crowding the plate

[mikeref]

one of my constant struggles when working the dish is how to call pitches when the batter crowds the plate. the batter is leaning over the plate literally blocking my view of the pitcher's delivery. I work the slot dilligently, but when I have the batter on top of the inside line of the batter's box, I sometimes can not pick up the ball clearly until it explodes into the catchers mit. I find this very uncomfortable. I have tried adjusting my position behind the catcher, but the more I adjust, the more irratic my zone becomes. I have found the best way to deal with this without moving out of the slot, is to get as low as I possibly can to see the pitcher's delivery. However I can only go so low! Interested to get other perspectives on this issue and how you may handle this situation. thanks

[tcannizzo]

Originally Posted by mikeref

one of my constant struggles when working the dish is how to call pitches when the batter crowds the plate. the batter is leaning over the plate literally blocking my view of the pitcher's delivery. I work the slot dilligently, but when I have the batter on top of the inside line of the batter's box, I sometimes can not pick up the ball clearly until it explodes into the catchers mit. I find this very uncomfortable. I have tried adjusting my position behind the catcher, but the more I adjust, the more irratic my zone becomes. I have found the best way to deal with this without moving out of the slot, is to get as low as I possibly can to see the pitcher's delivery. However I can only go so low! Interested to get other perspectives on this issue and how you may handle this situation. thanks

Don't adjust!
Don't try to compensate for a reduced field of vision by looking at where the pitch hits the catcher's mitt.
All you need to see is where the pitch comes in over the plate and in the strike zone or not.
You write that you can "only get so low"...well get as low as you are supposed to, and if all you can see is below the batter's elbows, then you have a frame of reference to the strike zone and make your call.

[NCASAUmp]

My $0.02: if the batter is crowding the plate that much that s/he's blocking your view of the pitcher, then it's not your fault if you miss an illegal pitch on the delivery. You can't call what you can't see, and if the OC asks you why you missed it, tell them, "coach, your batter was blocking my view."

And when the pitch comes in, call it as best you can. Maybe that pitcher didn't miss the corner as much as the batter thinks it did.

[BretMan]

I just slide a few inches over toward the plate.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by BretMan

I just slide a few inches over toward the plate.

This is the approach I take as well. I want to track the pitch from the pitcher's hand all the way to the mitt.

Keep in mind that since the batter is the one forcing you out of optimum position, that the benefit of the doubt should go to the pitcher.

I also believe that if the batter is crowding the plate, there is VERY little room for an inside pitch that doesn't hit the batter to be a ball....if you understand what I'm sayin.....

[tcannizzo]

Originally Posted by Andy

This is the approach I take as well. I want to track the pitch from the pitcher's hand all the way to the mitt.

Keep in mind that since the batter is the one forcing you out of optimum position, that the benefit of the doubt should go to the pitcher.

I also believe that if the batter is crowding the plate, there is VERY little room for an inside pitch that doesn't hit the batter to be a ball....if you understand what I'm sayin.....

How about when the batter is crowding and catcher sets up inside.
Slight adjustment is probably what I do as well, but I try to hold as much as possible.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by mikeref

one of my constant struggles when working the dish is how to call pitches when the batter crowds the plate. the batter is leaning over the plate literally blocking my view of the pitcher's delivery. I work the slot dilligently, but when I have the batter on top of the inside line of the batter's box, I sometimes can not pick up the ball clearly until it explodes into the catchers mit. I find this very uncomfortable. I have tried adjusting my position behind the catcher, but the more I adjust, the more irratic my zone becomes. I have found the best way to deal with this without moving out of the slot, is to get as low as I possibly can to see the pitcher's delivery. However I can only go so low! Interested to get other perspectives on this issue and how you may handle this situation. thanks

Easy. Call strikes.