Let's have a thread about strike zones!

[cc6]

I think whether you use the catcher or not to help call the game depends on the quality of the pitching. If a pitcher is throwing low 70's, you probably won't need to read the catcher's body language to determine if the pitch is a strike. But if it is mid 80's or higher, there is less time to watch the pitch as it crosses the plate. Also, movement comes into play- easier to call a straight fastball than one with a tail on it. I find it is especially important to use the catcher to help call pitches that are low or outside. If the catcher catches a low one with the palm up, it had better be obvious that the pitch was high enough. As for calling a pitch outside of the strikezone a strike because of how the catcher caught it, I'm not in the habit of doing this. Not the batter's job to know how the catcher is going to recieve the pitch.