My zone got stuck.

[mick]

....A coupla Adult OBR games in a tournament today.

For every pitch, in the first two innings of the first game, that was at the "hollow of the knees" I said, "Ball."
But, I kept saying to myself that I gotta call that a 'strike'.
By gosh, I just couldn't!!!
By the third inning I gave up.
The shortened zone stayed there.

Within an hour after the game, in polite conversation, I had apologized to both pitchers and each said no problem, it was there all day.

Have you ever been 'Stuck' in a place and totally unable to escape? It felt really weird.

mick

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by mick
....A coupla Adult OBR games in a tournament today.

For every pitch, in the first two innings of the first game, that was at the "hollow of the knees" I said, "Ball."
But, I kept saying to myself that I gotta call that a 'strike'.
By gosh, I just couldn't!!!
By the third inning I gave up.
The shortened zone stayed there.

Within an hour after the game, in polite conversation, I had apologized to both pitchers and each said no problem, it was there all day.

Have you ever been 'Stuck' in a place and totally unable to escape? It felt really weird.

mick

When hat happens to me, I blame it on the depth of the holes the batters have dug in the batter's box. "That might have crossed at the knees, meat, but it was too close to the ground to call a strike."

[mick]

Originally posted by bob jenkins

When hat happens to me, I blame it on the depth of the holes the batters have dug in the batter's box. "That might have crossed at the knees, meat, but it was too close to the ground to call a strike."

Hi, bob.
I may have to remember that.
mick

(By the way, it was on that little field.)

[cowbyfan1]

I had that type game only the zone was low. A bit below the knees. Nothing in the dirt was a strike. I kept it there because I started there. It ended up a 2-1 ball game. I apologized to both coaches about it telling them I normally am not that low. Both said they loved it because it was keeping the kids from trying to hit the high ones and I stayed consistant which is all they cared about.

[Bfair]

Originally posted by mick


Have you ever been 'Stuck' in a place and totally unable to escape? It felt really weird.

mick

Mick, early in my umpiring career I chose to stick myself into calling a poor zone because I didn't want to admit that I had blown a couple of low pitches early in the game. I made those pitches the same the entire game. While I was consistent, I was consistently crappy by my accepted standards (and likely by the teams' opinions). I left the field knowing I had been consistent but that I had called a poor game.

I quickly learned to put a couple of bad calls behind me and recover by calling a good zone for the balance of the game---even if the good zone isn't consistent with the pitches that I'm aware that I've blown.
Consistently crappy is not my style...........

Consistency is not only within a game, but it's from game to game.
So I'd ask you here.....were you consistent from game to game?
Was your zone this day the same that you normally do and that which teams who know you have come to expect?

We all blow pitches occasionally---some more frequent than others.
Get over it, do your game, and build your consistent reputation.
Be the ump they've grown to know.............


Just my opinion,

Freix

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by mick
...Within an hour after the game, in polite conversation, I had apologized to both pitchers and each said no problem, it was there all day...

Hmmm. Sounds to me like the pitchers for both sides were equally happy with your low zone. I'm guessing the managers for both sides were also happy, or you'd surely have heard from them in no uncertain terms.

Seems like the only ones who weren't happy with your consistent, if slightly higher, low zone are you and BFair. Trust me on this, mick, that is company you would do MUCH better NOT to be in! *HUGE grin* A "few bad calls" can turn into a really bad game, every game, IF you spend time worrying about how to correct them instead of calling balls and strikes on their merits.

While BFair continues to shuffle his self-confessed "crappy" zone up and down until he finds something that HE'S personally happy with, you will do a whole lot better to simply concentrate on keeping that rock solid low zone from start to finish that has BOTH pitchers and BOTH managers happier than chocaholics on Easter Sunday! *grin*

In leagues where players shave, and for tournament play, all they really want is a low zone that is not-too-low and remains consistent throughout the game. If for any reason you can't make your minor zone height adjustments after only 1 inning, stick with what you've got and keep it there for the rest of the game. The players will adjust to a consistent low zone, whether that be slightly lower or slightly higher than ideal. But no-one can adjust to a zone that keeps changing until the mook behind the mask is happy with it!

