Gray Area Strikes

[tip184]

Originally Posted by tballump

Don't believe I saw big Dan taking out any ads in the paper with his advice to you, backing up Eric Gregg (God rest his soul) when he was crucified for calling strikes in the 1997 playoffs. Also, I believe if you check an old web site that SDS once posted http.//cascreamindude.livejournal.com/ on a guy that keeps the records of all the MLBU ejections, you will not find too many ejections over umpires calling a pitch a ball. The majority of the ejections came over pitches that the umpire called a strike.

I think there is a tendency for "balls" umpires to take a lot less heat over balls and strikes than "strikes" umpires. Part of this is because the pitcher is 60 feet 6 inches away. It's also easier to disregard a ball call that might have been in the zone than it is to disregard a strike call that may have been outside the zone.