Gray Area Strikes

[tballump]

Even if someone could draw a "picture", and everyone on this post finally came to an agreement on what the strike zone should be by definition, when the actual pitch crosses the plate, there would still be a difference as to what one umpire perceives as a ball hitting that strike zone, and what another umpire perceives as a ball hitting that strike zone.

Unfortunately, no matter how the strike zone is objectively defined and interpreted, it is still subjectively applied by each individual umpires own judgment.

Umpires that are perceived to have a good consistent strike zone, whether it is a just a "little to tight" or a "little to liberal" will be the ones advancing to the highest levels possible on the umpiring ladder, while others will not progress as far.

I believe one umpire said the players and coaches will verbally let you know what the strike zone should be at a particular level. Once you know those parameters, it is how "consistent" you remain throughout the "entire" game that matters.

It has also been said, that no one "walks" to the big leagues.

[Umpmazza]

Ok here is a good view... you can see the older called strike zone, and what the zone should be called by definition in the blue shady part.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Umpmazza

Ok here is a good view... you can see the older called strike zone, and what the zone should be called by definition in the blue shady part.

YMMV, but if I had ever called a strike at the top of the "new" zone at the varsity level, I would have been run out of town on a rail! I've never seen an umpire intentionally give a high strike in any of the games I worked.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

YMMV, but if I had ever called a strike at the top of the "new" zone at the varsity level, I would have been run out of town on a rail! I've never seen an umpire intentionally give a high strike in any of the games I worked.

I've done it several times (called the high strike). One in particular that I remember was the Home Coach (HS) came to us before the game complaining about an associates strike zone being "on friggen wheels". He said that he was sick of these "interpreted strike zones" and "why can't umpires just call the strike zone as the book says!". I stated that we will be happy to oblige his request and he "harumphed" his way back to the field.

I called letter high pitches as strikes from the 1st inning to the 7th inning. In the bottom of the 1st, the Home Coach started complaining and I stepped back from the plate with my hand up and said in his direction, "By the book, Coach! Just as you asked for in the parking lot!". Not another word was spoken and amazingly enough, the batters were actually swinging at them and hitting them! The opposing blasted 3 homers on letter high pitches!

[Kevin Finnerty]

This is the best I can do in 20 minutes:



SEE THE BALLS?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

This is the best I can do in 20 minutes:



SEE THE BALLS?

Is it just me, or do these balls seem a tad large?

[MajorDave]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Is it just me, or do these balls seem a tad large?

That's what she said.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by SAump

Now put some more gray balls out there and I see gray area.
Then put a third ball out there and I see BALLS.
Now if you choose a half-a-ball "gray" area, your vision is better than mine?
But that zone? Love you man!

I reduced the size of the balls just for you.

Maybe I should medicate.

[Umpmazza]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

YMMV, but if I had ever called a strike at the top of the "new" zone at the varsity level, I would have been run out of town on a rail! I've never seen an umpire intentionally give a high strike in any of the games I worked.

So you never call a high strike or almost at the top of the zone...Dude your really missing alot of pitches...and who cares if the batters hit them out... its not our job to worry about where the batters hit them. We should call the zone.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Umpmazza

So you never call a high strike or almost at the top of the zone...Dude your really missing alot of pitches...and who cares if the batters hit them out... its not our job to worry about where the batters hit them. We should call the zone.

Sorry, I'm old school. I don't care about the hitters either. In fact, I don't like rats, period. Plus, as I said, you get your a$s handed to you here for calling them too high. "Get it down, Blue!" is a common phrase in the highly competitive atmosphere here. Nobody likes the high zone, nobody wants it called, from the commissioner's office on down. It's not how we roll. At least not through the 2005 season, which is the latest I can comment about. The old "belly button to the bottom of the knee with a wide corner" is still the preferred zone around these parts. Call high strikes and wind up scratched by the top schools.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Sorry, I'm old school. I don't care about the hitters either. In fact, I don't like rats, period. Plus, as I said, you get your a$s handed to you here for calling them too high. "Get it down, Blue!" is a common phrase in the highly competitive atmosphere here. Nobody likes the high zone, nobody wants it called, from the commissioner's office on down. It's not how we roll. At least not through the 2005 season, which is the latest I can comment about. The old "belly button to the bottom of the knee with a wide corner" is still the preferred zone around these parts. Call high strikes and wind up scratched by the top schools.

Perhaps it has changed in the past couple of years (I thought you had retired?).

I know it has changed here and at the NCAA level -- call more "high" strikes

[Umpmazza]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Perhaps it has changed in the past couple of years (I thought you had retired?).

I know it has changed here and at the NCAA level -- call more "high" strikes

I know that at the NCUS camp they talked to us about calling more high strikes. we had some Assigners from a few conferences, Pac-10, WCC, MWC, and a few back east and they all talked about calling higher strikes.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Perhaps it has changed in the past couple of years (I thought you had retired?).

Maybe it has. I am contemplating a comeback in 2010 on a part time basis if I land the job that I want after graduation in March of this year. Finally will have my bachelors degree (in a different major). I hope to be down to my goal weight by January of 2010. I am working out now, and eating very sensibly.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

YMMV, but if I had ever called a strike at the top of the "new" zone at the varsity level, I would have been run out of town on a rail! I've never seen an umpire intentionally give a high strike in any of the games I worked.

Those days are over in my neck of the woods.

I call the high strike. Now, I'm just a little D3 umpire, but the 3 conferences I work in I just tell the coaches who chirp (and there isn't much chirping on high fastballs) "the NCAA wants it that way."

Once I started working to get it up there in college games, I took it right to the HS field. What I noticed was that nobody said anything as long as it was there the whole game. Where I see more kvetching is when an umpire is very, very tight.

Of course I live in Wisconsin, and the HS ball here pales to anything I used to see in the south, but even there I heard more complaining from coaches when partners were small on the zone.

(And I'm a former college umpire now as I decided that 10 hours away for 2 9-inning games for $185 with no travel money on 2-4 hour drives on Saturdays and Sundays wasn't worth putting up with the Earl Weaver wannabes I'd have to eject at least once every other week.)

[SAump]

Originally Posted by Umpmazza

Ok here is a good view... you can see the older called strike zone, and what the zone should be called by definition in the blue shady part.

You see the batter looking at the pitcher, a plate, and a thin rectangular shape outline. That is ONE strike zone for ONE guy who stands like that. It is very basic and does not encompass more thought than a Ken doll in a uniform. That hitter may move in a variety of directions, and assume a variety of position and angles from head to toe. This guy has a large strike zone compared to hitters who crouch or try to crowd the plate.

I don't see a ball. If the ball were included; would it be inside, on or outside of the thin rectanglular outline? That would be more definitive. See a strike zone by definition would include a ball. Have any pictures of a baseball {circles} outlining a strike zone? A bigger 3 inch wide rectangle, drawn proportional to the 17 inch plate would be more appropriate for an actual strike zone area. It would provide more meaning for a baseball passing along the edges of a real strike zone. The umpire's strike zone would definitely include baseballs around the zone area.

I have a $3 strike zone to work with here. You would think, as hard as umpires work to improve the game, any graphical animation artist could provide a mediocre strike zone. This one SUXS! I have students that could do better than that with internet baseball player clip art and MSPaint. Some know how to work with actual Photoshop graphics and MSPaint over real MLB web photos. Powerful info.

Some folks don't want to grasp any ideas. Its easier to make snide remarks for the general public. Fundamentals of baseball include reading, and the ability to comprehend. My apologies for making unclear statements. I have been told this many times and I continue making apologies. Thats all I got.