention to every pitch. It's my job to work closely with broadcast teams. It's my job to scrutinize every pitch and compare each location around the strike zone to what the PU is calling.

All I can say is the proof of what you say cannot be found in the pudding. MLU's are still calling individual strike zones. They're still rewarding pitchers. Phantom tags and neighborhood plays are still being called regularly. I know because I see it everyday.

You're comparing cheese and chalk. Phantom tags and neighborhood plays OUGHT to be allowed in pro ball because they are devices of self-preservation. Amateur codes penalize the offense (FPSR and MC rule) for doing what the pro game allows. There's no good reason to allow gross misses of tags of either a runner or a base in amateur codes. I'm with you on minor misses of the base on force plays; I'm with rei all the way on tags of the runner.

Interestingly, for all the sound and fury to the contrary regarding how our way will impede one's career, mine looks a lot like his. 20+ years, moved up to d3 ball several years ago, and the NCAA coaches whine about those calls a lot less than internet forums would have you believe.