Avoiding hit strike

[Strike2]

Just because a player jumps out of the way doesn't mean the pitch wasn't in the strike zone. I've seen that lots and lots of times in 8U. Hell, I see 18U girls duck out of the way of strikes every weekend....in 18U.

I remember a 13yo team mate of DDs who looked like she was dodging hand grenades during every at-bat.

 

[mmeece]

I've called strikes many times when a kid started a swing and realized in the middle that they also needed to get out of the way. It doesn't have to be either/or. At a young age it's fairly common that they both start to swing and move out of the way.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

Trying to interpret what a 7/8 yo is doing on a softball field is often pretty difficult. I try to err on the side of they didn't mean to do that.

I also try to not do a lot of 8yo games. I know, they gotta start somewhere...

 

[The Man In Blue]

Shoot I made a mistake, I hate umpires.

It evens out, because the official on the field in an 8u game is not an umpire. They are a babysitter ... for the adults, not the kids.

 

[_MIA_]

. They are a babysitter ... for the adults, not the kids.

Checkmate..

 

[eddieq]

8U rec league parents: We want the kids swinging the bats, so we are going to make the strike zone wider and taller
Umpire: Calls strike in the established strike zone
8U rec league parents: How dare you call that a strike?! You're the worst umpire in history!

But they all gotta start somewhere, true. Let them pitch to and hit from the standard strike zone. When we start messing with the rules, we create a bunch of older players (and honestly, umpires) who don't understand the real rules.

As to the OP - running away from the pitch is not in itself an attempt to strike at the ball, but if part of their "defensive strategy" there is to stick the bat out toward the ball, that's going to get called a strike more often than not.

 

[Strike2]

8U rec league parents: We want the kids swinging the bats, so we are going to make the strike zone wider and taller
Umpire: Calls strike in the established strike zone
8U rec league parents: How dare you call that a strike?! You're the worst umpire in history!

But they all gotta start somewhere, true. Let them pitch to and hit from the standard strike zone. When we start messing with the rules, we create a bunch of older players (and honestly, umpires) who don't understand the real rules.

As to the OP - running away from the pitch is not in itself an attempt to strike at the ball, but if part of their "defensive strategy" there is to stick the bat out toward the ball, that's going to get called a strike more often than not.

I remember the occasional umpire who vowed to call a bigger strike zone. Thankfully, that threat rarely worked out in practice. Umpires ringing up 7/8Us for not swinging at a pitch at eye or ankle level does little to teach anyone how to play.

 

[_MIA_]

I remember the occasional umpire who vowed to call a bigger strike zone. Thankfully, that threat rarely worked out in practice. Umpires ringing up 7/8Us for not swinging at a pitch at eye or ankle level does little to teach anyone how to play.

I rang up my 7 YO DS yesterday in our wiffle ball recreation of the All Star game (I think he was Stanton at the time so it was appropriate..) and he wasn't happy..complained to the BU (Mom) who overturned the call even after I explained to both of them it doesn't work that way....(of course the pitcher also isn't usually the one calling balls and strikes but that is a minor detail..)

 

[Strike2]

I rang up my 7 YO DS yesterday in our wiffle ball recreation of the All Star game (I think he was Stanton at the time so it was appropriate..) and he wasn't happy..complained to the BU (Mom) who overturned the call even after I explained to both of them it doesn't work that way....(of course the pitcher also isn't usually the one calling balls and strikes but that is a minor detail..)

You need one of those wiffle ball strike panels...removes all controversy. Come to think of it, those could be good for MLB umps this season. Some of them have greatly "expanded" zones.

 

[_MIA_]

You need one of those wiffle ball strike panels...removes all controversy. Come to think of it, those could be good for MLB umps this season. Some of them have greatly "expanded" zones.

Who said I wanted to avoid controversy?