There have been quite a few threads recently about the strike zone and about what makes a “good umpire”. In light of a recent conversation I had with another denizen of this forum, who said it would be better to try to keep threads more focused than I can tend to do, I would like to start a series of related discussions about what reasonable expectations are when it comes to these two things.
The first question is, how many pitches, from the defensive team's HC/pitcher's viewpoint, is an acceptable number for an umpire to 'miss', that includes not only pitches that are flat out missed, but also pitches that the HC/pitcher THINK the umpire missed, regardless of where it actually was. The reason I am choosing to look at it from the defensive viewpoint is that the pitcher and umpire often have the same goal, call/throw strikes.
So what is the number of pitches that go against your pitcher that you find acceptable for there to be a difference of opinion on in a complete 7 inning game and you still feel the umpire did an above average job of calling balls and strikes?
In follow up threads we will get to other parts of the equation, but let's start here.
The first question is, how many pitches, from the defensive team's HC/pitcher's viewpoint, is an acceptable number for an umpire to 'miss', that includes not only pitches that are flat out missed, but also pitches that the HC/pitcher THINK the umpire missed, regardless of where it actually was. The reason I am choosing to look at it from the defensive viewpoint is that the pitcher and umpire often have the same goal, call/throw strikes.
So what is the number of pitches that go against your pitcher that you find acceptable for there to be a difference of opinion on in a complete 7 inning game and you still feel the umpire did an above average job of calling balls and strikes?
In follow up threads we will get to other parts of the equation, but let's start here.