Quote:
Originally Posted by beachbum
this is the situation. High school JV game. Two good teams
Left handed batter lined up with the toe on his left rear foot just behind home plate, but on the left edge of the plate.. During one at bat, the toe was actually past the left edge of the plate, but behind it( not touching the plate).
His hands were over the plate and he was in a crouch with his front arm high and his rear arm low. This position made it almost impossible to see the ball comming from the pitcher. My only clean look would have been to go to the right side of the plate. after his second at bat, in which i moved to many different spots to see the ball, I finally just set up in a normal position and waited until the ball came into my vision OVER THE PLATE, to make a call.
I was able to make most calls, but the outside corner was tough, especially for curve balls. I only had an instant to make a decision and i never knew exactly where the ball would come into my vision.
Late in game, I called a pitch ( think it was a curve), on the outside of the plate a strike. Player reacted in badly. After game, the coach came up and said, "you need to work on your zone, that pitch on 14 was a ball". I tried to explain the severity of his crowding the plate and me making proper calls, but he wasn't listening.
So, How do the experienced officials handle players when they crowd the plate in a way that your vision is blocked?
As an asside, the assistant coach for that same team came up afterthe game and said " I am disapointed that you did not throw 14 out for unsportman conduct, he shouldn't have reaacted like he did and it was unsportsman like". i have never had a coach want his own player thrown out!!!!
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I take a different approach depending on the level of ball. If it's little kids, I will call time and sweep off the plate while talking with the child on the first offense. I just tell him to make sure that he has his feet in the box. I like to keep it simple.
On the other hand, in a varsity game I take a bit of a smarta$$ approach. On the first occurrence, I'll tell the player to step into the box. Thereafter, I will give the do not pitch signal to the pitcher and wait until the batter steps in. If they do not step into the box within 5-10 seconds, I call time and issue a delay warning for the team. Works everytime...It's probably not by the book but it hasn't bit me in the butt yet *knock on wood*
-Josh
Wed Apr 01, 2009, 08:54am
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