Umpire would NOT call strikes

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Sep 10, 2013
603
0
DD"s team played their final showcase this past weekend.
while it was good DD's team went 5-1, one umpire just would not call strikes!

when DD"s catcher asked, why, he said:

"You're not catching the ball out in front so i'm not going to call it"

huh? what the heck does that mean?
anyone?
 
Jan 26, 2015
92
8
Southeast
I'm not sure either but it seems that there are some good and some bad. The bad ones are really frustrating. This weekend, ump not calling outside in the river nor over the corner. Catcher told coach it's on the outside corner and in the river but he's not calling it. Pitching coaches teach girls to live on the corners. If they can't then they get frustrated and make mistakes, like throwing fat and get one hit back in the facemask. Just venting.....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
 
Feb 28, 2015
307
28
Heatbox
DD2 had an ump Sat. nite that would not or didn't know how to call a change up for a strike. HC almost got tossed for getting after him.
 
Sep 10, 2013
603
0
DD ended up throwing something closer to center (FAT) that got hit. but i still don't understand what the heck the UMP meant by "Not catching it in front"?
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
DD ended up throwing something closer to center (FAT) that got hit. but i still don't understand what the heck the UMP meant by "Not catching it in front"?

"In front" means the catcher's arm extended is forward (towards the pitcher) when the pitch is received, instead of letting the ball travel farther and catching it closer to the body. This comment by the ump tells me that he's paying more attention to where the ball is caught than where it passes through the strike zone.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
We had an umpire that refused to call a strike when DD pitched, no one including TD had any clue why. We had to pull her which was no big deal.

Showcase tourney it would have became an Issue.
 
Sep 10, 2013
603
0
yep. it was a showcase tourny. but, considering that we got assigned to a less-than-desirable venue in Myrtle beach, it didn't matter much.

honestly, i don't know how assigning of venues happens. we pay the same amount, but the 'more visible, popular or whatever adjective' teams get assigned to the better venues like Cal Ripken.
 
Sep 10, 2013
603
0
"In front" means the catcher's arm extended is forward (towards the pitcher) when the pitch is received, instead of letting the ball travel farther and catching it closer to the body. This comment by the ump tells me that he's paying more attention to where the ball is caught than where it passes through the strike zone.

which i think, is wrong, right?
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Of course it is wrong, if your pitcher can move the ball the batter should not have a chance once they figure it out. ��
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
which i think, is wrong, right?

Correct pitch calling by the umpire should be uninfluenced by where/how/if the ball is caught. That said, umpires are human (most of the time, anyway), and perceptions can sometimes be influenced, which is why good catchers put a ton of time into improving their receiving skills.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,477
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top