Crowding the plate

[The Man In Blue]

I have agreed that there are umpires who don’t make this call, but ... brace yourselves ... I would also point out that the umpire looking through the strike zone has a better perception than *gasp* the coach looking on from the side. I would wager that more often than the ump missing it, it is not in the zone.

For those who feel the need to point it out, I am much more willing to entertain that question from the catcher or the pitcher (who also have the right view) than Coach Bucketbottom.

 

[Change the plane]

I have agreed that there are umpires who don’t make this call, but ... brace yourselves ... I would also point out that the umpire looking through the strike zone has a better perception than *gasp* the coach looking on from the side. I would wager that more often than the ump missing it, it is not in the zone.

For those who feel the need to point it out, I am much more willing to entertain that question from the catcher or the pitcher (who also have the right view) than Coach Bucketbottom.

Thanks MIB - that’s what I am looking to do here - get DD to understand the right situation when she should work with her catcher to discuss with the umpire if she feels there is a discussion to be had

 

[inumpire]

I want to give that first part a “like” but the second part is keeping me from doing that. A pitcher should not be aiming at the batter and we should never be encouraging that. Throw a strike. You know where the plate is and it is yours. What the batter does is the batter’s problem.

Sorry, I wasn’t encouraging the pitcher to throw at the batter, I should have clarified it a little better. Throw on the inside of the plate if she crowds it, and if she doesn’t get off the plate and swing and gets it, that is her issue.
When I stated ”throw at the hands” it is more of a figure of speech. As a pitching coach taught my DD when there is a slapper at the plate throw the pitch in the area of the hands, that is the smallest part of the bat, and slapper hate it there as they cannot control the ball With the small part of the bat. But that is whole different thread.

 

[uncdrew]

Does this usually go well? I'm just wondering how the umpires we see (mid-level 12U was our last completed year - 14u now but so far all fall has rained out and we haven't played a single game) compare to the rest of the country. I know that I would drive the 5 hours to go play in Franklin, TN PGF tourneys anytime. We played one of those this past spring and were so impressed with the officials. VERY different from what we're used to.

Yikes. We've managed 4 tourneys this fall. Two rain outs. Bad luck (as I believe we're in the same part of the country).

 

[ferry043]

DD (1st year 16U) pitched in a tourney over the weekend. Yesterday she had a batter crowd the plate on her the most she ever has had - toes on the inside line of the box. I was behind the plate and looked like she was hovering over half the plate.
It threw DD off, and she ended up walking her. She brought it up to me after the game and mentioned how much the girl was crowding the plate and how it impacted her.
Any thoughts on how she can handle this type of situation? Is there an approach to follow when someone crowds the plate to this extent?

I think what you’re asking is how your daughter can overcome the fear of hitting the batter when the batter is that tight to the plate. My daughter was the same way. I pitched as well and would just talk to her about hitting someone. It’s not done intentionally and that it’s also your plate as well. Time and focus on the strike zone will help that. The more confidence she has in her control the easier she will feel.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Tell your daughter: If it’s in the strike zone, you didn’t hit her. She failed to get out of the way.

 

[grcsftbll]

I think what you’re asking is how your daughter can overcome the fear of hitting the batter when the batter is that tight to the plate. My daughter was the same way. I pitched as well and would just talk to her about hitting someone. It’s not done intentionally and that it’s also your plate as well. Time and focus on the strike zone will help that. The more confidence she has in her control the easier she will feel.

Mine pitched all fall (first year 10U) and part of the spring before she hit her first batter. She did have very good control for a kid her age, but it was mostly because she was afraid to hit a batter. Unfortunately, her inside pitches would miss down the middle. Her dad made her throw inside pitches til she hit him. She ended up having fun with that, and got over it.

 

[Change the plane]

I think what you’re asking is how your daughter can overcome the fear of hitting the batter when the batter is that tight to the plate. My daughter was the same way. I pitched as well and would just talk to her about hitting someone. It’s not done intentionally and that it’s also your plate as well. Time and focus on the strike zone will help that. The more confidence she has in her control the easier she will feel.

Actually we had that discussion a couple years ago now. Initially she did feel bad but we talked about how hitting a batter can happen, is part of the game, and it’s also up to the batter to get out of the way. She gets that now and is able to move on to the next if she does happen to hit someone.
In this case it was really the first time when a batter really crowded the inside on her. I’ve tried to get across to her that she has as much right to the inside of the plate as the batter does and can’t be afraid to go inside.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Not “as much right” ... more. The batter only has the right to stand over the plate until the ball gets there.

 

[uncdrew]

Tell your daughter: If it’s in the strike zone, you didn’t hit her. She failed to get out of the way.

I use that logic even for balls.

You didn't hit her, she failed to get out of the way.