Handling the Catcher

[tankmjg24]

I should clarify that up until him stating the pitch was good and I needed to give it to them, I do not feel as if he was questioning the zone, but asking to find out where the pitch missed. His body language and tone were not aggressive. When he openly criticised the zone to the pitcher where I could hear him (which I felt was geared mainly towards me not his pitcher) I thought ejection for a second but was uncertain if that would make me look like I had a quick hook so I opted for the warning. Sounds as if after his statement I should have shut it down then instead of giving him an answer.

This was within the second game of a double header they were playing. I have since found out that he pulled the same attitude on my partner, but he shut it down after him asking in a more aggressive tone. As he told me, he leaned down and told the catcher if he kept questioning ballls and strikes he would find out real fast how tight the zone could be.

I am not much into giving inside off the plate. Outside I will give a little as the ball is hittable.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

I should clarify that up until him stating the pitch was good and I needed to give it to them, I do not feel as if he was questioning the zone, but asking to find out where the pitch missed. His body language and tone were not aggressive. When he openly criticised the zone to the pitcher where I could hear him (which I felt was geared mainly towards me not his pitcher) I thought ejection for a second but was uncertain if that would make me look like I had a quick hook so I opted for the warning. Sounds as if after his statement I should have shut it down then instead of giving him an answer.

This was within the second game of a double header they were playing. I have since found out that he pulled the same attitude on my partner, but he shut it down after him asking in a more aggressive tone. As he told me, he leaned down and told the catcher if he kept questioning ballls and strikes he would find out real fast how tight the zone could be.

I am not much into giving inside off the plate. Outside I will give a little as the ball is hittable.

That inside corner is a pitcher's pitch. Batters are hanging over the plate because they don't expect pitchers to throw there.

I give exactly the same on the inside as I do on the outside, BTW.

[RPatrino]

If you are giving one ball on the outside, you should give one ball on the inside, no? Nobody is saying calling a strike when the ball doesn't touch the black, but if a pitcher can hit that inside pitch, I'm going to give it to him. Batters will adjust.

[nopachunts]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

If you are giving one ball on the outside, you should give one ball on the inside, no? Nobody is saying calling a strike when the ball doesn't touch the black, but if a pitcher can hit that inside pitch, I'm going to give it to him. Batters will adjust.

I usually work one in and two out. I may see some aggravation from a batter when I ring him/her up, but the only thing I hear from the coach is: "Come on, you gotta hit those" or something similiar.

[REFANDUMP]

I went to a local clinic which had a D1 - D2 umpire in chief instructing. He said that their umpires are instructed to go 4-6 inches outside, but take that away from the inside. I'll go a ball or slightly more outside, but a inside pitch has to hit the corner. I'd have probably told the catcher after the first time he turned around that he'd have all the time he wants to check out the hot chicks in the stands from the dugout if he did it again.

[Tim C]

" . . . but a inside pitch has to hit the corner."

And you would be wrong.

Your nose in right in front on the pitch. Have the balls to call the pitch as identified in the OP.

T

[REFANDUMP]

Originally Posted by Tim C

And you would be wrong.

Your nose in right in front on the pitch. Have the balls to call the pitch as identified in the OP.

T

It has nothing to do with having the balls to call it. It has to do with having a zone you're comfortable with and consistent in calling. I get very little complaining about balls and strikes and don't see the need to give the pitcher everything and the batter nothing. The pitch on the fists is not a hittable pitch in my opinion. It's not reasonable to expect a hitter to go outside the zone and hit a pitch there and also have to go inside to hit pitches out of the zone there as well. I'm not going to say you're wrong if you call both edges outside of the plate, but you have to do what you are comfortable with. If you don't, you'll lose consistency in my opinion.

[Tim C]

Welcome to 2:45 minute games.

Call the strike zone as defined by quality umpires.

YOU have decided a pitch in not hittable . . . how quaint. Of course you are in the capital of great baseball.

T

[REFANDUMP]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Welcome to 2:45 minute games.

Call the strike zone as defined by quality umpires.

YOU have decided a pitch in not hittable . . . how quaint. Of course you are in the capital of great baseball.

T

I appreciate the smart-ass response. I'll take it for what it's worth ... nothing.

[RPatrino]

So, if you are lined up with your nose in the slot, ideally in the area between the batters box line and the plate, and a pitch comes right at your nose, you would call that a ball?

[BigUmp56]

It's discussions like this that make me like the way The American Legion Umpires Manual defines the width of the strike zone. They show one ball laying on the ground on the outside of the plate and one ball laying on the ground on the inside of the plate. That expands the width of the plate by 6". Hard to miss a strike on the inside of the plate between the dish and the line of the batters box.......

Tim.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by tankmjg24

I should clarify that up until him stating the pitch was good and I needed to give it to them, I do not feel as if he was questioning the zone, but asking to find out where the pitch missed.

You may feel that way. But if he turned around to talk to you (and he's not 10 years old), he is most definitely questioning your zone.

Good catcher-umpire communication will include some questions from the catcher. If you can't answer that question in 3-4 words, you're talking too much. 99% of the time, one word suffices. You also need to shorten your warning. "OK, that's enough" will be enough for most catchers. Don't put such a point on the threat. And honestly, your partner's "warning" was too long as well.

I am not much into giving inside off the plate. Outside I will give a little as the ball is hittable.

You know it's crucial to be consistent in your own calls... but it's also important to be consistent with everyone else's. That pitch just off the inside corner, not over chalk, is a strike in most of your other umpire's minds - pitchers are used to it... catchers are used to it ... and before you start saying it's not fair to batters to call that pitch a strike ... batters are used to it too. Call it. Your game will go easier.

[Rich]

If a pitcher can put that pitch a ball's width off the inside corner and the umpire calls it a strike, then the batter may have to back up a step and not crowd the plate. I'm not sure why this is my problem. I'm not sure why I need to worry about the hittability of a pitch -- some pitches are just that well placed as to be unhittable.

Unlike others, I never, ever say what I call a strike. Just that I call lots of them. If someone asks me what a pitch 2 balls off the plate is called, I'd say, "By rule, that's a ball" and change the subject.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You may feel that way. But if he turned around to talk to you (and he's not 10 years old), he is most definitely questioning your zone.

Good catcher-umpire communication will include some questions from the catcher. If you can't answer that question in 3-4 words, you're talking too much. 99% of the time, one word suffices. You also need to shorten your warning. "OK, that's enough" will be enough for most catchers. Don't put such a point on the threat. And honestly, your partner's "warning" was too long as well.

How many times does a catcher really not know where you judge the pitch to have missed? Wouldn't it be obvious 99% of the time?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Adam

How many times does a catcher really not know where you judge the pitch to have missed? Wouldn't it be obvious 99% of the time?

Well, I guess I'll answer with this ... if you're calling consistently and not squeezing like it sounds like OP was, you're not going to be asked very often. I find I'm asked more often on pitches that fooled the catcher for whatever reason. Catcher set up inside, and it's low and away - they might ask, wondering if it was low, or away (with "both" being an acceptable answer of course). That, or check swings or pitches where a runner is going - something where the catcher lost focus for a second.

If you have a postage stamp zone, you're going to get asked more often - and yes, you're probably right that the catcher knows the answer.