I am a reputable umpire who does travel ball, high school, and college. For the first time in many seasons, I find my strike zone being challenged considerably more than in the past by high scool and travel ball coaches and players. I use the same strike zone for high school, community league, and travel ball, that I use for college because I feel that eventually, the players must face that zone. I also feel that I've adapted my zone well to meet the changes in pitching that I've noticed and been made aware of to date such as: calling the low at-the-knee outside and inside corner, high logo inside and outside pitch. My strike zone is in the shape of an hour glass, with the top and the bottom tighter and the middle expanded. To me, my strike zone affords the best opportunity for making softball the offensive game I feel it should be. I gage my zone when a batter first settles herself properly inside the box, eyeing the knee and the logo then the inside, outside, and the face of the plate. I feel that I am fair and consistant, but my problem and maybe I'm being too self conscious about it, that for the first time I'm beginning to get defensive with coaches and players. Have any of my brethren sufered through this like I am, and how did, or do, you deal with it

What level of the game are most of your complaints from and what calls are they complaining about?

For what it is worth, I wouldn't normally use an upper level zone with rec ball & I assume your community ball is rec.

Reason is, I'd be there all day watching batters walk. That level needs a bigger zone.

" I use the same strike zone for high school, community league, and travel ball, that I use for college because I feel that eventually, the players must face that zone."

Not all players will advance to higher levels of the game. Call the strike zone for the level of play.

Bob

Are they complaining that your strike zone is too tight?
Or are they complaining about strike zone consistency?

I am new to the world of softball umpiring but I’ve been umpiring baseball for many years. Until this past season it had been many years since I had worked games lower than varsity HS level baseball. During my years of umpiring the ‘older’ kids & adults I developed my strike zone as it is today. This past season I began to do some youth baseball/softball and had to modify my zone slightly for those games. I raised & widened my strike zone for those games only because the younger pitchers couldn’t handle my ‘regular’ strike zone at this point in their careers.

I have found when the umpires start tightening up "the zone" on younger players, it tends to make for a long game.
Walk,walk,walk,etc. Opening up the zone a little, for the younger players, accomplishes two things. Number one you force the batter to swing the bat, and number two you allow the pitchers to stay on the mound for more than three batters.

I guess you could call my strike zone more of a egg shaped.Alittle bit narrower at the top and bottom edges but full width thru 3/4 of the rest of the zone.Plus in little kid ball that egg is pretty fat around the middle.LOL

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However, if you just use the normal zone, you don't get a lot
of "come on blue, that pitch was high, or low" from the coaches.

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[Edited by whiskers_ump on Dec 17th, 2005 at 12:38 AM]

I don't have an "hour glass / egg strike" zone I just have a normal one. The inside corner or outside corner at the knees is a good pitch. I call it a strike. The good batters will fight off those pitches and wait for the pitcher to make a mistake. The ones that don't sit down.

What’s ‘normal’ for one umpire might be ‘abnormal’ for another. Some umpire’s call an oval or egg shaped zone and some call a box or rectangle. Some call a high zone and some call a zone just above the belt. Some call the pitches at the top part of the knee and some call the pitch at the lower part of the knee. Some give the pitcher a little inside/outside others want the pitch across the plate. So what’s normal? The key is being consistent with your strike zone (during the entire game, every game), the hitters will adjust.

Having said all that, IMHO you still can’t expect a 12yo kid to find the same zone as a HS varsity or college pitcher, at least not very often.

A strike zone shaped like an hour glass sounds like trouble. I'm sure I just have a different idea of an hour-glass shape, though. Regardless, your description demonstrates that you have, for better or worse, adjusted your zone from a book zone. Why not adjust it for the level of play, too?

More important, you are experienced, and the questions about your zone are new. The best way to determine the problem might be to have a friend (especially another umpire) video tape your plate work. When you review the results, you're likely to have the best answer to your question. Then you can adjust properly.

Mike

I hate the fact that so many here have used the phrase "my strike zone". I don't own a strike zone. I call by a set of rules that tells me what the strikezone is (a rectangular prism, by the way), and call strikes and balls based on those rules.

Why do anything else?

