Strike Out?

[tghorley]

I really get upset when I have to remind an umpire that just because a pitcher hits the catcher's target, it is not necessarily a strike. This usually happens on an 0-2 or 1-2 count on the hitter and the catcher places the target a foot (sometimes two feet) outside. I teach my kids with two strikes to guard the plate and anything close, swing away. I don't argue with the umpire but I wait until the end of the inning and call them aside to remind them not to follow the catcher outside, but to position themselves behind the plate. Most umpires don't even realize they are doing it. It sure makes it hard to teach the strike zone if they go outside with the catcher.

 

[MTR]

I really get upset when I have to remind a coach that if s/he doesn't have a change to report, there is nothing to discuss between half innings. This usually happens after his/her batter stands there and watches a pitch at which they should have been swinging with two strikes on them. Just because a catcher sets up outside doesn't mean that the pitch was not a strike since I am NOT set up behind the plate, but in the slot outside the strike zone.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I really get upset when a girl crowds the front of the batter's box and doesn't realize that the ball may be a strike, when it crosses any portion of the plate, which is behind her.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

I really get upset when a coach/parent thinks they can call a game better than the umpire.

 

[Goobie]

I get upset when people over generalize on message boards and say that all {parents | coaches | umpires | players} are {good | bad } and {never | always} are {wrong | right | clueless | perfect } whenever someone that is on one side of the discussion has something to say about someone on the other side. Generalizations are useless other than stirring the pot. Face it... people make mistakes in all roles... even the role that you happen to find yourself in. Neither the coach, parent, umpire nor player are perfect. Everyone is usually trying their best. Sometimes mistakes happen.

 

[starsnuffer]

There's just as huge a difference in experience and skill of empires as there is players and coaches. If it's a high school kid volunteering or "working" for the local rec league, then it's best to let the umpire manager know that XXX might need another explanation of the strike zone, an understanding that just part of the ball needs to be in the zone or touching the zone, ect.

It's really bad form to argue balls and strikes. If the umpire is consistent on "their" strike zone, then your players need to learn and adapt to where balls and strikes are being called. If the umpire is completely random, then your players have to adjust their strike zone to be larger then the umpires.

Learning and adapting to the umpire is as much a part of the game as learning how to throw.

-W

 

[tghorley]

If I implied that I could call a game better than an umpire then I apologize as that was not my intent. I respect the game, umpires, coaches, players, parents and fans to imply that I could.

I have been around baseball/softball for many years. When I sit on a bucket 15 to 20 feet away from home plate, I first watch where a catcher sets up and where she sets up the target. With an 0-2 or 1-2 pitch, a smart catcher sits up outside and puts the target 1-2 feet off the plate hoping the pitcher hits the target and the batter swings. If an umpire follows the catcher "outside" and sets up behind them, then he is out of position in relation to the plate. If the pitcher hits the target is it truly a strike? If the pitcher does not hit the target but hits the inside part of the plate, is it a ball? Does the pitcher get rewarded for hitting the target or does the batter get penalized for knowing the strike zone, or both?

In Amy's example, I am sure that as a coach she at sometime explained to the batter where the strike zone is in relation to where she is setting up. Hopefully the batter learned something.

I never argue that a pitch is a strike or ball. As someone said, we are all human and make mistakes. But what the umpire did when he "followed" the catcher to the outside of the plate is a technical flaw, actually moving the strike zone.

And by talking to the umpire after the inning, I am not trying to degrade him, just pointing out a flaw in his positioning. Like I said in my original post a lot of umpires don't even realize it, but most appreciate my pointing it out because they want to get better.

I guess I could wait til after the game but after a team meeting, talking to parents, etc. I probably could not find them. I guess I could invite them to one of our practices where I try to correct technical flaws, but that would never happen.

And besides I don't want this to happen again with two outs in the last inning and we have the tying run on third base!f LOL

 

[shockcoach]

I don't understand

I get upset when the umpire fails to realize that my view from the bucket along the 3rd base side is way better than his view behind the plate. I often have to remind them of this and offer them my spot on the bucket to prove it's so. I don't know why, but they laugh at me. This only makes me more upset.

 

[Mrek]

I really get upset when a coach/parent thinks they can call a game better than the umpire.

t

From 20-80 feet away.

 

[Comp]

Perhaps the umpire followed the catcher outside because your batter moved in, crowded the plate and took the slot away. If you think an umpire is out of position, you should go to the UIC and ask them to take a look at the individual in question to see if they agree with your assessment or not. Approaching an umpire and suggesting they come have you teach them how to be an umpire would not only not go over well, would probably get you ejected on the spot if you did it during a game. Coach your team and leave the umpiring to the umpires. If you have a problem with them, go talk to the UIC.