Catcher Position

[Palmer]

A little help if you will....

I was at an 14U ASA Friendly this past weekend in which the Umpires made a call, of an illegal pitch due to the catcher not being behind the plate (or close enough behind the plate) prior to the pitch then delivery of the pitch.

I was later told that according to the ASA rule book that the catcher could set up anywhere in the catchers box (which is roughly the very outside edges of each batters box and up to 10 feet deep). Is this TRUE.. If this is true then a catcher can set up for a pitch at the very outside corner of the batters pbx and anywhere from 5-8 feet back if for some reason she wanted to ????

Does anyone have an official answer to the limits of where a catcher has to set up, technically

Thanks in advance

ASA Rule 2, Section 3D:

The catcher's box shall be 10 feet in length from the rear outside corners of the batter's boxes and shall be eight feet, five inches, wide.

ASA Rule 6, Section 5. DEFENSIVE POSITIONING

A. The pitcher shall not deliver a pitch unless all defensive players are positioned in fair territory, except the catcher who must be in the catcher's box.

Serg

[JEL]

Sounds like you had a baseball umpire who didn't make the "transition" to softball!

Sergio gave you the box dimensions and as you can see a call such as that one is nearly impossible in a softball game.

I had a catcher a couple of months ago that would use the box to her advantage. She was a "lefty", kinda fiesty also but an awesome ballplayer. She would set in the middle of the zone, give the sign, and then as noisily as she could (not vocal, just clattering her gear) would move all the way out to the right edge of the box, still within the catchers box, and up as far as she could. The batters of course would take a peek and be expecting a way out "trash pitch". I would be in the slot with nothing in between me and the pitcher! They would usually throw a fast ball on the INSIDE corner, belt high. The first one was a bit startling to me but I got the strike. The rest of the pitches I knew what was coming, and just enjoyed them! Most every pitch they did that way froze the batter, and added a called strike. The catcher never missed a pitch! I did warn my partner when she had the plate.

[scottk_61]

Originally posted by JEL
Sounds like you had a baseball umpire who didn't make the "transition" to softball!

Sergio gave you the box dimensions and as you can see a call such as that one is nearly impossible in a softball game.

Hold on there JEL,
The ol' cathcer setting up out of the box is becoming more and more common here in Florida.
I have called it and have seen it called numerous times in the last couple of years.
I have also seen it called in a D1 game once last year.

I also see many teams where the catcher gets outside right as the pitch is released, I would say that is ok.

[JEL]

Originally posted by scottk_61

Hold on there JEL,
The ol' cathcer setting up out of the box is becoming more and more common here in Florida.
I have called it and have seen it called numerous times in the last couple of years.
I have also seen it called in a D1 game once last year.

I also see many teams where the catcher gets outside right as the pitch is released, I would say that is ok.

Point was; The Baseball box is much smaller, much easier to be out of. In fact a couple of years ago MLB tried to get a bit tougher on the catchers box. It seems to be more relaxed now. The softball catchers box is much larger, and thus harder to be out of. If no lines are present and you visualize a baseball box, it may appear illegal. A catcher legal in softball can be outside the baseball box. Can't see why a catcher would want to be that far out, but I suppose some would want to. I have yet to see it.

[Blu_IN]

Originally posted by scottk_61

Hold on there JEL,
The ol' cathcer setting up out of the box is becoming more and more common here in Florida.
I have called it and have seen it called numerous times in the last couple of years.
I have also seen it called in a D1 game once last year.

I also see many teams where the catcher gets outside right as the pitch is released, I would say that is ok.

I can see a catcher getting out of the box in front over the plate, but I have never seen a catcher start out of the box in any other manner. Please explain what the catchers in FL are doing these days.

[tzme415]

Just an odd question since I don't have my rule book handy. Does the Catcher's box apply to SP?

I have so many catchers in Coed, mainly women, that stand way behind the plate - sometimes practically at the backstop. This sometimes makes it difficult to get a decent look at the pitches or get out to see fair or foul balls. I don't want to stand in front of the catcher, but sometimes I do have to stand beside.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally posted by tzme415
Just an odd question since I don't have my rule book handy. Does the Catcher's box apply to SP?

I have so many catchers in Coed, mainly women, that stand way behind the plate - sometimes practically at the backstop. This sometimes makes it difficult to get a decent look at the pitches or get out to see fair or foul balls. I don't want to stand in front of the catcher, but sometimes I do have to stand beside.

The rule applies. It likely depends on the level of play and if the catchers box is marked as to whether it is valid to enforce it. But, you are not to allow the pitcher to throw a pitch if the catcher isn't in the catchers box at the start of the pitch.

I haven't done slow pitch for several years, but when I did, I would absolutely enforce the front of the catchers box. The sides are generally not an issue, and I wouldn't let the depth become an issue. I would simply tell a catcher (in the hearing of the pitcher) that for me to call a consistent strike zone for you, I need to stand HERE. If you won't let me stand here because of where you stand, you need to explain to your pitcher why he isn't getting the strike calls he thinks he is entitled to. It would have to be an outrageous and spiteful act by a catcher for me to bother calling an illegal pitch for where he/she is standing; after all, the result is the same (batter has the option to hit the pitch, otherwise, it is a ball).

Just how I used to handle it; I am sure others have ways that work for them.

[Coach12]

Last season I had a catcher who would use every bit of the box available to stump the batter on where the pitcher's target actually was. We even had people calling area at home plate the "E-zone" because she worked it so hard.

Most Umpires would just follow her back and forth and then tell me that she was wearing them out.

A couple told me to keep her right behind the plate or pull her.

Different stroke for different folks.

Coach12

[3afan]

i love it when the catcher camps on the outside corner, gives me a great view of the zone ---- unless she cant catch the ball of course ....

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Coach12
Most Umpires would just follow her back and forth and then tell me that she was wearing them out.

A couple told me to keep her right behind the plate or pull her.

I don't understand why an umpire would do either of these. The strike zone is not in front of the catcher, it is over the plate. Maybe your umpires do not wear proper equipment and they need to hide behind F2.

[CecilOne]

Reminds me of a parent recently criticizing my strike zone by saying "he's not even standing behind the catcher".
Before any wisecracks, I was not in the stands or behind the backstop, just in the slot.