Umps calling strikes above batter's head

[CoachJD]

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.

I think doing anything based on the small sample size of a few calls in a particular game is usually foolish. Just because an umpire called one or two pitches off the corner (you know, maybe, or maybe they were strikes and one coach or whatever thinks they aren't) doesn't mean the whole game will be called that way. I think you need to have an umpire multiple times to even get a general sense of if their zone is somehow different. So swinging at a ball because the umpire called that "same pitch" (was it really?) a strike once before is not only teaching bad habits, it's probably a bad idea in that moment, too.

I also took the OP literally. I don't want to teach young players to swing at pitches over their heads. They're probably not hittable in the first place, and I have no interest in teaching them something bad that's going to hurt them later because they might get a couple 10u hits off 30 mph pitching. Plus, the more you swing at bad pitches, the more you're going to make weak contact and hit into outs anyway. The lazy pop out to the pitcher is not helping the team any more than the strike out looking.

Give me a player with a great eye who doesn't overexpand the strike zone any day. I'll live with the occasional bad call strike out because she's much more often going to only swing at good, hittable pitches and she's going to draw a lot of walks.

Even at a beginner level swinging is reps!

Learning to not swing at trash is also "reps."

 

[_MIA_]

I think doing anything based on the small sample size of a few calls in a particular game is usually foolish. Just because an umpire called one or two pitches off the corner (you know, maybe, or maybe they were strikes and one coach or whatever thinks they aren't) doesn't mean the whole game will be called that way. I think you need to have an umpire multiple times to even get a general sense of if their zone is somehow different. So swinging at a ball because the umpire called that "same pitch" (was it really?) a strike once before is not only teaching bad habits, it's probably a bad idea in that moment, too.

I also took the OP literally. I don't want to teach young players to swing at pitches over their heads. They're probably not hittable in the first place, and I have no interest in teaching them something bad that's going to hurt them later because they might get a couple 10u hits off 30 mph pitching. Plus, the more you swing at bad pitches, the more you're going to make weak contact and hit into outs anyway. The lazy pop out to the pitcher is not helping the team any more than the strike out looking.

Give me a player with a great eye who doesn't overexpand the strike zone any day. I'll live with the occasional bad call strike out because she's much more often going to only swing at good, hittable pitches and she's going to draw a lot of walks.



Learning to not swing at trash is also "reps."

It’s been 82 years since somebody last hit .400 in MLB..maybe we should listen to him..

 

[CoachJD]

It’s been 82 years since somebody last hit .400 in MLB..maybe we should listen to him..

In what sense?

 

[_MIA_]

In what sense?

I was agreeing with you

His first tenet of hitting was to get a good pitch to hit..not to get a “close enough to the strike zone” pitch to hit…

Everyone has hot and cold zones. Pitchers are trying to get you to swing at pitches in your cold zone. Doing so with less than 2 strikes is dumb. It’s the reason BA are so much lower with 2 strikes..

 

[RADcatcher]

Coach JD, thanks for discussing definitely recognize This conversation comes down to what type of strategy people would like their batters to do in the box.
Agree, There is more than one way to get on base. That said, would never want batters to strike out looking just because they are in disagreement with the Umpires strike zone.
It's okay CoachJD if you don't mind player striking out looking. But I won't support that approach being in the Box.

I think doing anything based on the small sample size of a few calls in a particular game is usually foolish. Just because an umpire called one or two pitches off the corner (you know, maybe, or maybe they were strikes and one coach or whatever thinks they aren't) doesn't mean the whole game will be called that way.

This question~ once you *know how the Umpire is calling the game, do you want your batters to make adjustment to the Umpire's Strike Zone
yes???? or no????

I think you need to have an umpire multiple times to even get a general sense of if their zone is somehow different.

At the level the op was commenting basically beginner rec ball type stuff, after two or three batters it will be evident what the Umpire strike zone is. Especially if it is enlarged strike zone.

I also took the OP literally. I don't want to teach young players to swing at pitches over their heads. They're probably not hittable in the first place, and I have no interest in teaching them something bad that's going to hurt them later because they might get a couple 10u hits off 30 mph pitching. Plus, the more you swing at bad pitches, the more you're going to make weak contact and hit into outs anyway. The lazy pop out to the pitcher is not helping the team any more than the strike out looking.

You are making assumptions thinking that learning to hit pitches out of the Zone creates bad hits. What it can do is teach batters that they can hit more then only meat pitches. And it does happen that hits come off of pitches that aren't strikes.

Give me a player with a great eye who doesn't overexpand the strike zone any day. I'll live with the occasional bad call strike out because she's much more often going to only swing at good, hittable pitches and she's going to draw a lot of walks.

Sure you can teach batters to try and take a walk with an Umpire that has an enlarged Strike Zone area.
** And you can also teach batters to hit pitches that might not otherwise be strikes as they are lobbing in. So they are not striking out looking. Especially when pitches are lobbing in. Would much rather start putting the ball in play then have a walk Festival.
( much different than a pitcher who has control)

Learning to not swing at trash is also "reps."

Agree learning to have a good eye is important.

However it is not the batters eyes that are calling the game, it is the umpires!

Good chat coachJD...
Have a good season!

 

[RADcatcher]

To take this conversation of Strike Zone area further~

As a catcher calling pitches. And as a coach who communicates with pitchers and catchers what is being called at the plate ( encourage this to identify the umpire strike zone)...

With absolute certainty~ if there is an area or areas the Umpire has enlarged the strike zone. (Say low inside, High outside whatever it is.)
Would definitely take advantage of that area of the zone calling pitches.

Benefits to strategy
1. More strike zone area for the pitcher.
2. Batter has to recognize the Umpire is calling that a strike. (when perhaps in the last game it was not.)
3. Batter has to make a greater adjustment.
Both with visual decision making and could also include swing adjustment.

 

[Rolling Hard]

 

[_MIA_]

There are plenty of examples of guys hitting crappy pitches for HR and Vlad was a notorious bad ball hitter...what's your point? Doesn't mean expanding your zone early in the count is a good general strategy.

 

[RADcatcher]

It's funny to hear the announcers expressing shock that giant monster batter could crush like that.
Like when he crosses the plate and dwarfs the size of the next batter.


Want to learn and hit high pitches/rise balls?
Start practicing putting a ball on a tee on a bucket and Elevate the pitch Height.
Get used to it and start doing high pitch toss.


GO GO HITTERS
The green light is on!

 

[Rolling Hard]

IMO, most players would be better off being more aggressive in the box. Vlad had more first pitch HRs than Barry Bonds. Rickey Henderson rarely took pitches even as a leadoff hitter. I see too many players allowing the pitcher to get ahead. I rarely see a softball player that is too aggressive. Most hitters are "shopping" for a good pitch and they rarely get one.