Strike Zone

[starsnuffer]

Sorry, starsnuffer, the coach asking once in a while is helpful, especially if he's calling the pitches. Kinda helps in pitch location selection, don't ya think?

No, the coach should ask the catcher if they really feel the need. If the catcher (you know, the person who is actually skilled at picking out balls and strikes and knows the game)shrugs, that sends a much more powerful message then some bucket-commander asking.

-W

 

[Doug Romrell]

My asking the umpire "Where was it, Blue?" was prompted by the frustration of, you know, my catcher and pitcher. I knew my asking wasn't going to get him to change anything. After I asked, I avoided the inside for any strikes. He tightened up the strike zone further. That, you know, is wrong, wrong of him to do, even more wrong than not calling the full strike zone (for the opposing team or for us).

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

It is wrong, Doug, no excuse for tightening the strike zone because he's mad at you. I'm the guy who thought an umpire should have warned an opposing coach for following up a question about where a pitch missed by asking his 10u catcher if the pitch was a strike, so don't think I'm anti-blue on every point. But that's just a case of insecurity if he needs to make a point by punishing you like that.

 

[Sparky Guy]

For the most part the umpires working the games my teams play work hard and try to do a good job. However, there are some umpires who should not be allowed to work behind the plate. Calling a consistent strike zone is an art on to itself. There are some umpires who do not possess the skill to do it well. When both sides are consistently questioning and groaning about calls the problem is usually behind the plate.

On the flip side I've seen umpires who are VERY consistent with their strike zone calls. Those umpires usually get the least amount of grief from what I've seen.

Another poster commented about "grading" umpires abilities to call strike. While I'd love to see something like that there is no way to effectively do that at the amateur level. It is simply too large. Unlike MLB umpires who work up to the bigs working under tighter scrutiny with consistent parameters the training varies greatly in the softball world.

With all of the different Alphabets in softball there is no one governing body to oversee the training of new umpires and the continuing evaluation of veteran umpires. Until someone is willing to pay for the evaluations, things will not change. Right now the training money for clinics and such usually come out of the pocket of the umpires.

 

[SCDad]

Quietly approaching an umpire between innings and asking where a pitcher is missing is one thing. Yelling out from a dugout where a pitch may have missed is not asking anything. It is an attempt to show up the umpire and is arguing balls and strikes.

This is how you do it. Having a coach who can walk past an umpire at the end of an inning, and keep a civilized chatter going, quietly, privately, is how it is done. Focus on the message the umpire wants to hear, and plant a seed in his mind on how you may want it changed.

Having an elite catcher also helps. A player who is respected, and a catcher who has the ability to adjust her gear, and keep a low key chatter going with words the ump may be amenable to, that no one else hears.

For the most part, in travel, at showcases and the like, the strike zone simply does not matter much. It is more about how the team reacts to it, how they adjust to it, how they get along and quietly verbalize what they want, that matters.

 

[cuzmail]

ASA 4-8-C. Any arguing on the judgement of balls and strikes will result in a team warning. Effect, Any repeat offense shall result in the ejection of that team member.

Need to define arguing. Is it left up to the umpire to define it? If so, then that is a problem. A simple question shouldn't be considered arguing. IMO arguing would be the back and forth of a different point of view trying to convince the other of their POV. That isn't a question. Note that I never said the coach had to like the answer to his question.

I have sent an assistant coach behind the backstop to see where an umpire's zone was simply to help me call pitches. I had not nor did I intend to question the ump on his zone. Lets just say that young man in blue got pretty pissed off. My thoughts on something like that is if your reaction is extreme and unreasonable for the circumstance, then either you are protecting your decision(s) which embarrass you or you are trying to hide something.

 

[Comp]

I have sent an assistant coach behind the backstop to see where an umpire's zone was simply to help me call pitches. I had not nor did I intend to question the ump on his zone.

Also illegal. Team participants and coaches are not allowed outside the playing field and team areas during the game.

 

[PA SB Dad]

"God, grant me the serenity to ACCEPT the things I cannot change, the COURAGE to change the things I can, and the WISDOM to know the difference."

The strike zone is one of those things that might feel good complaining about, but it does absolutely no good. Teach the players how to adjust to a given strike zone because every umpire has their own interpretation of what it is. If it's inconsistent, so be it, it is still one day away from work where you are out on the fields doing something incredibly enjoyable. You will have less stress in your life. For me, it's a way to get away from work and spend time doing something I love. A poor strike zone is the least of my worries.

 

[James Smith]

DD throws middle to inside, middle to high. If she is not getting the inside (in the strike zone) or high (in the strike zone) she is in a lot of trouble. The last 2 umpires that would not give these pitches, to either pitcher, called balls outside (out of the strike zone) and low (out of the strike zone) strikes.

DD was not able to take advantage of what the umpire gave her. Some of her parents and coaches were upset that the umpires were not calling strikes strikes. I was more concerned she could not take advantage of being able to throw balls that would be called strikes.

Hitting her spots and taking advantage of the umpire instead of fighting them is a major focus this offseason.

 

[cuzmail]

Also illegal. Team participants and coaches are not allowed outside the playing field and team areas during the game.

Where is this rule?

So my assistant aren't allowed to go outside the field and warm up a pitcher?