After coaching for several years, I learned that every umpire has a sweet spot - be it outside, inside, high or low. That's not really a bad thing, a good pitcher will find it and take advantage.

This was my first year umpiring and I had a real problem with the flat low strike at the knees. Because I realize what a tough pitch it is to throw, had a tendency to give it when it wasn't there.

What was really amazing is how fast you get a reputation for "'calling low", "calling high", etc.

Like the videotape suggestion, good way to look at yourself objectively, plus you can hit the mute when the whining starts.

Being able to call the low pitches gives a lot of 'new' umpire's problems. You probably already know this but I like to hear myself talk so here goes:
1) You want to look at your positioning to ensure that you see the entire plate.
2) You might want to look at your head height. The higher you set-up the more difficult the low pitches become.
3) Watch the ball into the catcher's glove. Sometimes where she catches the ball will help you determine if it was a strike.

No matter where "your" strike zone is just be consistent.

Welcome to umpiring!

(Imagine a side view)
I draw a line through the midle of the arm pit and the middle of the knee cap. The whole ball has to be between those two lines in order to be a strike [for veticle]
.
For Inside/Outside- As mentioned in young rec council level games I think almost baters box to batters box is a good width for the strike zone. For older/Better leagues or club ball I tend to want the whole ball over the plate for inside pitches & I give all the outside edge of the plate for outside pitches.

I would disagree that the whole ball hour glass or egg thing. Any part of the ball crossing any part of the plate in the strike zone is a strike.

Now I ump USSSA (so I get a bit of circus out there) but with pitchers being able to use various angles I have called strikes on pitches that landed a good half a foot of the side of the plate because it crossed a portion of the plate.

”but with pitchers being able to use various angles I have called strikes on pitches that landed a good half a foot of the side of the plate because it crossed a portion of the plate.

It may look that way, but unless the pitcher was illegal (sidearm or stepping way out of the 24” limit), or throwing a ton of ball movement, it probably is not mathematically possible. If the pitcher releases the ball 4”-6” outside (your left) of the pitching plate, appx 34’ from home plate, and the ball just nicks the outside (right) of home plate, and F2 frames the catch – you will see the ball is an inch or less outside the edge of the plate.

However, the issue brought up by booker227, and not answered so far, is our strike zone being challenged more today than in the past. Booker said: ”For the first time in many seasons, I find my strike zone being challenged considerably more than in the past by high school and travel ball coaches and players. ……that for the first time I'm beginning to get defensive with coaches and players. Have any of my brethren suffered through this like I am, and how did, or do, you deal with it?”

I share that position with booker. Over the past two years I also have been subjected to strike zone criticism, especially with respect to the outside pitch. This is happening with high-level HS or Travel or college pitchers. They want the outside pitch – and I am not giving it!

Girls are getting bigger, and they are hitting the weight room, and are swinging 34” bats. They crowd the plate and coaches feel that they can hit a pitch that is 3” – 6” off the plate. And they want it called for their own pitchers.

I also have an oval strike zone; I have always given the pitchers 1” – 2” off the plate. But they want more, and I’ve had some real battles with stubborn pitchers. In a tournament semi-final 18U game last summer I had two college pitchers throwing 6” off the plate. For three innings I called balls, and the undercurrent in the dugouts was not pleasant. Eventually both pitchers brought the ball in and then we had four innings of hits and great fielding and a good ball game. But at the end of the game I had two coaches madder than wet hornets as I fled for the security of the official’s room.

Coaches don’t want the low pitch, and they sure don’t want the high pitches. But you better give them inside and outside by several inches or you’ll hear it. Booker227 asks “how do we deal with it?” I am really looking at this issue in preparation for the coming year. I am stubborn – and I don’t want to call a strike on a pitch 4” off the plate. But I am realistic enough to know that the game is constantly changing and I have to adapt. The next time I have high-level pitchers I am probably going to widen the plate. And probably drop the top and raise the bottom to compensate for the wider zone.

WMB

As clarification, I believe this is referring to SP, not FP strike zone.

