Was it a Strike?

[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.

[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.

[ManInBlue]

Have you said wht age group/level these kids are? I missed it if you did.

In regards to reaching the line...that line isn't very far away for a 12 year old, but HS varsity might have some more room. What I mean is one look from a 12 yo and I've got the warning issued to the coach - I'm not taking any disrespect from a kid of that age, period.

[aceholleran]

"Looked purdy good."

[JPRempe]

You guys are taking their question literally, and by the letter. What they are meaning to ask is really whether or not the pitch was in the "official" strike zone, or if they chased a pitch that would have otherwise been called a ball.

[bluezebra]

In an adult league, I gave an honest answer. In HS down, the pitch was always in the strike zone. They had to explain why they swung when they returned to the bench.

Bob

[UmpLarryJohnson]

in a recent game--batter takes pitch for called STRIKE 2.

him: 'where was THAT?'

me: 'in the strike zone'

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by JPRempe

You guys are taking their question literally, and by the letter. What they are meaning to ask is really whether or not the pitch was in the "official" strike zone, or if they chased a pitch that would have otherwise been called a ball.

I think most of us have played enough ball to understand why the question.

Were just negotiating the response!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[DG]

I give them an honest answer. And I always have an honest opinion based on the pitch. I don't have short term memory loss.

[BoomerSooner]

With regard to the ejection issue that I brought into the discussion, it comes from a situation I had this spring, where one team was displaying quite a bit of disgust with my strike zone. They started off fairly mild (the facial expressions, the shaking of the head), it grew a little by the 3rd (glares directed at me, occasional "you've got to be kidding me), and in the 4th grows to some decent chirping from the bench. After the 4th, I attempted some preventative officiating and let the coach whose team was complaining know that his teams dislike of my calls was closing in on a line that shouldn't be crossed (basically a warning to cut it out). Well, in the 5th, the 1st batter stikes out looking, second batter steps in and says before the first pitch "I guess I better start swinging now", takes a ball way outside and says "I really thought that was a strike". I gave him a quick warning and he then proceeds to swing at the next 3 pitches striking out on slider down and way outside. As he is heading back to the bench he yells back at me "Was that going to be a strike too?" and before I can answer gives the hand wave suggesting he doesn't care what I have to say. Considering I had warned the coach and then warned the player in question, who then showed me up by the way he asked the question, I dumped him. His coach had no complaints at all. This is what I'm talking about, not dumping players just for asking, that's fine by me.

[archangel]

Originally Posted by waltjp

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

I'm not saying that the pitch needs to be "judged". I'm commenting on the fact that you didnt know if it wouldve been a ball/strike if no swing by batter. Again, how can that be? Why wouldnt one know, since the catcher caught the ball? How hard is that?

[ManInBlue]

Originally Posted by archangel

I'm not saying that the pitch needs to be "judged". I'm commenting on the fact that you didnt know if it wouldve been a ball/strike if no swing by batter. Again, how can that be? Why wouldnt one know, since the catcher caught the ball? How hard is that?

What walt is trying to say is that once the batter swings his attention is not to the details of where the ball crossed the plate, or where it was caught - it doesn't matter any more. He's saying that the batter has allowed him to pay attention to other details, like did it touch the bat, did he hit the catcher's mitt...whatever, but where it crossed is not important.

He's not saying he doesn't know what the pitch would have been. He's saying that once the batter swings he no longer concentrates on where the ball is in the zone (or out), so he doesn't make that judgment, he doesn't register "that was a strike" as he would had the better not swung.

When I'm asked, I answer. I don't have a problem with that. I don't have a probelm with walt's reply either, or anyone else's for that matter - except the OP reference to an EJ for asking - that's way over the top.