Stupid question... strike zone

[drh898]

We had an interesting discussion in our high school meeting. The instructor pointed out that the rule book states, Rule 2-56 ART. 3, "The strike zone....................the top of the knees.............." What he said was that the rule says that the ball has be at the top of the KNEES. Plural. Not one knee but it has to be at the top of both knees. So a pitch the is at the top of the front knee but drops and is below the back knee is a ball.

What is your interpretation?

[argodad]

Originally Posted by drh898

We had an interesting discussion in our high school meeting. The instructor pointed out that the rule book states, Rule 2-56 ART. 3, "The strike zone....................the top of the knees.............." What he said was that the rule says that the ball has be at the top of the KNEES. Plural. Not one knee but it has to be at the top of both knees. So a pitch the is at the top of the front knee but drops and is below the back knee is a ball.

What is your interpretation?

I strongly disagree. "The top of the knees" establishes the (horizontal) bottom of the zone. A ball over any part of the plate that is high enough to touch that plane is a strike. It doesn't have to cross the whole plate. What if she is way back (or forward) in the box. Do you consider the height as it passes her knees, or where it crosses the plate?

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by drh898

We had an interesting discussion in our high school meeting. The instructor pointed out that the rule book states, Rule 2-56 ART. 3, "The strike zone....................the top of the knees.............." What he said was that the rule says that the ball has be at the top of the KNEES. Plural. Not one knee but it has to be at the top of both knees. So a pitch the is at the top of the front knee but drops and is below the back knee is a ball.

What is your interpretation?

Don't agree. Any part of the ball touching any part of the strike zone is a principle that should be followed unless clearly stated otherwise (NCAA entire ball must be at or below the horizontal plane of the bottom of the sternum).

It is my opinion that the intent and meaning in NFHS, including the wording and principle of "between" is "at the top of (either of) the knees", allowing that it a drop might hit the front knee at the front of the plate but not the back knee at the back of the plate, while ALSO allowing that a low rise might be UNDER the front knee at the front of the plate, but rise up to catch the back knee at the back of the plate.

[txump81]

It all boils down to this...What do we get paid for? Outs. What gets you outs? Strikes. Therefore, I call any ball that touches any part of the area above the plate with a max height at the chest and the min height at the knees a strike.

Wow. We need more games when we're discussing fractions of an inch on strike zones.

[drh898]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

Don't agree. Any part of the ball touching any part of the strike zone is a principle that should be followed unless clearly stated otherwise (NCAA entire ball must be at or below the horizontal plane of the bottom of the sternum).

It is my opinion that the intent and meaning in NFHS, including the wording and principle of "between" is "at the top of (either of) the knees", allowing that it a drop might hit the front knee at the front of the plate but not the back knee at the back of the plate, while ALSO allowing that a low rise might be UNDER the front knee at the front of the plate, but rise up to catch the back knee at the back of the plate.

Good response.

[Umpteenth]

Not to hijack, but an earlier post, for some reason, brought this to mind:

What is the airspeed velocity of a softball-laden swallow?

[UmpireErnie]

OK it’s really simple. If a pitch makes my right arm go up with a fist and makes me sing out my “called strike” call; it’s a strike! Right?

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by UmpireErnie

OK it’s really simple. If a pitch makes my right arm go up with a fist and makes me sing out my “called strike” call; it’s a strike! Right?

As long as it doesnt turn into the dreaded strike-ball.

[txump81]

Had to really expand the definition of strike zone last night. 1 team decent, the other not so much. 40 minutes into the game, and we hadn't finished the 1st inning. Finally finished 2.5 innings on the 15 run mercy rule in 1 hour 45 minutes. Had to start calling box to box shins to chin to get strikes.