What are Umps Seeing?

[alexander58]

As a pitcher's dad, the worst mistake I made was being critical of the umpire's strike zone. Tell your daughter to find "the zone". If you look at umpiring in general as incidental (it doesnt decide the game and it doesn't matter if you agree with call) , it may save your sanity.

 

[splinterpicker]

With each call the umpire is only going to make 50% of the coaches and fans happy. And thats a good day

 

[Sparky Guy]

As a pitcher's dad, the worst mistake I made was being critical of the umpire's strike zone. Tell your daughter to find "the zone". If you look at umpiring in general as incidental (it doesnt decide the game and it doesn't matter if you agree with call) , it may save your sanity.

What I tell my pitchers is there are actually 4 strike zones that come into play. I always get a funny look from them when I ask them how many strike zones there are the first time.

The first one is the strike zone as defined by the rule book.

The second one is the hitters strike zone. What will they swing at? What will they watch?

The third is the pitcher's strike zone. There are favorite parts of the zone that pitchers like to work for what they think will strikes or close balls.

The forth and most important is the umpires strike zone. I tell them they have to try and see early in the game what they will get calls on and what they don't get the calls on. Then they have to figure in the other strike zones from there. I tell them it sounds complicated, but it will become second nature to them the more innings they pitch and the more hitters they face.

 

[Bucketrider]

I guess my main complaint was consistency. My dd as a hitter should have been called out, based on her called second strike, which the third was a ball. Pitcher had to throw one down main street for a strike, which ended up as a well hit ball. I know one ump who has told us he will NOT call anything a strike at the knees and that it needs to be thigh high or better. Now, I do not agree with the zone, but it is the same all weekend long. That is when I hear parents stop complaining. When the zone is consistent for the game.

 

[coachdan]

I had a ump tell me that he basis his strike zone on how good the pitchers were. Good pitcher have to pitch to a tighter zone than a beginning (wild) pitcher. My coment to him was "your stike zone should be the same for both pitchers.

 

[Lozza]

I had a ump tell me that he basis his strike zone on how good the pitchers were. Good pitcher have to pitch to a tighter zone than a beginning (wild) pitcher. My coment to him was "your stike zone should be the same for both pitchers.

I agree with this, to a certain extent. An umpire's strike zone should be different for an eight year old starting out than it is for a sixteen year old who has been pitching for six years. 100%. We have a much bigger strike zone for our subbies kids. But it starts getting tighter the better (usually faster) the pitcher is)

Where I don't agree it should be different is when you have a pitcher who has pitched for six years playing a pitcher who has just started. You can't have a different strike zone in the same game. It has to stay the same.

 

[quincy]

We have been there, an umpire intentionally having different strike zones for girls in the same game Because they had different abilities. Everyone is a coach.

Last year at the start of the season the league told the umpires to expand the strike zone to call balls that were close as strikes.

Umpires were a mess, hitters were a mess, and everything was a mess. Hope never to see this again, it was a disaster,

 

[ArmWhip]

Don't forget situational umping, 3-0= big strike zone; 0-2=smaller strike zone.

 

[alexander58]

I had a ump tell me that he basis his strike zone on how good the pitchers were. Good pitcher have to pitch to a tighter zone than a beginning (wild) pitcher. My coment to him was "your stike zone should be the same for both pitchers.

I believe a strike zone should be adjusted to the pitcher's abilities. The worst games are those with extremely tight strike zones. The batters go up looking to walk, the fielders fall asleep, and the natives in the stands and dugouts get restless. Make the hitters swing the bat! Keep the game moving!

 

[Greenmonsters]

I believe a strike zone should be adjusted to the pitcher's abilities. The worst games are those with extremely tight strike zones. The batters go up looking to walk, the fielders fall asleep, and the natives in the stands and dugouts get restless. Make the hitters swing the bat! Keep the game moving!

Why bother wasting time playing the games. Give everyone a trophy, have a pizza party, and go home happy.