Final 2008 NCAA Rule Changes

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

The point is, though, for years colleges and high schools have been asking us, at least regionally, to make the top end of the strike zone where the top of the ball is at the bottom of the breast. I was just making the statement that the more PC way of saying this would be to use the sternum in describing it. The zone depicted in the OP is the zone I have been calling for years because of the emphasis placed on it by the HS and collegiate umpiring associations I work for.

This is what I've called for some years, too - top of the ball & the bottom of the boob. Well, you can't put that in a book. So, I agree it's not just the PC way of writing it, it's the right way. And it does recognize what we've had in college ball for a while. A couple of years ago, the NCA made an attempt to bring the top of the zone up - to what was in the book. It turned out that in application, nobody wanted it called that way - coaches or experienced college umps.
This is much higher than I call in men's ball too. It's not what wanted or expected, or tolerated. Several years ago, I was working in 2 men's tournaments in a town. One was a major tournament and the other was a 'C' tournament. After working several games of the majors, I had a couple of games on a 'C' field before finishing Sunday with the majors. After the first inning, I realized that both pitchers were irritated because of the lowness of the top of the strike zone I was calling - I had brought the major zone to a C game. Sunday, having a beer after I'd finished, one of the 'C' pitchers stopped by & we had a chat. They noticed, he appreciated the umpiring but
begged that I remember when I went from majors to C's - they needed the bigger strike zone.