Strike Zone - How to call

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by SRW

Your batters show you their belly button every at-bat?

Thats not how I guage it.. I was just being polite

[argodad]

Here's something that works for me...

Get strike one! On a no-strike count (independent of the number of balls), I'm looking to call a strike if possible. Once the hitter has a strike, she is much more likely to swing the bat. The game goes more quickly (and I rarely catch grief from the offense for borderline pitches that are called strike ONE).

I know I'll miss some pitches during each game -- but I try not to miss strikes.

[gsf23]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

I'll give you an example that pops to mind.. Marissa Drewery who just signed with Cal Bears from the Sorcerers/Oakdale HS who I have umpired a few times.

That girl works it low inside and outside.

You'll see it on TV I'm sure. She is already virtually unhittable and its pretty rare to even see a hit. If I gave her that low inside by having a loose zone, that doesnt mean you suddenly have batter that can hit, it just means shes going to pitch in that unhittable super low inside spot all day.

And what is wrong with that? Why punish her for being a damn good pitcher and being able to hit her spots? If teams are whining then they aren't very well coached or good.

One of the first ever fastpitch games I did I had a great pitcher working. She was throwing a great tailing fastball that was starting inside, almost at the batters and tailing back late over the plate, usually just above the knees. I was calling the pitch all day and the hitters weren't happy about it. I had the sighs, the jumping back as the ball crossed the plate, the throwing the head back after I rung em up, everything. About the fifth inning after I rung up about the seventh batter looking on the same pitch I hear to coach shout out "jesus christ" and I see him starting to walk to the plate. (he was coaching third) He gets about halfway to home, stops and then yells at his dugout, "He's been calling that pitch all damn day, start HITTING it!" The sixth inning, they made the adjustment and started swinging and hitting the pitch. That's what GOOD teams do, not sit there whining about a loose zone.

I guess I have always been of the opinion of if a pitcher can hit that low and in spot, or low and away spot, why should I take that away from them just because it is a tough pitch to hit?

(forgot to mention this was a college play-off game)

[Steve M]

I had a game a few years ago where the pitcher was throwing an almost unhittable strike and she was not anywhere near overpowering these hitters. RHP throwing a curve that would see about 1/3 of the ball catch the front ouside corner (RHB) and break hard outside. My observer told me that I was going to get some low marks on the strike zone, until he finally moved behind me and saw about what I saw. The batters never did move up in the box and this pitcher probably had 13+ KO's.

A day later, the same teams played and the same pitchers threw. This time, the curve was not working as well AND the hitters moved up. The pitcher who won a day before got 8-runned.

Argodad said he's always looking for Strike1. Me, I don't care about the count, I want a strike. Call the borderline pitches strikes - I find that far more survivable than calling borderline pitches balls.

I've found that the higher the level of play, the more exact or precise you must be in your judgement. So, a borderline pitch in HS ball is not anywhere near being a borderline pitch in men's majors.

One of our board posters works the pro game. There, they want the entire ball in the strike zone - or so I'm told by some of those who regularly work those games. Different levels of the game have different expectations of the officials who work the games.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by gsf23

And what is wrong with that? Why punish her for being a damn good pitcher and being able to hit her spots? If teams are whining then they aren't very well coached or good.

One of the first ever fastpitch games I did I had a great pitcher working. She was throwing a great tailing fastball that was starting inside, almost at the batters and tailing back late over the plate, usually just above the knees. I was calling the pitch all day and the hitters weren't happy about it. I had the sighs, the jumping back as the ball crossed the plate, the throwing the head back after I rung em up, everything. About the fifth inning after I rung up about the seventh batter looking on the same pitch I hear to coach shout out "jesus christ" and I see him starting to walk to the plate. (he was coaching third) He gets about halfway to home, stops and then yells at his dugout, "He's been calling that pitch all damn day, start HITTING it!" The sixth inning, they made the adjustment and started swinging and hitting the pitch. That's what GOOD teams do, not sit there whining about a loose zone.

I guess I have always been of the opinion of if a pitcher can hit that low and in spot, or low and away spot, why should I take that away from them just because it is a tough pitch to hit?

(forgot to mention this was a college play-off game)

Because, if I called it a ball - I didnt consider it in the strike zone.

Thats why.

[CelticNHBlue]

Originally Posted by Steve M

One of our board posters works the pro game. There, they want the entire ball in the strike zone - or so I'm told by some of those who regularly work those games. Different levels of the game have different expectations of the officials who work the games.

The NPF asked that we make the whole ball be above the knee and definitely call the letters (shift the zone up more to the definition), and the ball actually cross the corner (not the whole ball just tighten up the corners). The reasoning was to try to force the pitchers to be more hittable and potentially add offense (I don't know if it worked).

I do agree that different levels have different expectations, but I believe it is more in the consistency than the actual zone. In fact, in general and IMO, the higher the level - the less the location of the zone matters because both offense and defense will adjust to your zone, just stay consistent so they know the zone. I find that it is in the rec leagues and JO where players are less knowledgeable that they expect the definition zone and are not of the ability to recognize consistency because they have two zones, one for their offense and another for their defense.

I do adjust my zone for the level of the game. For me, the younger/lower levels see a more complete zone (pits to bottom of the knees, roughly box to box) because the pitchers struggle and are not overpowering. As the game gets better, I lower the zone slightly (about a ball on top and top of the ball-top of the knee) and tighten up the corners (half a ball off the plate inside and a full ball outside).

I will guage responses early in games in leagues I am not familiar with and try to adjust to what they want called/are used to having called; they are paying the fees, after all.

[CLBuffalo]

Sorry but what is NPF? Thanks in advance.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by CLBuffalo

Sorry but what is NPF? Thanks in advance.

National Professional Fastpitch or similar.

[CLBuffalo]

Thank you.

[Mountaineer]

Random thoughts - in no particular order:

Most everyone agrees on basics. There are different interpretations on the strike zone - everyone has their own. I have noticed that the higher the level the lower the zone needs to be. If you call a high strike in college you'll get crushed. Consistancy though is the key to survival as an umpire. I've seen bad umpires get away with being bad because they are consitantly bad - for both teams.

Yes, the zone is different for each level. I've also had some JV type games that need what we call an S-10 strike zone (if they can put it in the bed of an S-10 it's a stike). The coaches know if their pitcher is horrible and probably want to be out of there as bad as or worse than you.

I also want to get a strike on the first pitch. It's the mediocre pitchers that drive me nuts because you never know what's coming! Just get it close. All that having been said, I'd much rather be behind the dish - even in a bad game than on the bases.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CelticNHBlue

The NPF asked that we make the whole ball be above the knee and definitely call the letters (shift the zone up more to the definition),

This is a myth. The "letters" is a nonexistent parameter.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

This is a myth. The "letters" is a nonexistent parameter.

Reminds me of the research I did last year which established that the letters are always below the armpits.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Reminds me of the research I did last year which established that the letters are always below the armpits.

Yes, they are, but the real question is "how far" below the armpits are they?

[bigsig]

If you want to see it done right, check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E4sn...elated&search=

Enjoy!

[Chess Ref]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

I'll give you an example that pops to mind.. Marissa Drewery who just signed with Cal Bears from the Sorcerers/Oakdale HS who I have umpired a few times.
.

Well not personally but I was suppose to do the bases for one of their playoff games last year. They rearranged the schedule so I just watched her and did another games in that bracket.

Apparently she tweeked her ankle in early round game, Cal coach watching, and big hoo ha broke out over continuing to play her.....