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Showing results for tags 'strike zone'.
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Doing a conference game last night (backend of a DH) ...bottom of the 7th, visitors trying to hang on (2-1) bases loaded ... The leadoff hitter is now up to bat and watches pitch 1 right down the middle and fouls pitch 2 off. Ok, here it comes ...F2 (John ...good kid) sets up outside by quite a bit, confirmed, here comes the purpose pitch to get the batter to go fishing. Pitcher hits the target, but ...it's 3 to 4 balls off the plate (of course no one can tell how far out John is set up) .... "crack" ..... BALL, ...THAT'S OUTSIDE!! VISITING CROWD: OOOOooohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Next pitch .... 2 run double down the right field line for the walk-off OF COURSE, that's my fault! LOL .... And, of course one of the happy parents felt it necessary to see us walking to our car and yell from a 50 yard distance, "nice strike zone blue, ...brutal!" Varsity parents ....not Little League ..... Unreal, no wonder there's a shortage of officials! Walking back to the car, my partner says - "I wouldn't have given that strike in a U12 game!" We then had a good laugh
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- strike zone
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I am a little league coach for 10-12 year olds and I have a philosophical difference with the head umpire in our league and I want to get the opinions of those on the boards here. Recently our kid umpires (our league does not use adults for this age contrary to little league rules, but that's ok) stated telling us coaches during the pre-game meeting that "their" strike zone is from the armpits to the tops of the knees and a baseball's width on the inside and outside of the plate. My objection is that they are not enforcing the strike zone according to the rules of the game and they are giving the pitcher an unfair advantage over the hitter. Our league has a sheet of "local rules" and it does NOT say there is an expanded strike zone for this age. I ask why they are not enforcing the rules of the game and I get a BS answer about encouraging kids to swing and that they don't want a "walk fest." My argument is that 1) the strike zone is clearly defined in the rule book 2) "encouraging" kids to swing is not the umpires job, that's a coaches job to teach the kids strike zone discipline 3) we as coaches are fully capable of removing a pitcher who has walked a few batters and that's not the concern of the umpire 4) an expanded strike zone only encourages kids to swing at more bad pitches, causing mor swinging k's and backwards k's 5) and umpires job is to Officiate the game fairly according to ALL the rules, not most of them 6) umpires cannot unilaterally decide to make up their own rules Now I am catching hell because I am questioning this "unwritten" expanded strike zone philosophy and all I am asking is for all of our umpires to call the strike zone according to the definition in the rules!! Is this an unreasonable request?
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Ok guys, .... bear with me .... This isn't a huge issue, but so far I've had a tendency to call a high strike, not that there's anything wrong with it, but .... let me continue. My issue is, ... finding out in the post game after asking my partner ... he said it was borderline but more high than borderline...."not chin high, but it was pretty up there". Now, I heard nothing but a stupid mom say something about the pitch, and nothing from the batter or dugout, so I know it can't be THAT bad, so, why am I asking you ask? My question is, ... what are some tips (I know this is very elementary and I apologize) for seeing that high strike and knowing its high or a bit up? I know a lot of guys will lock your eyes at the top of the zone ...if it goes above your line of sight, "ball", and that makes sense but not necessarily that easy. I'm assuming my issue is that on those pitches, I'm not tracking completely w/ my eyes (probably ). I say this because I remember another pitch that I tracked perfectly that was up in the zone and I balled it and saw it clearly. Again that's probably it as it's still very early in our season. Another tip I was thinking ... F2's glove location can help as well ...where the ball is caught....height of glove? Anyhow ... I know that this site is THE PLACE for stuff like this, and I know I'll get good feedback. Again, I'm pretty sure I'm having a tracking issue when this happens, but ...I'm looking for tips on that upper part of the zone/borderline pitch. Thanks all ... appreciation in advance!
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- strike zone
- high strike
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In yesterdays Tiger Oriole game, in the 9th, ...Nathan though he had strike 3 on Davis to end the game, but was called a ball inside by Tumpane. When you first look at it ...you think strike all day, especially at most of our levels, but ...the pitch is inside and you have to tip the cap to calling that pitch correctly to Tumpane. But, listen to Nathan talk about his duscussion w/ him ... pretty cool ...... http://m.mlb.com/video/v32872407/?query=joe%2Bnathan
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- Joe Nathan
- John Tumpane
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Anyone notice that in the bottom of the 9th his zone expanded big time???
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When having a sub varsity type game and /or middle school game do you widen the strike zone, I myself will bring the zone up a little and go a little further outside to get the players to swing and put the ball in play. Or do you just call the zone and have a walkarama. Your thoughts.