strike zone

[chuck chopper]

You had to mention Clinics. What a sore spot with me. I am an ASA ump, with many years of USSSA & baseball experience as well. In the Baltimore area and each little group from all over (might be 20) has their own little pre-season meetings. Mostly to collect our money and discuss rule changes. NEVER do the local groups put up a real good clinic. Expecially I feel bad for the new guys. Once upon a time they did have meetings once per week for 5 weeks and thoroughly cover the rule book, mechanics, play situations, interpretations, tip etc.. but not anymore. If I go out of my area (say Washington DC) then they have these HUGE 300 umpire clinics, which I feel gets a bit too big. I bet we all have this problem around the country.

[Dakota]

A few random thoughts...

o For the work-a-day JO umpire, discussing the nuances of the zone and rewarding the pitcher for consistently hitting the corners at 10U is, well if not silly, at least far-fetched.

o At 10U, I call a wide zone, but it has absolutely nothing to do with rewarding the pitcher for her control, if you get my drift.

o 1.5 balls off the plate is a considerably wider zone in softball than in baseball.

o If you actually do have a 10U pitcher who has good enough control and ball movement to actually be concerned with finding the corners that the umpire is giving, you don't have to worry about the zone for her to dominate.

o With outstanding upper level (16 & 18U - I don't do college) pitchers, I will reward them for outstanding control and placement by concentrating on tracking the pitch and calling a strike a strike. If her control is that good, she doesn't need any ball and a half help. Just calling the zone as accurately as possible gives her a 27 inch wide zone, as Rick already noted. That's wide enough.

o MLB is trying to crack down on the reputation call, although some believe it has more to do with controlling the umpires than anything else.

[archer]

It might seem far fetched in your area, but here in VA. FP softball is taken serious. She doesnt play 10U she is playing 14U. So maybe she is ahead of the game. In LL when she throws a change-up and I have seen this on numerous occasions, the ump will hesitate in calling the pitch. 9 times out of 10 they call it a ball. Its like they are confused. Maybe it is the fact they are not used to seeing a pitcher who throws something other than right down the middle. I have no idea. From what I have seen written here and what college games I have watched. Its seems there is a vast difference in plate coverage from LL to the big show.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by archer
It might seem far fetched in your area, but here in VA. FP softball is taken serious.

Not to be a wiseacre, but how many national ASA champions have come from VA?

She doesnt play 10U she is playing 14U. So maybe she is ahead of the game.

No kidding.

In LL when she throws a change-up and I have seen this on numerous occasions, the ump will hesitate in calling the pitch. 9 times out of 10 they call it a ball. Its like they are confused. Maybe it is the fact they are not used to seeing a pitcher who throws something other than right down the middle. I have no idea.

JMO, but your pitcher has no business in LL. LL is a rec program, unless you just like beating up on rec teams. I thought you said softball was taken seriously in VA?

From what I have seen written here and what college games I have watched. Its seems there is a vast difference in plate coverage from LL to the big show.

As well as nearly everything else, including umpire training and player skill.

[JEL]

Excellent post Tom!

[archer]

I couldnt tell you how many teams from VA. have made if any. She was taught how to pitch a couple of years before she ever stepped foot on a diamond. This is her second year playing FP. As for LL I agree 100%. Its a joke! This is her first year playing ASA and last year was her last year playing LL. From what limited exposure I have had in ASA it is a higher level of ball than LL. In ASA I am just a Dad in the stands. Maybe if you have time you can come to Orlando next month and watch her play.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by archer
Maybe if you have time you can come to Orlando next month and watch her play.

I'd rather it be January, but, hey, if your payin'.... I'm goin' to Disney World!

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Every umpire is not the same. Each has his own ability and understanding of "the zone." It's possible that an individual umpire's ability (apparent consistency) may change within a single game. Much of the appearance of consistency is truly dependent upon the ability of the pitcher. If the pitcher can consistently place the ball where it needs to be placed for either called strikes or to get the batter swinging, the umpire's job is much simpler. It is when a pitcher cannot find the plate/catcher/zone etc. that the umpire's job is difficult because he is searching for a reason to call a strike. "PLEASE, GIVE ME A STRIKE."

Understand Dad, umpires want to call strikes. Balls are monotonous and boring. We want to call strikes and have batters swinging.

As pointed out earlier (by Dakota, Tom) if your daughter has the ability to precisely locate her pitches she is going to dominate... unless SHE CHOOSES TO PRECISELY LOCATE THEM OUTSIDE THE UMPIRE'S STRIKE ZONE. "Ball, ball, ball, ball, Please give me a strike, ball, ball, ball, ball. Please... a strike? Please?

As someone else pointed out, a pitcher cannot start outside the zone and expect to get strike calls. She must start with pitches in the zone and then, not challenge the umpire to make calls outside the zone, but entice the batter to swing at those outside pitches. Now the umpire can reasonably expand his zone... if that's the way he works - call the pitches strikes, at which the batter's are swinging. But understand Dad, as several have pointed out, the umpire is never obligated to call a strike for a pitch that is delivered outside the zone. Most of us here try not to do that. We are, however, obligated to see that the batter has opportunity to hit the ball (that it is in the zone).

The umpire does not conform to the pitcher. The pitcher must conform to the umpire's strike zone. Anything else would be unfair.

A humorous story... and I don't remember the names.

McGillicudy, a powerful, confident batter, known for his excellent batsmanship, comes to the plate. Pitcher and catcher are a more that a little anxious. Catcher calls for a pitch on the inside edge of the plate. McGillicudy stands there calmly. Ball, yells the umpire. Catcher thinks well it might have been a little bit in. Okay, let's try the outside edge of the plate. McGillicudy stands there again. Ball, yells the umpire. Catcher thinks, wow, that looked pretty good. Perhaps it was out. Better call for one down the tube. McGillicudy never even moves a muscle. Ball, yells the umpire. Catcher is flabbergasted now. He asks the umpire "What the heck does it take to get a strike call?!!"

The umpire's response, "McGillicudy will let you know when it is a strike."

I find it kind of funny. But in summation, there is one thing that makes a pitch a strike; the umpire must call it a strike (or McGillicudy has got to swing at it). Your daughter must convince the umpire (and the batters) that she is throwing strikes. End of story.