Was it a Strike?

[BoomerSooner]

Just wondering how often you guys have batters ask you if a pitch they swung at was a strike? Also how do you respond? Does it depend on age/level of play? What about the attitude of the player? Actual pitch location (close vs. way off the plate)? Are there any other factors?

I ask this because it seems that more batters are asking this question this year than in years past. It typically only comes up on strike out pitches. At the lower levels I'm pretty okay with letting the batter know as it is part of the learning process. As players advance though, I feel they should have a good idea of the strike zone and that by answering it could be seen as "coaching". Also if there has been alot of disgust at my strike zone and players start making the "I'm sure that would have been a strike comments" in the process of asking me, then I'm not giving much of a response at all except to eject if it goes to far. For the most part, however, I do try to be cordial with the players when they are looking for this type of info, but I don't think its my place to be putting on a strike zone clinic for every batter that strikes out.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

Just wondering how often you guys have batters ask you if a pitch they swung at was a strike? Also how do you respond? Does it depend on age/level of play? What about the attitude of the player? Actual pitch location (close vs. way off the plate)? Are there any other factors?

I ask this because it seems that more batters are asking this question this year than in years past. It typically only comes up on strike out pitches. At the lower levels I'm pretty okay with letting the batter know as it is part of the learning process. As players advance though, I feel they should have a good idea of the strike zone and that by answering it could be seen as "coaching". Also if there has been alot of disgust at my strike zone and players start making the "I'm sure that would have been a strike comments" in the process of asking me, then I'm not giving much of a response at all except to eject if it goes to far. For the most part, however, I do try to be cordial with the players when they are looking for this type of info, but I don't think its my place to be putting on a strike zone clinic for every batter that strikes out.

"As soon as you swung, I stopped caring where the pitch was."

[waltjp]

I answer honestly, "I don't know." Unless the pitch was in the dirt or a foot over the batter's head I just don't know.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

"As soon as you swung, I stopped caring where the pitch was."

That is the only answer I use!

[bob jenkins]

I answer "Yes" 99.5% of the time. If they think it was a strike, they'll keep swinging.

[jicecone]

I have always just been honest about it and said "yes it was" or "No".

I don't what the big deal is here. Why would a player that just swung and miss a pitch ask with sarcasim if it was a strike or not. I think your reading too much into this.

As long as the questions were reasonable and courteous, I responded accordingly. Not once, was it ever a problem.

[kylejt]

I'm not seeing why anyone wouldn't answer the question honestly.

"Yup. Caught the outside corner."

"Nope, just a hair high."

Hell, that batter is conceding that you have a better eye than he does. It doesn't get any better than that guys. No reason to be a knucklehead about it. And don't even think about giving a flip answer to the opposing catcher.

[Tim C]

"I don't what the big deal is here."

jicecone:

I think you are taking some of these comments as a negative statement.

I did not know that others are very similar to me on this specific question.

As Waltjp noted I would only know if the pitch was not a strike if it was an obvious ball.

Honest, this is nothing to do with attitude. It has everything to do with short term memory (for me). Once a batter swings my thoughts change so quickly and so completely I really have no memory of that pitch.


Regards,

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by Tim C

"I don't what the big deal is here."

jicecone:

I think you are taking some of these comments as a negative statement.

I did not know that others are very similar to me on this specific question.

As Waltjp noted I would only know if the pitch was not a strike if it was an obvious ball.

Honest, this is nothing to do with attitude. It has everything to do with short term memory (for me). Once a batter swings my thoughts change so quickly and so completely I really have no memory of that pitch.


Regards,

My reply was only to the original poster that even suggested "ejection" for something that I have never seen taken as anything but a simple request for information.

How each official responds is their personal choice.

[archangel]

Originally Posted by waltjp

I answer honestly, "I don't know." Unless the pitch was in the dirt or a foot over the batter's head I just don't know.

A swing and a miss, and you dont know if the pitch was a strike/ball?? Either you prefer not to answer, or actually dont know (?), in either case, I think that answer might make an umpire look somewhat foolish/inexperienced. I just answer yes/no, and leave it at that...

[greymule]

Batters ask me once in while, and I've never had a problem answering honestly. Nothing negative has ever come of it. In fact, I've had first basemen, after failing to scoop a throw in the dirt, ask, "Did we have him?" Never had a problem with that one, either.

Of course, there are times when my focus shifted and I can't remember the pitch, and I just say so. In four decades, this has never been any kind of issue.

[rcjhyman]

Originally Posted by Tim C

"I don't what the big deal is here."

jicecone:

I think you are taking some of these comments as a negative statement.

I did not know that others are very similar to me on this specific question.

As Waltjp noted I would only know if the pitch was not a strike if it was an obvious ball.

Honest, this is nothing to do with attitude. It has everything to do with short term memory (for me). Once a batter swings my thoughts change so quickly and so completely I really have no memory of that pitch.


Regards,

I'm with Tim - it's short term memory. Occasionally, I remember, or have a clue - if so, no problem with giving batter an honest answer. I've never had a problem.

I wonder if this more frequent asking is due to more MLB batters asking - I think I've noticed more of them asking the umpire than in years past.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by archangel

A swing and a miss, and you dont know if the pitch was a strike/ball?? Either you prefer not to answer, or actually dont know (?), in either case, I think that answer might make an umpire look somewhat foolish/inexperienced. I just answer yes/no, and leave it at that...

On a swing and a miss there's no need for me to judge the pitch. The batter has already made my judgment moot.

[gordon30307]

Give them an honest answer. Although sometimes I don't remember because I'm focusing on the game.

[DonInKansas]

Yes it was a strike. Always. If it was close enough to ask, and close enough to swing, that's good enough for me.