Strike Out?

[BretMan]

I guess that the level of ball you're playing might affect this, or how experienced your umpires might be, but I really can't recall seeing any umpires moving that far outside with the catcher or calling strikes on pitches 1-2 feet off the plate. So, I certainly wouldn't agree that "most" or even "a lot" of umpires do this- at least not in the 150 or so games I observe every season. And in about half of those games I am the plate umpire!

Then again, I'm not where you are so maybe they're doing something different.

My new between innings routine- I slide over to the coach and "remind him" that: He never should have sent that runner who was nailed at the plate on a shallow hit to the outfield; His corner infielders are playing too deep; His pitcher would probably get more accuracy if she focused on her arm circle and release point.

Ummm, on second thought, no. I imagine that none of that is my business and any of those suggestions would go over about as well as the coach "reminding" me where I need to be positioned on the field.

Players play, coaches coach and umpires umpire. Things always seem to go a lot more smoothly when each group sticks to their own roles and don't worry about something that isn't their responsibility.

 

[FPMark]

Reminding an umpire how to do his job never goes well. Adjust your catcher to where his strike zone is and let the other coach complain between innings. Works much better for me. Hmmm... have we played each other before?

 

[Ken Krause]

One other thing to keep in mind is it depends on the level of play. As a pitching coach I teach my pitchers to throw curve balls that are supposed to look like strikes, then break off the plate for a ball when ahead 0-2. But if they leave it a little fat to begin with, the ball will break and catch the corner. If the hitter doesn't swing, and the catcher is set up a little deeper behind than they should be, that ball could hit the glove outside the strike zone. But it was in when it crossed the plate.

Honestly, I get a lot more upset with my hitters when they let a pitch go by for strike three that I can call from the third base coach's box. And usually before the umpire calls it. What part of protecting the plate do they not understand?

 

[2bucketdad]

First I'd worry about why my hitters were getting to 0-2 and 1-2, then I'd worry about teaching them to foul it off until you can drive it with 2 strikes, before I worried about umpires punching them out for taking with 2 strikes...

 

[NVfishing]

Reminding an umpire how to do his job never goes well. Adjust your catcher to where his strike zone is and let the other coach complain between innings. Works much better for me. Hmmm... have we played each other before?

After coach did that last year the ump started favoring the other team. Telling the pitcher, "More just like that." It was perhaps the worst ending to a game or tournament I can think of.

 

[BretMan]

After coach did that last year the ump started favoring the other team. Telling the pitcher, "More just like that." It was perhaps the worst ending to a game or tournament I can think of.

That would be even worse behavior from the umpire than the coach reminding him about his positioning!

You don't expect a coach to be a neutral third party. They're going to say or do just about anything they can to "fight for their team" or tip the scales in their favor. If whatever they do gets out of hand, then the umpire should address it. What he should NEVER do is purposely favor one team over the other with his calls. That demonstrates a lack of integrity and is, in essence, cheating.

 

[chinamigarden]

That would be even worse behavior from the umpire than the coach reminding him about his positioning!

You don't expect a coach to be a neutral third party. They're going to say or do just about anything they can to "fight for their team" or tip the scales in their favor. If whatever they do gets out of hand, then the umpire should address it. What he should NEVER do is purposely favor one team over the other with his calls. That demonstrates a lack of integrity and is, in essence, cheating.

My daughter has played softball for 6 years and my son played baseball for 8. (plus throw in a combined 20+ seasons of other sports) In all that time I saw only 1 official who ever showed an outward lack of integrity after a coach spoke to him about calls. All in all umps (and refs in other sports) do their best and deserve respect.

 

[FPMark]

I have never seen an umpire intentionaly favor one team over another, however they are all human and do make mistakes. When they do, whether real or imagined, the worst thing you can do is insult them with comments about their abilities, technique, or fairness. Especialy balls and strikes. We all know that every umpire has a little different idea of the strike zone. Your pitcher needs to have the ability to adjust to what he wants, as well as your hitters.

Having said that, there are ways to influance their perception of the strike zone, but it is not to define it for him verbally. Have you ever seen Tom Glavine pitch? He was a master of manipulating the zone. He would start the game hitting the outside corner and establish the fact that he could do it at any time. He would then gradually move a little further out a little bit at a time. By the end of the game, the Ball would actually be nearly a foot off the plate but the ump still called it a strike. I don't think the ump intentionaly started changing the zone, I believe Glavine, and the catcher, used patiance to move the strike zone where they wanted it. These umpires are the best, most unbiased in the game, but they are human.

No offense BretMan! I'm sure some umpires could never be manipulated like that ;-). JMHO

 

[01mom]

IMO I think using a different approach may come across better. Such as, "Blue, I'm trying to help my girls adjust, is she hitting the front corner?" Then you aren't questioning his calls, but at the same time you bring awareness to the possible situation going on if the pitcher isn't hitting any part of the plate.

 

[DOG310]

While I agree with what you say, there was one time I thought it was a positive that the umpire showed a little bias. DD was pitching and everytime the umpire would call a ball that she thought was a strike she would roll her eyes and/or shake her head. After the second batter the umpire called the coach over and basically said "I'm not going to be shown up by a 10 year old, she does it again and she's out of here". Coach relayed message to DD. Next pitch was down the middle. "BALL", DD didn't even flinch. After that he went back to calling a pretty good game. Best miscall ever for DD. She now knows that she isn't in charge and waits until well out of sight/hearing of Blue to whine. And yes, I did find Blue after game and thank him.

That would be even worse behavior from the umpire than the coach reminding him about his positioning!

You don't expect a coach to be a neutral third party. They're going to say or do just about anything they can to "fight for their team" or tip the scales in their favor. If whatever they do gets out of hand, then the umpire should address it. What he should NEVER do is purposely favor one team over the other with his calls. That demonstrates a lack of integrity and is, in essence, cheating.