Strike Zone? What did he say?

[Bucketrider]

I must preface this rant by saying I am NOT one of those parents. Yes my 14U DD pitches, however I understand the rule of "The Four Strike Zones". DD has one of the highest ERA's in the area as a freshman pitcher but I believe she has the drive and talent to be a pretty decent pitcher. I also know that she needs to find Blues strike zone and I have never voiced my opinion about Blues zone,,,,until Sunday.

DD guest playing in semi final game and seemed to be starting off fairly well throwing fb's and cb's. A few K's a few hits, a lot of put outs. Her favorite pitch is her riseball and without debating the "break" it works well, especially with aggressive batters. Anyway, she lost the strike zone. Couldn't get anything except what looked like down the middle, belly button high. Well, we all know what happens to those pitches in 14U tb, line drives, far to the grass and beyond. So, coach pulls her, no problem, DD needs more work. No problem. Then another parent, whom I have never met before on the team we are guesting for asks, what I considered a pretty gutsy question to the PU. "Hey Blue, what exactly is the strike zone? By the book I mean?". Uh oh I thought, this is not going to help the next pitcher AT ALL. Blue says, "Knees to the arm pits, basically. But if I were to call the upper zone, the other coaches would come off the bench." I JUST became one of those parents in like 0.2 heartbeats...

"Did you just say you wouldn't call a pitch that you knew was a strike because the OTHER team would go nuts?!?!" I think I am about to become the next Nuclear threat.....

Blue lights the fuse and then pushes the plunger: "Look, he says, those last three pitches she threw, they were at the letters anyway", as he placed his palm horizontally at the base of his sternum (Editors Note: I could have said T8, however after his first comment, I doubt he had a spine). KABOOMMM. "WHICH IS WITHIN WHAT YOU JUST TOLD US WAS IN THE STRIKE ZONE!!!!"

Ok, I'm done now. Rant complete. Rant further pacified by watching the called strike three to end the Rays/ Rangers game. Had to be one of the more idiotic things I have heard in this TB world. That surpassed the 65 MPH 10U pitcher with 18 pitches any day. DD still needs to work the strike zone, doubt that it will be done in ISA for a while. Ahhhhhh, out with the bad

 

[RubberBiscuit]

The world of SB is being dominated by the desires for more offense. College umpires couldn't call a high-zone strike if their lives depended on it. Then add ridiculous bat pop and ridiculously short fields.

I am sure that the tight-zone mood of today is flowing down into TB too more and more.

Like I tell DD. "You will find more and more basketball-sized strike zones. For this reason your accuracy for ALL your pitches NEEDS to be tops. The only way you are going to keep the ball from going yard on each at-bat in this case is to do your best to fool the batter on which pitch is going to come down the middle for a strike."

My DD's history has been one of great success with a "normal" strike zone. But on those 1-in-25 games where you get that umpire that locks the zone into a basketball my DD just has her blood boil.

Bottom line is I feel your pain Bucketrider but it's happening, and happened, to all us other bucket-dads.

 

[Sparky Guy]

My DD was pitching college when the NCAA changed the rules on the strike zone. It added to her ERA and dropped her K's/7 average. She was a riseball pitcher so it really affected her. Had to use her screwball more her senior year in college.

The umpire with the zone that waves like a flag in the breeze is the one who is most frustrating to me. Give me nose to toes or a shoe box. I don't care. Just make it consistent.

When I have an umpire who's very consistent I always make sure to tell them great job after the game. I've run into several over the years who should NEVER be allowed behind the plate. The can't call a consistent zone if their life depended on it. I makes you appreciate those who do a tough job well.

 

[David Carter]

I think in the end things usually even out unless the ump is really dialed into right down the middle only. I think most pitchers do not mind missing out on the balls across the letter if they can get get just off the outside black at the knees which 90% percent of the umpires are more than willing to give.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

We played a HS tourney in Mississippi this weekend, had 4 different plate umps and they were all great. Consistent for both sides, liberal low and corner zones, didn't care for "close" risers. I was sitting there thinking I sure wish we had these guys every game, we'd be national champions , their zone fit perfect for our style of pitching.

But then there was the ump from last Monday. His zone had no corners, DD said it was like trying to throw a softball into a Starbucks coffee cup. He had an expanded high zone, which hurt us but helped their pitchers style. If we had him all year we'd be in sad shape .

I often think of Forrest Gump on umpires, "they're like a box of chocolates........you never know what you're gonna get".

 

[JDBerry]

There was one this weekend who set up so far inside on the batter that their angle on the outside pitches was really bad. Consistently, pitches painting the chalk line were strikes. Unfortunately for them, I didn't notice any pitchers/coaches being really aggressive with taking advantage of it.

 

[starsnuffer]

Remember, since the NCAA changed the strike zone, the entire ball has to be under the upper limit of the zone. This is unlike every other part of the strike zone where only a part of the ball has to be within the zone. Since this change, the vast majority of umpires will rarely call anything above the belly button a strike (even though ASA and everyone else did not make a change).

For a riseball to be effective these days, it has to be a pitch the batter is going to swing at. This is why speed is so bloody important with today's riseball. The pitcher has to set the table and make it known that she can thread the needle and get called strikes, and then expand her zone by making batters chase. The key is not letting the batters have enough time to exercise good judgement, hence speed.

If the speed isn't there, stick to other pitches.

-W

 

[Sparky Guy]

We played a HS tourney in Mississippi this weekend, had 4 different plate umps and they were all great. Consistent for both sides, liberal low and corner zones, didn't care for "close" risers.

And I bet you didn't hear very much complaining from either side of the field. It's too bad there isn't a cost effective way to train and evaluate umpires strike zone calls like MLB does.

Had a long-time ump tell me he hears less complaining when he's calling strikes.

The other thing I've noticed with umpires who have a consistent zone and call the corners; their games almost always seem to move much faster. The hitters become more aggressive and they put the ball in play instead of trying to play games at the plate guessing what the umpire's strike zone is.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Blue lights the fuse and then pushes the plunger: "Look, he says, those last three pitches she threw, they were at the letters anyway", as he placed his palm horizontally at the base of his sternum (Editors Note: I could have said T8, however after his first comment, I doubt he had a spine). KABOOMMM. "WHICH IS WITHIN WHAT YOU JUST TOLD US WAS IN THE STRIKE ZONE!!!!"

This umpire should not be engaging the fans trying to explain things. It leads to nothing but trouble for them.

We were on defense. Girl steals. Batter foul tips a pitch and the catcher hangs on for strike 2. Runner is safe at 2nd. My parents start barking at the ump the runner should be sent back to 1st. The ump stops the game and tries to explain the rule to my parents. I came out of the dugout and told my parents the ump got the call right and I will explain the rule to them after the game. The ump looked at me kinda funny and I said to him it's not his job to teach them the rules. It's mine.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Remember, since the NCAA changed the strike zone, the entire ball has to be under the upper limit of the zone. This is unlike every other part of the strike zone where only a part of the ball has to be within the zone.

The entire ball has to be in the zone at the lower limit as well.