crowding the plate

[txtrooper]

I ask the catcher to give me a view of the plate and make an adjustment to get the best view possible.

[Andy]

I will not ask a catcher or any player to adjust position for me.
We need to work around players.

That being said, there is one line I will use with a catcher that wants to keep blocking me...

"Catch...help me call strikes"

[HugoTafurst]

I run across the same situation and play with the similar choices EXCEPT:
I keep in mind that NEITHER the batter (legally) crowding the plate, nor the catcher (legally) setting up inside is any excuse for me to punish by favoring one or the other. (as tempting as it may be )

What I see, I see, What is, is...... I calls em as I sees em

[KJUmp]

mikeref....good post as it's an issue we all have to deal with from time to time.
I follow Bret's approach (with a tendency to set just a bit higher) and for the reason Andy mentioned....wanting to see the pitch from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand.
Like others have mentioned, I just keep my mouth shut and don't ask players to move/adjust for me.

[BretMan]

It is rare for me to ever say anything to a catcher about her positioning. This past weekend I did. Had a catcher who liked to play up close to the plate. I could adjust to that by working a little higher.

But she had a habit of then raising up out of her stance about halfway, just as the pitcher was getting ready to pitch, and totally blocking my view of the plate. When she did that, I had two choices: Either make a quick "on the fly" adjustment to see the plate, or guess a little bit on the pitch location. "Guessing" isn't always as bad as it sounds, because it will at least be an educated guess. I know where I'm set up in relation to the plate...and the plate doesn't move!

My preference is to be in one spot and still while a pitch is delivered and for that one spot to be one where I can see the whole plate.

When this catcher made some comments about inside pitches, I told her that she could set up wherever she wanted to and that I wasn't telling her where to set up or how to play her position. But I did let her know that standing up like that and totally blocking my view wasn't helping her own cause one little bit. She quit doing it after that.

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by BretMan

It is rare for me to ever say anything to a catcher about her positioning. This past weekend I did. Had a catcher who liked to play up close to the plate. I could adjust to that by working a little higher.

But she had a habit of then raising up out of her stance about halfway, just as the pitcher was getting ready to pitch, and totally blocking my view of the plate. When she did that, I had two choices: Either make a quick "on the fly" adjustment to see the plate, or guess a little bit on the pitch location. "Guessing" isn't always as bad as it sounds, because it will at least be an educated guess. I know where I'm set up in relation to the plate...and the plate doesn't move!

My preference is to be in one spot and still while a pitch is delivered and for that one spot to be one where I can see the whole plate.

When this catcher made some comments about inside pitches, I told her that she could set up wherever she wanted to and that I wasn't telling her where to set up or how to play her position. But I did let her know that standing up like that and totally blocking my view wasn't helping her own cause one little bit. She quit doing it after that.

As with everything, there are always exceptions, that's why a lot of times I put those cop out phrases, like "generally" in my answers...
As in "generally" I don't like to tell a player where to play.
There are always exceptions to the rule..
As long as wekeep them in perspective, Things are good.

[justcallmeblue]

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst

I run across the same situation and play with the similar choices EXCEPT:
I keep in mind that NEITHER the batter (legally) crowding the plate, nor the catcher (legally) setting up inside is any excuse for me to punish by favoring one or the other. (as tempting as it may be )

What I see, I see, What is, is...... I calls em as I sees em

Fully agree. . . .I set up in my normal spot regardless, I also want to see that if the batter gets HIT, that she doesnt have a part of her body that prevents the ball from entering the strike zone.

Had a situation in a 12U 0-2 count. Batter was up in the box, crowding the plate and in a low crouch. . .KNEE was over the batters box and just about over the inside part of the plate. She got plunked in the knee (only reason I saw it was because I didnt change my spot). Pitch was def. a strike. Coach wanted to know why I called it a strike and didnt call it HBP. . .I said "ASA. . .Look up Section 7, 'Strike is called' and its somewhere in there coach, dont have the time to look it up for you. . Gimme a batter" After the inning, he apologized.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by justcallmeblue

...Coach wanted to know why I called it a strike and didnt call it HBP. . .I said "ASA. . .Look up Section 7, 'Strike is called' and its somewhere in there coach, dont have the time to look it up for you. . Gimme a batter" After the inning, he apologized.

I would've just said, "Her knee was in the strike zone, coach."

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I would've just said, "Her knee was in the strike zone, coach."

Ditto.
Is " over the batters box and just about over the inside part of the plate" in the strike zone?

[JefferMC]

The ball can be a millimeter or two in the strike zone and contact a knee several inches from the strike zone, i.e the rule says

When a legally pitched ball hits the batter while the ball is in the strike zone.

not that the batter is contacted by a pitch while the batter is in the strike zone.

[justcallmeblue]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Ditto.
Is " over the batters box and just about over the inside part of the plate" in the strike zone?

7:4:M - When a pitched ball is prevented from entering the strike zone by any actions of the batter, other than hitting the ball

So I see this as, the ball was going to enter the strike zone if she hadnt been crowding the plate with her knee almost on the inside corner. . .In my book this is a strike.

[justcallmeblue]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I would've just said, "Her knee was in the strike zone, coach."

Sorry, that was said prior to the explanation. . .I forget I have to be extremely detailed on this forum. . .cant leave anything out. . .lol

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by justcallmeblue

Sorry, that was said prior to the explanation. . .I forget I have to be extremely detailed on this forum. . .cant leave anything out. . .lol

Well, when you leave out the reasonable response and only state the wise-*** response, what do you expect?