Handling the Catcher

[REFANDUMP]

Originally Posted by 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?

We've got 6 inches we're working with between the inside corner of the plate and the inside lines of the batters box (assuming they're there). I'm not so tight that I won't give an inch or slightly more there. I won't give any more than that, especially if I'm being somewhat generous on the outside edge. Most coaches want their pitchers hitting that low outside corner, and that typically is the "pitchers pitch" that they want. Pitches that miss on the inside are (more often than not) pitches that are not hitting the desired spot and I don't think should be rewarded as strikes if they're off the plate. To do so gives the pitcher too generous of a zone (in my opinion).

Let's face it, the strike zone as we call it at most levels of ball is much more liberal than the book tells us it should be. Each umpire needs to do what they're comfortable with at the level of play they're dealing with, and what works for them. I get few complaints about my zone, and I've been calling it the same way for the 20+ years that I've umpired. I'm in no way saying I'm right and your wrong, but also don't believe that you're right and I'm wrong either.

Like I said earlier, at the last college clinic I attended, we were instructed to be generous on the outside edge, but take that much away from the inside edge. I don't think we can do that at the high school or lower levels of play, but also don't think you need to be overly generous inside. Sorry for the long winded answer, but hope you see where I'm coming from (even if we disagree)