Umps calling strikes above batter's head
- Thread starter CoachCeetar
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
False. 100% false. And I know this because part of one of my jobs is to track umpire data.
From 2021-current (not counting this week, as I haven't input the data), 5.52% of pitches out of the zone are called strikes. 8.99% of pitches in the zone are called balls. Comes out to 5.76 extra strikes per game/4.27 extra balls per game. Umpires on the whole are worth -.21 runs per game on called pitches.
As TMIB said, TV strike zones are crap. Those are not used to evaluate umpires.
Now, you might argue those percentages are still pretty good. I actually think missing ~6 out of every 100 called pitches is very good, and that number might be even better if you remove a handful of the old guys who I'm convinced don't even care about doing a good job at this point.
The umpire who umped one of the Athletes Unlimited games last night was probably at about 80% on called pitches, and that might be generous. (Without question, I have a better view/angle than anybody other than the umpire, catcher, and maybe the batter when I'm at those games... she was atrocious. Both teams were screaming at her after a while.).
Based on what data? The 98% number came out I think like three or four years ago. Someone had leaked it as the software they use to evaluate the umpires is not made public.
Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
- May 13, 2023
- 1,538
- 113
CoachJD are you saying that you wouldn't want your batters to make an adjustment and swing, knowing the Umpire was calling particular pitches strikes that in another game might not be? And the consequence could be striking out looking sometimes... that sounds like striking out just because you disagree with the umpires range of Strike Zone area.
I am in the camp of pay attention to the umpire strike zone.
Batter needs to make adjustments being in the box, which includes not strike out looking.
Last edited:
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
You don’t say?
- Jun 18, 2023
- 377
- 43
OP girl in question has ~4 months of softball experience, period. There have been some useful thoughts in this thread, but I think a decent chunk of it would go (watch what I'm doing here) over her head.
Tear it all down, to the basic initial lessons you try to teach a batter in the box, for a level where they're still learning some of the basics of the physical act of hitting before even the mental game of it. Ultimately the best thing to do, imo, is just reps. I don't want kids getting away from a good swing because they're training themselves to lunge for balls over their head. Or doing things like just trying to tip it so it's a foul and not a strike. Takes away from the focus of your swing.
Tear it all down, to the basic initial lessons you try to teach a batter in the box, for a level where they're still learning some of the basics of the physical act of hitting before even the mental game of it. Ultimately the best thing to do, imo, is just reps. I don't want kids getting away from a good swing because they're training themselves to lunge for balls over their head. Or doing things like just trying to tip it so it's a foul and not a strike. Takes away from the focus of your swing.
- May 13, 2023
- 1,538
- 113
Watching little league this last season every game there were pitches all over the place that were called strikes.
Would have been hard for pitchers to strike out batters with what could have been called
'a normal strike zone'...
Larger Strike Zone was used.
Results
Because of the larger strike zone that was being called, instead of walk Festival,... batters swung the bat and put the ball in play.
Even at a beginner level swinging is reps!
Even with pitches above their head, in the other batter's box, ankle high, batters were able to put their bat on the ball.
Mediocre pitching, ball finding its way to a batter who wants to hit it!
Would have been hard for pitchers to strike out batters with what could have been called
'a normal strike zone'...
Larger Strike Zone was used.
Results
Because of the larger strike zone that was being called, instead of walk Festival,... batters swung the bat and put the ball in play.
Even at a beginner level swinging is reps!
Even with pitches above their head, in the other batter's box, ankle high, batters were able to put their bat on the ball.
Mediocre pitching, ball finding its way to a batter who wants to hit it!
Last edited:
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
Over a batter’s head isn’t a “larger strike zone”
- May 29, 2015
- 3,834
- 113
Technically? It is ... 
More TV strike zone fun ...
More TV strike zone fun ...
Their methods are sound, And, from my experience, the best way to judge accuracy of something like this is how reliable professional gamblers (not your average idiot friend who wastes time on DraftKings) find the data. Gamblers trust these numbers.
