SEC Strike Zone Discussed by Announcers during MIZZ/BAMA Game

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STRIKE3

STRIKE3

Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
"Observation on pitching

The announcers pointed out repeated that the size of the SEC strike zone has shrunk to a point where batters can afford to sit and wait on pitches. By rule pitches thrown between the knees and the bottom of the sternum that are over the plate should be called strikes. This isn’t happening. As a result, pitchers such as Alabama’s Alexis Osorio are being forced to throw many more pitches per game, and the batter has an unfair advantage."

Quote above from following:

http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2017/4/2/15153122/demi-turner-injured-as-tide-evens-series-with-mizzou


Still waiting to hear an update on Demi.
 
riseball

riseball

Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Jake found this out as soon as she arrived at SC. She quickly realized that she was not going to get the front corner of the plate on her 2 seam which was her go to pitch. Pitching in the SEC is a very difficult proposition.
 
Last edited:
Coach JV

Coach JV

Oct 19, 2009
1,277
38
beyond the fences
Pitching in college takes on a life of its own. To be successful, dd needs to throw outside black from the bottom of the knee to mid thigh.
It is rare that a strike is called at the belt or above, of course good hitters drill pitches at the belt so this becomes a non-issue. Once girls go beyond 14U
it is rare to see strikes at the sternum
 
riseball

riseball

Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Coach JV said:
Pitching in college takes on a life of its own. To be successful, dd needs to throw outside black from the bottom of the knee to mid thigh.
It is rare that a strike is called at the belt or above, of course good hitters drill pitches at the belt so this becomes a non-issue. Once girls go beyond 14U
it is rare to see strikes at the sternum
Click to expand...

Very true. Unfortunately without the front corner in play if you are throwing a breaking ball that is moving away from the plate you need to get the full ball over the front corner so it can move off the plate at the back corner. A full ball on any part of the plate means "hammer time". So in order to be effective you may need to go back door with the ball moving into the zone at the rear corner, which properly executed is a great pitch. However, that that approach is risky on the inside and downright nuts, even dangerous on the outside.
 
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knightsb

knightsb

Jun 18, 2010
2,624
38
I see the zone getting squeezed outside the SEC as well. I went to Kansas to see KU vs OU to watch Paige Parker pitch. I was sitting right behind home plate. If the ball wasn't over the white, it wasn't getting called a strike, and forget anything above the belt. Even changeups that were falling off the table, that were over the white weren't getting called (I'm assuming because they were too low).
 
M

MoparFin

Mar 29, 2017
155
18
We were watching Washington vs UCLA last night. My DD2, a 2nd year 12u pitcher, was amazed when a pitch was right down the middle. right under the letters wasn't a strike.
 
R

reagansdaddy

Feb 12, 2014
648
43
This is something my DD has noticed and commented about watching games. It goes beyond the SEC as well.

I personally don't think it's a good thing for softball.
 
J

Joe Kraemer

Mar 26, 2014
6
1
It has trickled down to the high school level around here. Last year on the athletic unions web site one of the main points was the strike zone was to be from the sternum to the knees. No one must have got the memo cause it stayed from just above the belt to the knees.
 
T

The Maj

Jul 25, 2015
148
0
Lol, I sat and watched a HS game last week where the strike zone was knees to ankles, anything slightly above the knees and higher was a ball... I will say, I watched several games with that ump behind the plate and she was consistent but what she was calling strikes were not strikes... Luckily DD#2 HS coach was smart enough to pick up on it and used it as an advantage but it was still an absolute travesty (I saw a lot of REALLY good pitchers getting frustrated having strikes called balls) and was almost a mockery of the game...

I can see squeezing the strike zone at the college level some but it seems to have gotten a little out of hand, just from where I sit...
 
coach james

coach james

Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
I'm starting to see this as low as 12u. Umps wanted the entire ball over the white and nothing above the belt. "pitching" was off the table... All we could do was throw cookies. The only prayer we had was to mix speeds... its getting ridiculous!!!!
 
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