Same Ump - Different Strike Zone

[LostinNJ]

DD (10 YO) is one of the faster pitchers in our area. I've noticed over the past few tourneys that she's getting less called strikes than the opposing pitcher who is throwing slower. I'm sitting from the side and normally would assume that the ball missed left or right but the PU in some games would indicate where the pitch missed with his hands high or low yet the opposing pitcher would put the ball in the same spot and get the called strike.

Has anyone else experienced different expectations from umps where there was a significant difference in speed? DD doesn't get frustrated, she just knows she needs to put it down the middle to get the called strike when needed. Other parents and our coaches have noted the inconsistencies, but I tell them there's nothing we can do, that DD just has to try to adjust.

 

[quincy]

As a parent of a pitcher, I think it goes both ways.

 

[Bubrox]

Lot of times the ump will give a wider zone to the pitcher he thinks is not as good as the other. I think they do this to try to level the playing field and make the game closer.

 

[YOCOACH]

I have seen this often at the younger ages and absolutely disagree with it...even in rec ball. IMO, the only way to truly level the playing field is to hold both pitchers to the same strike zone. If one is better than the other, then it lets the other pitcher know how much more work she need to put in. Again, IMO, the umpires job is to enforce the rules and call balls, strikes and outs. Nowhere does it say in the rulebook their job is to "level the playing field."

 

[RetiredCoach]

Last year in 12U, my DD pitched a game where the umpire was really squeezing the zone on her. The opposing pitcher who, obviously, was not as advanced as my DD, was getting all the calls it seemed. Due to this favoritism we lost the game by one run. I ended up catching up to this umpire later in the tournament and having a friendly conversation with him. He complimented my DD's pitching and, basically, admitted that he was harder on her because she was so good.

I, personally, think that both pitchers should have the same strike zone called but, of course, we know that a lot of these umps are going to do what they feel like, rule book or not.

 

[quandofloo]

Some of it is leveling the playing field but I think some of it also comes down to umpire inexperience. The 10U age group is going to get a lot of younger umpires that are just learning to. A 45 mph fastball from 35 feet is hard to pick up and catchers at that age are not great at staying out of an umpire's field of view. If a ball is coming in that fast and the catcher jumps to catch it then it is going to make it harder to tell if it caught the corner or not. A slower pitch that the catcher didn't have to jump in front of to catch is easier to locate and call correctly.

 

[quincy]

Batter turns to the umpire and says “Sir, I know you didn’t see it either but that did not sound like a strike to me”.

 

[sluggers]

Other parents and our coaches have noted the inconsistencies, but I tell them there's nothing we can do, that DD just has to try to adjust.

It is frustrating. There is no use to dwell on it. 10U umpires are rarely the best of the best.

Ignore what the other parents say and enjoy some sunflower seeds.

 

[RetiredCoach]

Batter turns to the umpire and says “Sir, I know you didn’t see it either but that did not sound like a strike to me”.

Not sure if this is true but I heard that way back when in major league baseball, Walter Johnson one of the all time greatest pitchers, was pitching on a foggy day, his catcher snuck three balls into his jersey. Walter pretended to pitch and the catcher slapped his glove with one of the balls. "Strike one!" The ump called. He did this two more times. The last time the batter didn't wait for the call. He just walked back to the dugout.

 

[GoCaboNow]

DD is nine and fastest, by far, in the interlock of six teams in our little league. Most are every new and throw in the 20's, a few in the 30's and dd in the 40's. Coincidence or not, the younger PU's, like HS age, give a more consistent zone than the older ones. I think the older ones have kids, or whatever, and are more sympathetic to the newer pitcher. HS age PU has not developed any Maternal/Paternal instinct, and that cute kid lobbing the ball towards home is just a pitcher. It is what it is and DD just has to deal with it. Is just a rec game. The tourney her asa team just played, the PU's were more consistent to each pitcher, though some had a lower strike zone than other PU's.