tips for low strikes
 

I have always struggled with pitches on the low end of the strike zone, I setup with my eye level at the top of the batters strike zone. Anyone have any tips for calling that strike at the lower end of the strike zone?

There are no magic answers but experience. Here are a couple of things I look for:

--The position of the catcher's glove. If she turns it up, it has my attention. It doens't mean it can't be a strike, but it is an indication
--The height of the batter--tall girls generally have taller knees
--the motion of the ball. If it is dropping, the catcher can catch it lower than if it is not

Used to kill me to. If I missed a pitch in a game......it was a low one.

Best advice........Sloooowwww Down.

Joel

Great advice Joel....I delay my calls about a half second - there is no rush to call it as it hits the catcher's glove. The extra half second give you a chance to replay it in your head and really determine if it was low.

I also use the catcher's body as a good indicator. Usually - not always - but usually, the catcher's knees are at the bottom of the strike zone. Check this next time you set up for a batter. If this is the case, and the catcher catches a ball any lower than her knees, it's a ball. Usually the top of the catcher's helmet is the top of the zone. Usually. Check again to see. If she catches it above her head, ball.

It's not the "be all and end all", but it can be a guide.

I'm 5'5" so low strikes are not a problem for me.

Your best piece of advice is to PAUSE, then CALL.

Hope this helps.

I had the same problem the first few years I umpired. I got a lot of grief from coaches for my low strike calls, and probably deservedly so. I got the same advise as above several years ago, experience and slooowwww down.

I think this may cause you some greif on a drop ball, as the ball can easily be above the knees at the front of the plate and well below by the catcher's glove. But you did say it wasn't the "be all and end all."

While you are absolutely correct, there is also a component of umpiring called "survivability".

If you have a pitcher that throws a lot of drop balls, they may very well be a strike at the front of the plate, but caught much closer to the ground by the catcher. If the PU is consistantly calling those pitches strikes, it could lead to some chirping or more by players and coaches that you may have to deal with and just make the game an unpleasant experience.

Before anybody goes off on me, I'm NOT saying that the game should be called to avoid unpleasant situations. I'm saying that this is something to think about.

From a pitching perspective, the philosophy of throwing the drop (or the rise) is generally not to get called strikes, but to get the batter to swing and miss. Most drop balls or risers are thrown out of the strike zone.

How about visualizing where the zone is as the batter sets up, then judging if it went into that space (maybe with slight adjustment of position). I think that approximates my technique and I almost never get complaints (about pitches).

Except of course for the high changeup that drops on the catcher after the plate. ;) :)

The rise ball needs to be thrown out of the strike zone, or it gets another name: Home Run. If the pitcher can't throw a drop for a called strike, then the batters learn not to swing at a ball with drop spin, but yes, a pitcher with effective drop ball gets a lot of empty swings.

Are you talking about a change up that drops through the back of the zone or something else? Rarely do I see these called a strike.

I don't get any grief on a drop ball that is in the strike zone - it's usually swung on and missed. :) I also did say that it's just a guide...and I don't call anything to please anyone. I call em the way I see em. But using that reference point usually, usually works nicely.

Not always, and in those cases, I adjust. (tall batter, drop ball, rise, etc.) I track the pitch all the way in, and I feel I have a very fair and CONSISTENT zone.

To get back to the OP, it was asked for help on the low strikes/pitches. And this is one decent way I have found that has helped me, besides slowing down and watching the ball all the way in.

To each their own. Just be consistent and you should be okay. But to improve your view, consider what's been discussed.

Besides setting my eyes at the top and just inside the zone, I adjust the lower bar of my mask to help me "mark" the batter's knee by raising or lowering my chin after my head position is set. It helps give a bit of a visual.

Another hint during your delay of your call, is to ask yourself "did I see any catcher's movement of her glove, to bring the caught ball into the strike zone?" Most likely your call may be a ball.

you can also reference the bottom of the pant leg (the ones that end just below the knee) whole ball above and I have a Strike. This helped me drop my strike zone down by 1 ball. It was a great tip from a long time blue.