Strike Zone

[Westwind]

Investigating the "Lefty Strike"

The strike zone is called differently depending on the handedness of the hitter in the box. We examine the area furthest off the plate called regularly for strikes to see how left-handed hitters fare beyond the outside edge of the plate.

www.beyondtheboxscore.com

This was posted elsewhere on DFP yesterday. I think it’s a great read and applies here.

 

[Long Baller]

...the outside corner is just about over the line for the batters box now. In addition, the outside strike is called more for slappers than players with a regular swing.

This came to my mind before I even read the 1st post. Lefty DD is spending a lot of time right now learning how to drive outside pitch balls and foul off pitches that are in the right-hander's batters box.

 

[EdLovrich]

Investigating the "Lefty Strike"

The strike zone is called differently depending on the handedness of the hitter in the box. We examine the area furthest off the plate called regularly for strikes to see how left-handed hitters fare beyond the outside edge of the plate.

www.beyondtheboxscore.com

This was posted elsewhere on DFP yesterday. I think it’s a great read and applies here.

Very interesting read. While handed-ness of the C I am sure plays a part in this, one aspect that the article didn't consider is the curveball. The majority of P are right-handed. In baseball (the subject of the article) the curve break down and in from the perspective of the 3b side of the plate, and down and away from the 1B side. For a RH batter that means the outside pitch is breaking FURTHER away and is received by the C well out of the zone. For a LH batter, the curve on the outer corner is breaking down and IN, being received by the C well over the plate. Combine this with the handed-ness issue (being able to stick a pitch or having to reach for it) can easily account for the discrepancy. Now, I know that the strike is not called at where it ends up, or if the catcher moves the glove after receiving it, in theory, but all of those things DO influence the call, especially on the outside corner, where we as umpires have the worst look.

 

[MaverickAH]

Not to be pedantic, but the black border is not part of the plate...

(actually I think being pedantic is a requirement for umpires)

I've got news for you..... If the black part of the plate is exposed, it is part of the plate! If you don't want it to be part of the plate, then cover it up!

My viewpoint is that it would actually be very enlightening for both players & coaches if they actually took the time to attend an umpire training clinic or two in order to see how umpires are trained. It would benefit them & aid their play & their coaching.

A lot of coaches & parents want to just read a line in a rulebook & think that's the end of it. It's not.......

Standard training guideline for the height of the strike zone is take a softball & place it at your collarbone. Now roll it down 1 full rotation (which should leave you at the bottom of the sternum). That is the top of your strike zone.

As you go up in level, the top of the strike zone gets even lower. When you get to the college level, it just above belt level. You can get away with just above the belly button but that's about it. Any higher than that & you will be having unhappy hitters & coaches. It the same for baseball as well. Call the strike zone "by the book" & you won't be working the plate for long. Strikes at the armpit are for beginners, rec & lower level play. It's not for advanced & upper level play & definitely not for tournament play.

Umpires are not automatons. There are going to be slight differences from umpire to umpire. The best thing any umpire can do is be consistent! If you start out a game calling one way, stick to it! Then it's up to the teams to make the adjustment.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

A Mathematical Dive Into the Strike Zone - Referee.com

The softball strike zone has not changed for a long time; it is still the zone explicitly described in the rules for each softball code. There are slight differences in the rule among the codes so let’s start with these definitions from each of the codes: NFHS and USSSA Softball — forward armpit...

www.referee.com

A good timely article if you're interested.

 

[BrianTx01]

The biggest thing that will frustrate a young pitcher is a really tight strike zone. For whatever reason it seems like tight strike zones are getting more and more common. The high called strike seems like it is extinct in these parts. Anything above the belt is getting called a ball. Some of these short girls have a strike zone that is about 12" from top to bottom.

A small strike zone at young age groups has two unfortunate consequences. It teaches batters to not be aggressive at the plate and it puts a ton of extra pitches on young arms.

 

[canyonjoe]

This one frustrates me as a coach with 3 slappers in the lineup. I also umpire and I don't see why it needs to change on a slapper.

I think it's more of a Left handed hitter thing than slappers.