Umpires: Call a STRIKE ZONE

If you are saying any piece of the ball at the naval, then that is basically "by the book" since the "whole ball" would be below the sternum... which is what the defined zone is.

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Thats the definition for college ball, the top of the zone for ASA is the armpits.

Mrek said:

Are you saying that the "whole ball" should be below the naval?
Because, by the book, the whole ball has to be inside the zone at the top.

If you are saying any piece of the ball at the naval, then that is basically "by the book" since the "whole ball" would be below the sternum... which is what the defined zone is.

And as for pitching strategy...

See the batter crowd the plate... pound them in on the hands and up and in over the bat handle.
Mix in a front-door curve started at their hip.
And don't worry about drilling them. It takes 4 hit batters to score a run.

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Exactly what is happening against the real good pitchers who know how my DD hits. They know she wants outside pitches because she was dumb enough to tell a reporter for the newspaper last spring how she likes outside pitches, after a HS playoff HR.

Now she is getting busted high and inside. No-one says this stuff is easy, as she will have to learn again how to crank on the inside pitches like she could when she was young.

Listen folks, I feel for the pitchers. These hitters like mine are lifting weights, grew up in 60 mph batting cages, and like the 43 foot distance. There are very few pitchers anymore who can shut down great hitting teams. The hitters have caught up, and passed, the pitchers. I like it, but it is just the pendulum swinging back and forth.

I can see why the pitchers want a true (larger) zone. They need it to work.

And work pitchers have to do. For us hitters we just threw her in a cage twice a week, 30 minutes at a time, when 7,8,9,10,11 and watched, maybe had lunch.

mizunomp37 said:

Its disheartening to see my DD, and all pitchers who work their butts off to hit corners in a game only to be called balls. Usually they end up throwing down the middle, which goes against what they were taught by their PC's.

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It also goes against the fence trying to hold balls in the park.

Just when I thought the limits to condescension and superiority were in the high school sb thread.....

CJ D said:

Just when I thought the limits to condescension and superiority were in the high school sb thread.....

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Yeah, sure you are right.

But I don't complain the umpires are against me. Or the rules stink. Or drop f-bombs. Or call folks out. Not that you have done any of these things.

And sure, I much prefer HS softball, over travel. But then again, we have a humungous travel tourney local this weekend to play in.

And much like many on these boards ... live a fantasy world watching DD play softball. Go to a fantasy message board and share.

And no, my DD is not great. Her arm sucks, her defense is questionable, and her mind is like a sandlot player only playing when she wants. Not working as hard as the others. Colleges are not knocking on the door because she is not interested.

So what I say. I have two more years to watch her hit, and be feared, against the best pitchers around. D1's abound. And if she would ever grow up, and really want to play college softball, it is not too late for the ON button.

Until then, I will have to watch her go 3B, 2B, 2B, HR, 2B, 1B, BB, ROE, in 12 AB's like 2 weeks ago in 18U/A. She hits because she played baseball thru major 12's. Lived in a cage to keep up with the boys. Started at 4, and never a T. Never took to softball, like baseball, and sometimes making boys cry. Never took a batting lesson in her life. When 9, while facing 55 mph the boys threw from 40 ft, was told numerous times by self proclaimed pro baseball scouts "she has the best swing I have ever seen, don't let anyone change a thing". Oh wait, there I go again.

SCDad said:

Have watched thousands of pitches.

Anything above the navel is suspect. At the letters is a ball. This under the armpits stuff is pure fantasy. Kneecaps a strike, below that, a ball.

Outside pitches get called strike a full ball width out, sometimes more. Inside pitches by the book.

That is what is being called at the highest level of softball. Stick your head in a "book" if you want, and complain because your DD is a pitcher.

Or go to the ballpark, watch closely, and ADAPT ... quit bitchin ... and learn how to win.

As a hitter ... crowd the plate ... make the outside pitches your bread and butter DEEP, opposite field. Fight off, or jump on inside pitches. Lay off any rise ball, as you can tell by the release. Jump on low fast/drop balls in the zone. That is how you hit at the highest level. Battle the change-ups, as many drop out of the zone at the plate.

From a right handed power hitter.

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I was going to keep out of this but you brought me back in...

If the majority of umpires gave the zone you just defined - knees to just below navel, inside on the plate and outside just off it I would be FINE and the ones that have zones like this I am more than fine with. That is a reasonable sized strike zone - not exactly rule book but realistic and something that a pitcher could find and work with. This is NOT what I am talking about.

And yes - as someone whose DD pitches, there is a reasonable gripe with a small zone. A hitter doesn't have to swing - or even better only has to swing at BP type pitches - and be successful if the choices the pitcher has is walk a batter or serve up a meatball thigh high down the middle in the hope of a strike call. 'Throw down the middle so they can plow you to the fence' is not an adaptation a pitcher should have to make.

And as a 'batters' dad you have the right to the exact opposite - if they are calling a HUGE zone that is not right for the batter - the choice of striking out on a ball by your eyes or hitting a weak ball on something WAY outside the zone is not acceptable either.

Now you may be involved in the age groups where you are consistently getting the better umpires assigned to your games and are consistently getting a zone like you defined - we are not yet (just moved to 12U). One week last year we accidentally got the 16U/18U umps at our fields due to a mix up and it was amazing what a difference that day was.

I wish we got just below the naval this weekend. Had one who had a strike zone the size of a dinner plate. Had to be thrown straight down the middle, above knee below belt. Yet a few times the other team would pitch outside and the catcher would dive out to get it and he would call a strike. Happened three times. I finally said something to myself in the direction of LF in frustration. He heard me....I was later ejected from the field for "Not leaving the field quickly enough when we already had two offensive coaches on the field". I suppose I made him mad.