Just My Opinion! *BIG grin*

Cheers

[Edited by Warren Willson on Jul 14th, 2003 at 03:34 AM]

[Bfair]

Originally posted by Warren Willson

While BFair continues to shuffle his self-confessed "crappy" zone up and down until he finds something that HE'S personally happy with, you will do a whole lot better to simply concentrate on keeping that rock solid low zone from start to finish that has BOTH pitchers and BOTH managers happier than chocaholics on Easter Sunday! *grin*

Warren, while you continue to take text out of context to shoot your arrows and throw your darts, you merely continue to prove to others that anyone can be an a$$hole by purposely twisting words. That is something many realize that you are well versed, well practiced, and well known for doing. Of course, when you do so you have historically been proven wrong. Should we expect you to "change your zone" here also, Warren?

I don't believe, Warren, that I said I have a "crappy zone."
What I said, Warren, is that when I made the mistake of following the recipe you prescribe---which is to purposely make calls you are not happy with and which are not typical of your game---in an attempt to maintain consisitency within a single game, I regretted it. I ended up with a "crappy zone" for that game. It was noticeable by me and noticeable by others. And while that may just be a deterioration from good to average, it was something I was not personally proud nor happy with. You may be accustomed to it, Warren, if you practice what you preach.

---

Mick, don't overreact to a couple of bad calls that you may have mistakenly made early. I think from your original post that you feel you would have been far better off admitting the early mistakes and calling the good zone that was expected.

Be the umpire they have come to know, and call the zone that caused the assignor to put you into the game. A couple of missed pitches are better accepted when admittedly in error. I've known no umpire who hasn't at one time or another admitted error and gone on to have a good game by calling his normal zone.

The same is true of other calls.
Suppose you miss a balk call. Don't allow a pitcher to continue illegal actions because you didn't call it the first time and wish to appear consistent. A discreet discussion allowing him to know you felt you missed the call, and that it will be balked if it occurs again, will result in a better game for you and the teams involved. Consistency at being crappy in your responsibility is not respected---despite its consistency. It then becomes expectation.


Just my opinion,

Freix

[mick]

Thanks for your imput.
I value both of your opinions.

I think I do note an edge in some of the posts, and usually I won't say "squat".

But there, I said it. ...And it probably don't mean "squat".

Hang in and hold on, fellas.

And again, I appreciate both of your opinions. There's no doubt, you boys do it right.

mick

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by mick
Have you ever been 'Stuck' in a place and totally unable to escape? It felt really weird.

Yes, I have. It sucks. You want to kick yourself.

The count was full. Pitch comes in that was absolutely a perfect strike but it was probably 10 miles an hour faster than anything else he had thrown... or something. It was completely different than the rest of the game... to that point.

BALL! Batter takes his base. I'm cussin' to myself. How did I miss that pitch? No reaction from the catcher or pitcher they just move on to the next batter.

Couple of innings later - similar situation. I'm thinkin' there it was again; that was a great pitch and at the proper place in the count... Wait a minute... I already called BALL!

This time I'm really pissed. I appologize to the catcher and say "That's twice I've missed that pitch." No offense taken - the defense moves on.

Probably in the sixth inning. Similar situation presents itself again. I'm getting sharper though; this time I recognize the situation and am expecting the pitch. Here it comes, just as I expected... beautiful...

BALL! Oooh my God. What the heck am I doing out here?

Besides those three pitches, the rest of the game I felt good about, but those three pitches - those perfect strikes, absolutely threw me for a loop. I don't know what it was about them but there was something that messed up my timing. I couldn't slow down enough to get in-sync with the speed of the pitch... or something.

This was several years ago but to this day it still bothers me to remember it. Get over it Brown and move on ... just like the defense did.

I thought the pitches were great strikes but never heard a peep out of the players or the coaches for my BALL calls. Perhaps that's a good sign of being respected... of course a few more hosed up calls and perhaps my respect would disappear just like my consistentcy.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Could also be a sign of their recognition that "He doesn't have a clue what he's doing. No sense arguing those calls - they're just like all his calls - poor."

It was cold and ugly weather. Maybe that was why no one commented.

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by Bfair
I don't believe, Warren, that I said I have a "crappy zone."

Steve, here is a direct quote from your post:

"While I was consistent, I was consistently crappy by my accepted standards (and likely by the teams' opinions). I left the field knowing I had been consistent but that I had called a poor game"

I simply picked up on your own assessment of your zone, whether that was for one game or not is irrelevant to the point that was made.

