home plate

[Dakota]

Originally posted by mick

A strike that enters the front of the zone and exits the back of the zone is rare on the local level.

A strike is likely to enter the top of the zone and exit the lower back or bottom of the zone.
...

A catcher is most likely going to initally touch the ball on the first bounce.
[/B]

These are important points. Sometimes we talk about the little kids games as if we are expanding the zone in the normal way. While I have done only a few 10U games, I have done a lot of 12U rec ball, and the skill of the pitchers is comparable.

I sympathize with the coach who has been teaching his hitters out to have discipline at the plate, and then have to deal with "high" strikes. I have no doubt some umpires call a high zone at this level (i.e. out of the book zone, but hittable), but I would guess most are like me... calling the full zone with a arcing pitch.

Consider this: with young kids, a ball can catch the top of the zone and still be at chin level visually from the fans perspective as the batter is in her crouch.

Add this: if the pitch has any arc at all, it can enter the plate area at the eyes or higher and drop well into the zone at the rear of the plate.

Add this: with these slow pitchers, the coach will frequently put the batter forward in the batter's box. The zone stays above the plate.

Add this: with low arcing pitches, it is not at all unusual to have a low strike end in the dirt before it gets to the catcher. At this level, I have seen many, many low "in the zone" pitches actually hit the back of the plate.