bat in strike zone

[gfgartland]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Also, the learned umpires that were trying to guide you have over 150 years experience combined. One of them has over 4000 games logged officiating all three of the rule sets you see above including MiLB. It would behoove you to listen to these people.

I am listening to these people, that is the reason that I joined to open my mind to the knowledge elsewhere in this game. I also trying to (as I said previously ) to look at things from another perspective. This is something that I have been doing with other umpires on a face-to-face basis for years. Someone throws out a "I had this happen..." and we discuss. Typically it leads us to some interesting and outrageous "If this happened..." I am sorry if my tactics (for lack of a better word) were misconstrued as being stubborn.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by gfgartland

I am listening to these people, that is the reason that I joined to open my mind to the knowledge elsewhere in this game. I also trying to (as I said previously ) to look at things from another perspective. This is something that I have been doing with other umpires on a face-to-face basis for years. Someone throws out a "I had this happen..." and we discuss. Typically it leads us to some interesting and outrageous "If this happened..." I am sorry if my tactics (for lack of a better word) were misconstrued as being stubborn.

Sounds to me like you are trying to play Devil's Advocate which is fine in many cases. This, however, is one of those cases where you have taken the scenario to the edge of the cliff. There is no way that you can prove your point (and many have tried through the years). So far, the only ones that have agreed with your idea are the Fast Pitch Softball people. I doubt that Baseball will ever change, but if it does, you are covered!

Finis

[mbyron]

GF, you don't know all the people who have answered your question so far, so perhaps you're having trouble gauging their credibility. All I'll say about that issue is: when it's you against the world, you might be right but that's not the way to bet.

Second, I will offer that professional umpires are instructed to watch and see whether the batter "offers at the pitch." They are taught that merely holding the bat still does not constitute offering at a pitch. So in the case under discussion, with the pitch out of the zone, the proper call would be: "Ball," or better yet, "No, he didn't go!"