Expanding the strike zone

[Ump20]

Originally posted by Porch Dog
Thanks for your replies. The game that prompted my posting was a five inning 17 to 3 score JV game. I expanded the strike zone in the top of the fifth when the visitors went ahead 13 to 3. I told the coach to have the boys come up swinging. The game was the first game of a double header (2x5). The temperature was around forty with a 25+ mph wind, and we still had another game to play. What got my goat was when the winning manager came out on the field and complained that I had expanded the zone more for his team than other team. I know the coach was/is an idiot that really isn't my point. I just wondered what the opinions of the contributors to this forum were in general to the idea of expanding the zone. Thanks! Porch Dog

[Edited by Porch Dog on Apr 28th, 2002 at 05:26 PM]

I think you make a mistake when you effectively "announce" that the strike zone has changed for the team that is winning big. Why give the impression that you don't want to work a blowout? A knowledgeable coach who is winning a game big with no run-rule will be smart enough to let his players know "anything close" they better be swinging. The expanded strike zone should still be reasonable. Bigger on that first called strike but not outrageous such as balls that bounce as strikes, especially on a called strike three. jim/NYC