Strike Zone

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Feb 12, 2014
244
16
I have worked very hard to teach my DD the strikezone, and it fustrates her/me when umpires take it upon themselves to modify the strikezone.

Why do umpires feel its acceptable to expand / modify the strikezone ? Speeding the game up to me is not a legitmate reason.
 
Dec 23, 2009
791
0
San Diego
What age group? When I first started umpiring and was assigned 8U, I was told to call "nose to toes" because everyone wants the girls to swing...which teaches them habits that take years to break as they get older...

Obviously the strike zone changes a little based on the size of the batter but the basic "bottom of the letters to the top of the knees" should remain constant...but it won't...haven't seen a strike called above the belt in a long time but I've seen a lot called at the ankles.

I don't think the retiring old-timers are being replaced by new blood learning how to call fastpitch so the UICs are having to turn to baseball umpires more and more...JMO.
 
Feb 12, 2014
244
16
14yr old playing 16U - She his .680 this year for JV school ball as an 8th grader & .475 for 16U travel ball - the kid knows the zone !

She gets alot of outside strikes called on her because she crowds the plate, I have had an umpire tell me he will open up the outside of the plate even more when a kid crowds the plate to make it fair. I almost lost it when he told me this !
 
Jul 26, 2010
3,567
0
You forgot to teach her that the strike zone changes. She's supposed to watch and pay attention to the other batters and she is supposed to communicate with her teammates after each of their at bats to understand what is being thrown and what is being called. If she is a lead-off hitter she isn't supposed to be picky and wait for princess pitches, she's supposed to work the pitcher and foul a lot of pitches off before putting something in play.

Now go teach her right.

-W
 
Mar 13, 2010
960
0
Columbus, Ohio
What age group? When I first started umpiring and was assigned 8U, I was told to call "nose to toes" because everyone wants the girls to swing...which teaches them habits that take years to break as they get older...

Obviously the strike zone changes a little based on the size of the batter but the basic "bottom of the letters to the top of the knees" should remain constant...but it won't...haven't seen a strike called above the belt in a long time but I've seen a lot called at the ankles.

I don't think the retiring old-timers are being replaced by new blood learning how to call fastpitch so the UICs are having to turn to baseball umpires more and more...JMO.

Must be a regional thing.

I see strikes called above the belt all the time.

We don't use baseball umpires to cover any of our tournaments or leagues.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
We had a blue with the worlds smallest zones for the last two tournaments we've been to. As a pitching coach, I teach the pitchers (and batters) that the zone is a matter of interpretation and to learn that blues zone asap. However when his zone is so small that the batters learn to not even attempt to swing if the ball isn't dead red...that's a problem!
 
Oct 19, 2009
1,277
38
beyond the fences
It is impossible to teach the strike zone as it varies from Umpire to Umpire.
You can however, teach them to adjust on the fly. Pitchers and catchers should
always keep the offense aware of locations that blue is calling for strikes. If you
are the visiting team, the top of the order should do exactly the same thing so
the entire lineup can adapt quickly.
 

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