Bigger Strike Zone

[EdJW]

Beyond understanding. You are proud that you call a strike when the ball is clearly out of the strike zone. You should give up umpiring today.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EdJW

Beyond understanding. You are proud that you call a strike when the ball is clearly out of the strike zone. You should give up umpiring today.

Actually, it is easy to understand. I've explained this repeatedly on this and eteamz board. You just choose not to understand it.

As is usually reflected in game experiences, the good coaches not only understand it and expect it, but WANT the strike zone called in this manner.

They understand that approximately 20% of the pitches which by the book would be called strikes are difficult to impossible to hit well.

As usual, I do not expect you to learn anything here. You are too lazy and have learned is it easier to whine and complain than it is to go out and discover the game of softball.

Give up umpiring? Most of these guys/gals umpire better than you breath. I'll tell you what. We'll stop if you do.

[EdJW]

Irish, here's what I understand about the strike zone. Any part of the ball in the officially defined zone is a strike. So, an umpire is on reasonably solid ground calling a ball over the white (17") plus over the black border (1" on each side of the plate) plus the width of the ball (4" on both sides of the plate). This is a total of 27 inches. Why would you find it acceptable for an umpire to call strikes on pitches that are 1 to 2 widths of the ball outside this acceptable strike zone. Because that's what the first poster says he is calling.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EdJW

Irish, here's what I understand about the strike zone. Any part of the ball in the officially defined zone is a strike. So, an umpire is on reasonably solid ground calling a ball over the white (17") plus over the black border (1" on each side of the plate) plus the width of the ball (4" on both sides of the plate). This is a total of 27 inches. Why would you find it acceptable for an umpire to call strikes on pitches that are 1 to 2 widths of the ball outside this acceptable strike zone. Because that's what the first poster says he is calling.

Because that is how we are instructed to call the strike zone, just as I have posted numerous times on here and eteamz. The strike zone is only defined the way it is because the armpits and knees are the physical focal points. However, a ball at the arm pits or knees on the inside corner and the high outside corner are difficult pitches that many players cannot hit.

This is understood in the softball world, even by the better coaches. Unfortunately, there are no other physical attributes on a batter that can be used to adjust the strike zone to hitable pitches, so it is handled through instruction and interpretation. Umpires are instructed to bring it down a little, up a little, and to allow the same "square area" for the pitcher, out a little. An inside or outside pitch, even a ball's width, is much more hitable just above the knees and below the armpits than an inside pitch across the plate at the armpits/knees. The adjustment gives the batter more hitable pitches while maintaining the same "square area" for the pitcher to hit for a strike.

This is not a secret. This instruction and interpretation is given and referred to openly as demonstrated in this thread.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Actually, the inside line of each batter's box is supposed to be 6" from the plate (white), and the lines are supposed to be 2" wide. A universally acceptable strike zone in the highest levels of softball (NCAA Div I, Women's Major, 18U Gold, Men's Masters, all of which I have called) is for the ball to called a strike up to and including the width of the batter's box inside line. If the ball extends past the line inside the box, that is a ball.

That makes the strike zone 8" beyond the white on each side, or 33" wide. Actually, only one ball on each side what Eddie stated.

[CecilOne]

I never knew that was an official teaching before, in spite of having heard it, knowing it was acceptable and partly using it. I have always preferred visualizing the strike zone as pear-shaped, full height but wider in the lower part and not quite as wide at the absolute bottom.

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I never knew that was an official teaching before, in spite of having heard it, knowing it was acceptable and partly using it. I have always preferred visualizing the strike zone as pear-shaped, full height but wider in the lower part and not quite as wide at the absolute bottom.

Cecil - check your ASA or NFHS umpire's manual - Plate Mechanics, Set Position. "Widen it, and flatten it!" How far, or what shape it doesn't say. That is an individual's personalized strike zone. Simply because someone with an opinion teaches his version at a clinic somewhere does not make that an official strike zone for everyone to adapt to at all levels.

Here is my opinion; what I try to call; and what I teach. (Does anyone follow it? I don't know, but at least I have given them ammunition to think about their own strike zone.)

I like a horizontal oval shape, generally from below the breast line to above the knees. Maybe an inch inside (plus 4" ball width = 5" strike zone expansion inside); generally 2" - 3" outside (6" - 7" expansion outside).

As AtlUmpSteve noted, I will go those full limits and probably more outside for 18U or college ball. Still I do not like to go that far inside. You start calling strikes on pitches that far inside and you are teaching the pitcher to throw there. Maybe at the highest level those girls can turn on the far inside pitch, but I think that it is dangerous for H.S. and below.

The reason for the oval shape is to take away the high inside/high outside, and the low inside/low outside pitches. As Irish noted above, those are not hittable pitches.

That is my opinion, do with it as you wish.

WMB

[Al]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

I never knew that was an official teaching before, in spite of having heard it, knowing it was acceptable and partly using it. I have always preferred visualizing the strike zone as pear-shaped, full height but wider in the lower part and not quite as wide at the absolute bottom.

Hey Cecil,

With many 8, 9 and 10 year olds if the umpire didn't expand the strike zone some of the coaches would start telling his girls not to swing the bat, and who wants a game where most of the kids are walking? I think a little common sense would go a long way when taking into account the experience of the pitchers in regard to the strike zone. In the higher age groups the strike zone of many umpires is not as expanded... as we seen in the softball world series games. Take care, ...Al

[argodad]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Most of these guys/gals umpire better than you breath. I'll tell you what. We'll stop if you do.

Speaking ASA (and all the other codes I call)

That was your best call this year, Mike!

[wadeintothem]

In my view the path of least resistance is wider but shorter..

Everyone can see high low.. only you, batter, and the catchers knows a pitch was a little out side or inside.. but you call em at the arm pits and everyones screaming "its over his head he cant hit that"

So I bring it down.. but widen a little.. seems to work best.. be consistent that you are giving corners, they start to figure it out, but you dont get the chorus... but dont call the high stuff or super low stuff everyone can see.

Plink Plink...

do what you dig though, just saying what works for m.