Can I vent?. . . and then get opinions

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by justcallmeblue

Well, it finally happened. . .I knew one day that being an Umpire was going to get in the way of my playing. ps: There is a question at the end.

Tonite, instead of being behind the plate umpinring. . .I pitched what turned out to be the worst Umpired game I have ever been a part of by supposedly a 20 year veteran umpire. There was ZERO plate mechanics and it seemed that the ball was being thrown back to me by my catcher before I even knew the call. Now I know that there are good umps and bad umps and each has their own quirks including the K zone. . .however. . . . .

His strike zone was as WIDE as Roseanne Barr but Thinner than an Olsen twin on a diet.

So where do I start to ask your opinions. . .Before the game I asked him is strike zone and he said traditional ASA. Well, you coulda fooled me. I was lobbing balls that were coming down within INCHES of the back foot of the batters. . .And all I was getting was SQUEEZED!! His strike zone, in effect, was an inverted Batters Box regardless of natrual batting stance. Nothing down the back shoulder was called, I mean nothing. I could not adjust at all (my issue) and I got Squeezed even more when I and my teammates started to question him (guess I shoulda been tossed). Forget the fact that I pitch reverse handed in which I debated the UMP and the other team that there is no rule that says I have to pitch palm up (unless there is a league rule which there isnt)!!!!In addition, I had batters running up for the pitch and I was getting BALLS!! Unreal

So now that I vented, let me ask a question. I always want to get better as an Ump. Understanding that each ump wether good or bad has their own zone. . .In a 6-10 foot league, or in any other. . . what is the definition of how the ball crosses the back armpit. . .Does the ball, like my umpire said, have to be at a discernable downward arc cutting underneath the armpit? OR, can it also cross the back armpit with less of a perceptible "arc" like in a 3-8ft league meaning a little depth on the pitches. . .now, I know that if it was flat and came across his chest under the pit, that should be a ball, but as I said, my pitches were ALL landing within inches of the batters back foot which means I had to have some downward arc. By getting your advice, I can only get better. . .perhaps my definitions have to change. . .lets see. . . . .(ps - I have topitch tomorrow night in the playoffs!!!)

Vent away, player. When you become an umpire, I'll answer that final paragraph. You are still a player, and only a player, who happens to don the blue on occasion.

If you were an umpire, you'd not have asked the umpire what his zone was - it's a stupid question even as a player, and starts things off on an antagonistic foot from the get-go.

If you were an umpire, you'd not need to ask the whole last paragraph. The zone is pretty well defined. Go read it again.