As far as inside and outside...I give them about one ball width inside...and 1 1/2 ball widths outside..... I do NOT give the "coffin Corners" ESPECIALLY not inside or outside and low.... no complaints from coaches on either side. I also chop just a little off the top..... Now keep in mind..this zone is for higher level ball.... for rec ball or lower level club ball, I will expand it a little....

The requirement for the whole ball to be within your lines is faulty in my opinion and in the teaching of ASA as well as the desires of NCAA.
If any part of the ball passes through that zone (I like your description) I have a strike.

I think you limit yourself with the whole ball having to pass within that area, do you limit yourself to the whole ball having to pass over the plate or do you allow for part of it to hit the black?

Just some food for thouhgt

As a long time baseball umpire preparing to work my first HS softball games next season I find from the responses on this post that softball umpire strike zones differ just as much as baseball umpires.

Some of you say they draw a line through the middle of the arm pit and the middle of the knee cap.
Some say that coaches don't want the low pitch, and they sure don't want the high pitches.
Some think that in some levels batters box to batters box is a good width for the strike zone.
Some say that coaches want strikes called 3 - 6" off the plate.
Some of you use an oval strike zone, eliminating the "coffin Corners"
Some of you use the book referenced rectangle zone.

So if you were going to design the "perfect" strike zone for HS softball, assuming large schools with good programs, what would it be? Where would you, based on your experiences, advise an umpire that is new to softball to set his zone?

Thanks in advance

I place my eyes at the level of just below the armpit. If I track the ball down with my eyes, follow it through the plate, it is low enough.

I will give about 1/2 a ball outside (that means a ball and 1/2 to some I guess).

Inside, for good high school and college they need to get at least a part of the ball on the black. If the ball breaks and hits the back or front of the plate as it crosses that is a strike. For lower level I will give an inch off the plate.

I judge the knees as if part of the ball hits the top of the knee it is high enough.

I will say again though give the inside and outside corner at the knee. The hitters should be able to either hit the pitch or fight it off if they are a good hitter. That's what makes them good hitters.

You do however need to see the pitches so getting into the slot and setting (before the release) is very important.

This is what has worked for me and I have developed over 15 years of calling softball. I will post a photo of what I mean by seeing from the slot on the frapper site.

Before I asked what the frapper site was I tried to figure it out on my own. The best I could do on Google was:

Slo-Pitch National Member's Only Forum - Bat - [ Translate this page ]est-ce qu'il y en a qui ont entendu parler du DA BOMB de Combat softball il ce ... Moi je vais frapper avec un bon vieux worth bleu. pis pour le pool,

Now, I'm not conversant in French, but I am curious. Does frapper have anything to do with combat softall? What kind of protective equipment do French umpires wear to protect against bombs? And I thought the French were a bunch of passive sissies! Piss poor the pool refers to coaches, right?

Mike

Mike - go to this thread:

http://www.officialforum.com/thread/23230

Fair ump!
 

Now you sound like a fair umpire to me, not like some who squeeze the strike zone to make their lives easier when umping, forcing the pitcher to throw it right down the middle, tough on pitcher who paint the corners or are finesse or junk pitchers!

Re: Fair ump!
 

This comment proves that you don't have a clue.

Squeezing the strike zone does not make an umpire's life easier, in fact, it has just the opposite effect. Games take much longer to complete, both benches and pitchers start complaining about the small zone, etc.

Any good umpire wants to call every legitimate strike they can get. It keeps the bats swinging and the game moving along, lots of action and enjoyable to watch and play.

(I know, I know...feeding the troll, but I couldn't resist.)

I learned something from my UIC and a few others that I take to heart:

EVERY pitch is a strike until it PROVES that it is a ball.

As for my specific zone, it's kind of an elongated stop sign, wider in the middle than at the top or bottom. I give nothing at the knees (I want the whole ball above the knee), and my eyes are set at the top of the zone.

Regarding being questioned recently...
 

could your eyesight be changing? Specifically, depth perception.

At the risk of inviting blind umpire humor to a serious question, this could be a factor. As we age, eyesight changes, sometimes to the point that depth & distance judgement changes. It can be suttle & gradual, so that you don't notice it yourself, but maybe where you now see the bottom outside corner to be & where others have and continue to see it may not be the same place.