Strike Zone

[RubberBiscuit]

I want that Little League strike zone!

You can drive a bus through that sucker!!

 

[NorthMS]

What drives me nuts is when the umpire takes it upon themselves to give the weaker pitchers a break. We play 8U rec ball, and my daughter pitches well, and the strike zone for her is very small, they require the ball to be fully over the plate and she doesn't get calls over the belt much, then we get to bat and they call them at the ankles to the chin and a few inches on either side of the plate. A lot of the pitchers are having trouble even getting it there, but that is not my batter's problem. (well it is when we get these clowns)

I don't really want them expanding the strike zone for my daughter, I prefer they make her work for it .. but I don't want my batters to have to swing at everything because the other teams pitcher is awful. I mean sometimes it so obvious the other coaches are astounded in how different the strikezone is for our pitcher versus theirs.

I want my daughter to work and find the corners, but there are days when they will not call anything except center of the plate (luckily she has fantastic speed for an 8 year old) while the other pitcher gets anything in the air that reaches the plate.

End of my rant, but its hard enough adjusting from umpire to umpire but when they call each half inning different its maddening.

If I had an 8u rec pitcher with fantastic speed and can locate on the corners, I tell the ump to call however he likes. It won't make a difference in the outcome.

Regarding the OP, the strike zone is what the ump calls. As long as they're consistent ( I know this doesn't always happen), adjust to it. I tell my DD (pitcher), if they give you a ball just off the plate for a strike, see if they'll give you 2 balls off the plate.

 

[softballphreak]

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.

Umpires have a strike zone—batters should have a hitting zone!

 

[GOINGDEEP]

The key is communication. Previous batters should be communicating with next on the zone. Pitchers and catchers do ( or should ) every few innings on where the zone is or has moved to. Coaches should be aware of all the above and.........coach their players where to exploit the zone or defend it.

 

[josh]

If I had an 8u rec pitcher with fantastic speed and can locate on the corners, I tell the ump to call however he likes. It won't make a difference in the outcome.

Regarding the OP, the strike zone is what the ump calls. As long as they're consistent ( I know this doesn't always happen), adjust to it. I tell my DD (pitcher), if they give you a ball just off the plate for a strike, see if they'll give you 2 balls off the plate.

It doesn't affect the outcome, at least it didn't last season, I'm good with them calling it tight for her, she needs to work for it, but throwing every pitch down the center strikes out 8 year olds facing 37-41 mph pitches from 28 feet, Its not a habit that is a recipe for success at the next level.

On the other hand, I don't have a team filled with all great players and I have 5-9 year old girls batting that want a chance at a hittable pitch and not be called out on strikes when the ball is so far outside they can't reach it, or at their ankle bones.

The best umpires are consistent, that is really all I want, give both sets of batters and pitchers a fair chance, don't penalize my batters with a huge strike zone because their pitcher needs work.