Strike Zone

[rwest]

As a first year ASA slowpitch umpire, I'm struggling with my strike zone. At some point during the year, I've been confident. But then I get a vocal pitcher who complains and I lose my confidence. I know what the rule book says. It has to have a 6 - 12 foot arc and cross any portion of the plate from the batters front knee to back shoulder. I know every umpires strike zone is a little different. One thing I struggle with is the deep strike. So all you veterans out there lend a rookie a hand. How do you judge the illegal pitch over 12 feet? Its sometimes hard for me to judge if its over the shoulder or at the shoulder. What do you suggest? Also do you require the ball to cross a certain portion of the plate? For example, if the ball just nicks the front corners and lands beside the front of the plate, what do you have? See illustration below....

o
o o
o o
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x | | x
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\ /
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Some umpires I've talked to require the ball come a little farther back than that. Do you use where the ball lands as an indicator? I've had one umpire say if it lands within 6 inches from the back of the plate, we've got a strike.

Any advice?

Thankss

[rwest]

Sorry, the illustration didn't come out like I had planned, but I think you get the idea.

[CecilOne]

The shoulder high 12 foot arc is the hardest pitch for most of us. Try to focus on the top of the batter's zone and see if it looks like it came under that.
Where it lands should not be used, except in mat ball. But
- crossing the front corner and landing next to the plate is normally a ball
- a very expert umpire says that geometrically a legal arc pitch which lands within the length of the plate had to go through the strike zone.

Ignore the pitchers and batter complaints and get another ump to watch you.

[Elaine "Lady Blue"]

First of all, get rid of this type of language--deep. It's either a strike or a ball, not deep, wave hand to the side, etc.
I was taught to see every pitcher a 6 ft tall to judge the 12' arc. Remain standing tall until the pitch reaches the top of the arc, then drop to where your eyes are even with the top of the batter's zone. Remember to stay in 'the slot'. It DOES NOT matter where the ball lands; through the strike zone, STRIKE! No--Ball.
I hope this helps-----good luck!

[chuck chopper]

Most pitchers are close to 6 ft tall. Just allow something 2 times as high as the pitcher. You should mark 12 ft on a wall. Then have someone pitch sideways along that wall so you can see just how a 12 ft legal pitch is. 12 feet is high. Most umps I know keep squeezing it down to the 10-11 ft mark
.
With regard to the plate. A ball that knicks the front corner & lands to the side CANNOT be a strike. (don't have my book with me but) By definition the pitch in order to be a strike bust cross the plate. Thus it must pass the back corner where the mitre is.

[gsf23]

Most of the SP umpires I know use the bill of the cap as the indicator to the height of the pitch. I set a mark at 12 feet on a wall, back off to about where I would stand as an umpire and then put my cap on so the bill was right at that mark. If the ball goes about the bill of my cap, I have an illegal pitch. you can even set it at the park using the backstop.

May not be the best way but it is consistent and I've never had complaints about it.

And do please get rid of "DEEP", there is no such thing as it crossed the plate but was deep. I once had a player argue about a strike I called. He kept saying that it couldn't be a strike because it was deep. I went to my bag, pulled out my rulebook, gave it to him and told him that if he could show me where it talked about the deep pitch then I would let him back in the game, otherwise he was sitting on the bench. He never did come back and apologized to me after the game.

[Edited by gsf23 on Oct 3rd, 2003 at 10:41 AM]

[greymule]

"Deep" is not in the rule book, and where it came from I don't know, but the term is widely used and universally understood at the higher levels, at least here in central NJ. It means that the pitch did not make the back shoulder. It went over the zone. In baseball parlance, it was "high," but "high" means something else in SP.

Unfortunately, many players (and some umpires) think "deep" means that the pitch hit too far behind the plate. I've had catchers, before the first pitch of the game, ask me where my "line" is. Some umpires even draw a "strike line" before the game starts. But of course there is no line—the ball has to pass through the zone, and where it can hit and be a strike varies with the height of the pitch.

I will be the first to admit that if you have spent the weekend calling a true "tournament" zone, the E league pitchers you have Monday night may have trouble throwing strikes. And I have had many games in which one or both pitchers has complained that my zone is too tight.

In my experience, there is significant variability by region. Pennsylvania and Delaware teams invariably think our umps call too tight a zone. New Jersey teams think Delaware and Maryland umps give the pitcher too much.

Another regional variation: absolutely no SP umpire in this area follows the ASA mechanic and bends at the waist as the pitch is on the way. I tried that for a little while, but pitches that I normally would have called as deep/over the zone/high looked like strikes.

As for height on pitches, I've never been able to use the brim of the hat or trees beyond the outfield fence or any other such markers. A slight difference in stance seems to change the perspective drastically. To me, if there's doubt, it's high. You will have far fewer problems if you enforce height right from the beginning. The pitchers may gripe in the first inning, but if you start letting them get away with high pitches, the game can get out of control quickly.

