Strike Zone
- Thread starter mikfish711
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I've only been umpiring for 2 years, so I don't know if I'm really good or really bad, but I don't understand all this "framing"....(well I do understand the concept). I just call the pitch were it crosses the plate or not, I never pay attention to where the catcher is receiving it. And you are so right about umpire training on calling strikes. I've taken training on USSSA umpiring and USA (High School Rules in NY) training on all the rules, yet I never was trained with live pitching on calling balls and strikes. First strike I ever called was in a game. And when I'm doing timed tournament games, I don't look to call strikes to "speed up the game", I'm there for the full hour 20 minutes to hour and a half, so I'll call 20 balls if that's what the pitcher is throwing.
Wish I could like this post more than once. I just started umpiring this year, and have already learned so much. As a coach, I didn't think I liked seeing the catchers who don't move in or out until the ball is thrown. As an umpire, I KNOW I don't, especially when they can't stick the catch on the outside corner. Some of these catchers make a strike look 3 balls off the plate because they continue to move outside even as they catch the pitch. Right or wrong, that makes it really tough to call that pitch a strike. High strikes can be even worse. So few catchers know how to catch a high strike and tend to partially raise up, which both ruins my look at the pitch and, again, makes it look really bad. No matter what they say VERY FEW coaches actually want the high strike called as written in the rule book. I know I don't. Belly button? Sure. Armpits? No way. I can't think of how many times I've already had feedback that "that pitch was in her eyes" when I call one at the belly button.
I'd sure love to get some training if anyone sees something available.
When my DD was in LL and even through first year 14U, our travel coach had a good relationship with what I guess was the local chapter--or whatever you might call it--of USA Softball. At least once during the offseason, we would get a bunch of pitchers and catchers and head to the training for the new umpires. We'd rotate the girls and have them pitch for an hour or so and the new umps would get a chance to practice calling balls and strikes. We'd also end up doing some simulated at bats and fielding so that they could learn positioning, etc. Always thought it was a smart idea and, for our girls, it was a good way to earn service hours and get some additional practice in. I'd assumed this was common practice. Guess not. When we had early Spring scrimmages sometimes these new umps would even come out and just get some reps in a relaxed, low-stress game. Made sense to me because, eventually, these were the same men and women who were going to be calling your tournament and HS games...
- Jul 15, 2016
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Wow this certainly gained traction. Keep in mind my OP was never intended to be negative towards umpires, simply asking a question. Their job is tough enough at the parks, they dont need to get beat up here also!! The way I have told DD, was always bottom of the letters to the middle of the knees. It just seems like it has morphed into belt to knees
I'd only caution to make sure you are covered from liability/insurance in these situations.
Thanks for your perspectives!
For us non-umpires, could you explain the slot with a little more detail? I've heard the term many times and think I understand it just in the context it's used. But there's got to be more to it than my assumptions. My ultimate motivation is teaching catchers how to do everything possible to get the strike called a strike/not get in the way so it's called a ball (especially that low outside corner).
This is from the CCA (basically the umpires mechanics manual for NCAA)
Slot
The area between the catchers’s inside shoulder and the batter when the batter is in their natural batting stance, and the catcher is in her normal catching position behind the plate. To achieve a slot position in all stances except the scissors (my note: Scissors stance is not allowed in most softball), place the non-slot foot; right foot on right-handed batters, about midway between the catcher’s feet. Spread the other foot; the slot foot slightly more than shoulder-width, which brings the nose between the catchers’s inside shoulder and the batter’s body. To check the slot position, look at the outside corner and the batter’s knees. The umpire must be able to see both clearly. The slot affords the umpire an excellent line of sight for seeing the zone, checked swings, hit batters, batter hit with batted ball, and catch/no-catch by the catcher.
Slot Foot
The umpire’s left foot on a right-handed batter and the right foot on a lefthanded batter.
Set: Plate
From the stance, a plate umpire drops into the set position just prior to the release of the pitch. The amount of drop necessary is determined by the width of the feet in the stance. The umpire’s head is ideally just above the catcher’s head. The umpire’s chin is on a line with the top of the catcher’s head. The umpire’s chin should not be lower than the top of the catcher’s helmet, but the top of the umpire’s head should never be even with or below the top of the catcher’s head. The umpire must be able to see the outside edge of the plate and the batter’s knees. Some torso lean may be needed to achieve proper height. Hands/arms should be in close to the body. Their placement provides balance and assists in locking-in (not moving) during the pitch. A good lock-in relies on bone structure, not muscles. The umpire must be completely set when the pitch is released and remain motionless as the pitch is delivered. The same position should be mirrored on both sides of the plate. The set position must be balanced and comfortable, but it is not a relaxed position.
Stance: Plate
The position and foot placement the plate umpire establishes behind the catcher prior to dropping set. The stance must allow the umpire to drop to a rock solid set position and remain motionless while the pitch is delivered. The stance must be in the slot and, after dropping set, afford the umpire an unobstructed view of the entire zone. The stance used for right-handed batters must be mirrored for left-handed batters
Heel/toe Stance (my note: this is what 99% of umpires use; in Florida it is the ONLY approved stance for HS and below. Some older guys may use the 'box' or 'scissors' stance - but they are few since you can't use it)
The legs/feet are wider than shoulder width. The shoulders and body are somewhat square to the plate where a line drawn down from the umpire’s navel would bisect the plate. The slot foot should be in the slot pointing directly at the pitching plate and in line with or slightly in front of an imaginary line drawn from the catcher’s heels to the toe of the slot foot. The non-slot foot is behind the catcher in line with an imaginary line extending from the heel of the slot foot to the toe of the non-slot foot. The non-slot foot is angled no more than 45-degrees. You should not be deeper behind the catcher than a closed fist between your non-slot knee and the catcher’s back when dropped set. Drop set by bending the knees.
Not sure it has been taken as criticism (at least the OP), I always enjoy the chance to discuss the strike zone. Especially with those who say that they want it called 'by the book' and what that entails, both in what they gain and in what they lose. Much of what I talk about is strictly my personal philosophy, although it is grounded in professional training and experience. It is also colored, for better or for worse, from extensive baseball work. As much as there has been a push to going with an electronic strike zone in certain organizations, there is truly and art to calling balls and strikes as well as a science. It is this 'art' that leaves people frustrated at times, argumentative at others. (That and the fact that from the dugout you have a pretty good look at up and down, but have no idea side to side). If a HC thinks I am not being liberal at the top of the zone, they are not getting a true sense of of how thick that black border can be.
Anyway, I am speaking out of school to a certain extent, and any supervisors who are reading this are taking me off of their list of potential candidates, such is the danger of using one's real name for a handle. I hope it is worth it in the end by giving some of you a better peek into what goes into some umpires thinking when it comes to balls and strikes.
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