You said, paraphrasing "Fix your mistakes".

I said, paraphrasing "Only fix your mistakes if you can do it before the end of the first inning".

I didn't agree with your assessment that Mick's calls were necessarily "bad calls". His low zone was slightly higher than he would have liked in that game. No problem. Both pitcher's were obviously able to adjust.

As usual, you seemed to be bound and determined to work in your sage advice even if that meant reacting negatively to what really sounded like a darn good job of calling balls and strikes on Mick's part. I offered the contrast in an effort to get him to focus on the one thing that most adult pitchers are after from the umpire - a consistent zone that is not too low.

Now as for your crappy zone, if the pitches didn't meet that definition - that is they were too low - changing that in the first inning would likely be appreciated. Changing it much after that only messes with the pitcher's ability to adjust. That was my point: Let it be.

Mick, my post certainly was a bit "edgy". I guess I was still mentally reacting to BFair's negativity in this and several other threads. "I'll bear down and endeavour to do better next time, Skip." *BIG grin*

Cheers.

[mick]

Originally posted by Warren Willson
...mentally reacting to ... negativity in this and several other threads.

Yo, Warren,
For me, when I look at threads, I look at the words.
I have always enjoyed a direct approach.

I look at information, not proclamation.
I look at the present, not the presentation.
I look at the best, not the rest.
I look for the devotion, not the emotion.

mick

---

If I ask for a small spade and someone brings me a Big Shovel, it'll still get the job done.

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by mick
...
I look at information, not proclamation.
I look at the present, not the presentation.
I look at the best, not the rest.
I look for the devotion, not the emotion.

Let me hear ya'll say "Ay-men, Brother"!

[Bfair]

Originally posted by Warren Willson

Steve, here is a direct quote from your post:

"While I was consistent, I was consistently crappy by my accepted standards (and likely by the teams' opinions). I left the field knowing I had been consistent but that I had called a poor game"

I simply picked up on your own assessment of your zone, whether that was for one game or not is irrelevant to the point that was made.

Actually, Warren, it was stated specifically about a single and, indeed, is highly relevant.
The reason a crappy zone existed for the single game---one that was not acceptable to my standards---was because I attempted to do exactly as you state. Make the zone for that game consistent with a couple of early slightly missed pitches. Thus the game included many more "slightly missed pitches" when it need not have had to.

While you wish to continue to purposely take statements out of context and portray them falsely, it only shows to prove your desire to portray false information rather than be an asset to the boards.

Originally posted by Warren Willson

You said, paraphrasing "Fix your mistakes".
I said, paraphrasing "Only fix your mistakes if you can do it before the end of the first inning".

I don't agree with your paraphrasing, Warren. I didn't say to "fix your mistakes."
Once a pitch has been called wrong it's not able to be "fixed." What I believe I said, if you care to review it, is admit it was incorrect and then get on with calling a good zone for the balance of the game.

I would agree, however, that your advice included direction to attempt to "fix your mistakes", and to do so by continuing to repeat those same mistakes so that they do not then appear as mistakes within the game. It seems, Warren, that indeed that is the disagreement we have. I don't believe you can "fix" bad pitch calls that you've made. While I admit error, you advocate hiding those slightly missed pitches by making your zone for the day the same----purposely missing those slightly missed pitches so that they are consistent with your original misses---thus resulting in a complete game of many missed pitches.

Originally posted by Warren Willson

As usual, you seemed to be bound and determined to work in your sage advice even if that meant reacting negatively to what really sounded like a darn good job of calling balls and strikes on Mick's part.

Warren, the reason Mick started the thread is that it was apparent that HE was not satisfied with his own zone for that day. I wasn't negative with Mick, and in fact noted having gone through the same experience myself in the past. It seems to me you began the negativity in your desire to twist words to make implications that simply were not there. I recommend anyone questioning that merely just review the posts of the thread. I responded to you and to your twisted negativity toward me.

Originally posted by Warren Willson

I offered the contrast in an effort to get him to focus on the one thing that most adult pitchers are after from the umpire - a consistent zone that is not too low.

While this may surprise you, Warren, adult pitchers don't mind zones that are too low.
It is the adult batters who don't appreciate it.............
I hope this may have enlightened you.


Just my opinion,

Freix

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by Bfair
.............
I hope this may have enlightened you.