strike zone:am I too sensitve?

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Little Jimmy
a. Called strike. Batter turns around and calmly says "that was high blue".

b. Called ball. Belt high. Barely inside, but inside. Pitcher looks in and says "can I ask where that one was?"

c. Called ball. Low. Catcher, without looking around, says loudly "oh my God!"

d. Called strike. Coach yells at batter " you might as well swing. He's going to call a strike anyway.

Each incident was handled with a warning and no further complaints.

Much depends, IMO, on the overall attitude, not just the comments. Comments about balls and strikes are part of the game. I'm talking about "comments" not "arguing." I think we are being too sensitive if we want total silence from the players / coaches / (and especially) the fans about the judgment calls we make.

Notice the final statement that I exerpted from your post... if you issued no warning and there were no further complaints, then you acted properly, IMO.


OTOH, if a. and c. were from the same player (once while at bat, the other while catching), then an immediate warning to the catcher after c. would be in order - something to the effect of "Catcher, if you want to see the end of this game, you'd better get control of yourself."

Also, attitude comes into play. If the pitcher in b. has shown no tendancy to show me up, I might take her request at face value and say quietly to the catcher, "Catcher, the pitch was inside. She needs to hit the corner to get the call." While I am not obligated to say this, and some would say I shouldn't say it, I believe (particularly with the youth players which I call exclusively), it lets them know what they need to do.

OTOH, if this pitcher was obviously trying to show me up, then an immediate warning is in order (first offense) and ejection for further outbursts. (Again, I'm talking youth players.)

Of your examples, d. is the only one that would trigger an immediate reaction from me. A coach yelling loudly such a statement is obviously trying to show me up or intimidate me. My action would range from standing up, taking my mask of, and giving the coach "the look" (VERY effective, I have found), to a verbal warning, to an ejection if this was a second offense. Again, with youth teams, I try very hard to keep the coach in the game - but he can eject himself.

I agree with DTTB's comments that many times the coaches are giving the players (especially the pitcher) encouragement, rather than arguing balls and strikes. If she is having a hard time hitting the zone, they want her to know how "close" she is & to keep trying. Or, as Tony said, a "good pitch" is many times an off-speed or drop pitch or some such that was intended to get the batter to swing rather than get a called strike.

Anyway, long-winded I know, but those are some of my thoughts.