The good pitchers know that high pitches, as well as "deep" ones, are very difficult to hit. So at the beginning of the game they routinely test an ump they don't know to see what they can get away with.

rwest, my advice is "make the pitcher throw strikes."

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by greymule
"Deep" is not in the rule book, and where it came from I don't know, but the term is widely used and universally understood at the higher levels, at least here in central NJ. It means that the pitch did not make the back shoulder. It went over the zone. In baseball parlance, it was "high," but "high" means something else in SP.

Unfortunately, many players (and some umpires) think "deep" means that the pitch hit too far behind the plate. I've had catchers, before the first pitch of the game, ask me where my "line" is. Some umpires even draw a "strike line" before the game starts. But of course there is no line—the ball has to pass through the zone, and where it can hit and be a strike varies with the height of the pitch.

"Blue, you calling the player or the plate today?"

"Yes"

In my experience, there is significant variability by region. Pennsylvania and Delaware teams invariably think our umps call too tight a zone. New Jersey teams think Delaware and Maryland umps give the pitcher too much.

Well, I can speak for Delaware umpires. I teach them to call a true strike zone. Does that mean they do? Nope, but I do my best to get it into their head. One of the best complements DASA umpires received was a few years ago at the Nat. School in Chester, PA. One of the PA player/umpires complained that when they play in DE, the umpires didn't care where the ball landed when the worked the plate. Delaware umpires believe PA umpires (SP) do not call high pitches, period! Meanwhile, go to VA and see what 10' pitches look like

Another regional variation: absolutely no SP umpire in this area follows the ASA mechanic and bends at the waist as the pitch is on the way. I tried that for a little while, but pitches that I normally would have called as deep/over the zone/high looked like strikes.

This is exactly what was reported to me after a school in Bergen County a couple of years ago. The umpires would bend their back (as opposed to their knees) in FP, but wouldn't bend anything in SP. Using the proper mechanics means you will see more strikes clearly. Just because you wouldn't normally call them strikes from your other position doesn't mean they are not strikes.

As for height on pitches, I've never been able to use the brim of the hat or trees beyond the outfield fence or any other such markers. A slight difference in stance seems to change the perspective drastically. To me, if there's doubt, it's high. You will have far fewer problems if you enforce height right from the beginning. The pitchers may gripe in the first inning, but if you start letting them get away with high pitches, the game can get out of control quickly.

Unless there is another focal point available, I will use my hat brim, but when I set it up, I use the box on a basketball backboard and stand a little pass the top of the key. Yes, it is not a full 12', but it gives you a good idea. BTW, at the schools, you will usually be told to use 7-11 as a starter so if you miss a close one, you will still be inside the 6-12 range.

The good pitchers know that high pitches, as well as "deep" ones, are very difficult to hit. So at the beginning of the game they routinely test an ump they don't know to see what they can get away with.

rwest, my advice is "make the pitcher throw strikes."

I don't make the pitcher throw anything. If any part of the ball passes through any part of the strike zone, it's a strike. And I call a rule book strike zone, not the players.

[greymule]

And I call a rule book strike zone, not the players.

What does that mean?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by greymule
And I call a rule book strike zone, not the players.

What does that mean?

Just what it says. I call the rule book strike zone. What the players perceive to be the strike zone is irrelevant.

[TexBlue]

After reading all the posts, I realized something is missing. I agree with all that was written and was taught a lot of it and have adjusted, to make my own strike zone.

The one thing that was missing from all the posts ( I think ) is, whatever your strike zone is at the start of the game, it has gotta be the same at the end of the game. If you have consistency, they tend to leave you alone after an inning or two. After all, SP is definitely a hitter's game. If they are goinng to the plate to walk, they probably are gonna be the ones griping about a strike call.
The good pitchers will adjust to your zone as long as you maintain consistency.

Rick

[CecilOne]

"New Jersey teams think Delaware and Maryland umps give the pitcher too much."

No such thing.


______________________
DE & MD ump

[greymule]

What the players perceive to be the strike zone is irrelevant.

Sounds logical. Did anyone suggest otherwise?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by greymule
What the players perceive to be the strike zone is irrelevant.

Sounds logical. Did anyone suggest otherwise?

Nope. Does someone have to raise an issue prior to me making a statement?

Or do you have a guilty conscience?

[greymule]

Does someone have to raise an issue prior to me making a statement?

Of course not, but when your statement is part of a 5-segment critique of my post, I assume it to be related to something I wrote. Apparently it wasn't.

You concur that there is regional variation in the way umpires call strikes. Which region's umpires have set the standard for the rest of us?

I don't let the players dictate the zone, either, but I confess that I call a higher strike in 10-and-under girls FP than I do in 18-and-under. In top-level SP, I call a tighter zone than I do in picnic co-ed. And from the big guys, I require strict compliance with pitching preliminaries and delivery. I do not in picnic co-ed. In baseball, my zone for former pros is tighter than it is for middle schoolers. I am well aware that because I do not call the book zone uniformly through all levels, I fall short of the umpires who do.

But I don't have a guilty conscience about it.