Call more strikes

[RichMSN]

I don't want to give away any of the thunder for those who weren't in Chicago yesterday, but my favorite moment of the weekend was Gene McArtor sharing evaluations from coaches on umpire plate work during the D1 postseason.

 

The highest scores were given to umpires who got comments like, "Wide zone.  Consistent for both teams."  

 

The worst scores were given to umpires who had tight strike zones.

 

I'm just a little D3 guy, but I've always tried to call a lot of strikes -- I call the same zone as I do in HS games at the D3 level.  And the only guys I've seen take grief on the plate are the guys with the coffee can zones.

 

Just glad to see I don't need to change how I call balls / strikes.

[Majordave]

I was in Chicago this past Saturday as well.  Ditto to what Rich says.  I was mentored early in my umpiring career to call lots of strikes and as a former Legion coach I loved umpires who called lots of strikes.  I wanted players to swing bats. Even more so now that I am an umpire.

 

My two cents.  YMMV..........

[johnnyg08]

For me, that was the major take away for me as a new college umpire.  

 

I now have the confidence to call lots of strikes at the college level.  

[Haid D' Salaami]

We were at a scrimmage at a very good DI school.. the coach was telling that he wants more strikes called... he said he would " rather have a ball called a strike, than a strike called a ball"

[AZump78]

I once heard Paul N say the exact same. Call strikes. If its close enough to have to "think" about, you should prob just call it. Unless of course you are on TV.

[Majordave]

On the subject of calling more strikes.  I have to share this.  Worked a low level NAIA DH this past weekend.  My partner had day one with host losing both games.  Fast forward to day two of the weekend series, host is now visitor and loses both,  again.  I had first plate.  6.5 innings with home winning 1-0 in 1:08.  Only four called K3's, two per team.

 

Game two, home wins in bottom of 7th coming from 3 runs down to win on walk off single with two on, two outs.

 

Now to the strike calling part.

 

Got my evaluations from coaches forwarded by assigner. 

 

Losing visitor's coach rates my judgment at 1 and says worst strike zone he's seen all season because his catcher said I was calling strikes a foot off of the plate.  (His own catcher is complaining I called too many strikes on other team's guys?, really?)  Gives me all 4s on remaining ratings.  Overall rating 3.7 out of 5.

 

Winning home coach rates me some 4s and a mostly 3s.  One of which was in judgment and says my strike zone was inconsistent.  His catcher says I did not call enough strikes.  Overall rating 3.4. 

 

So, did I call too many or not enough strikes?  I say if they're both unhappy I did a good job. 

 

Partner got almost all 4s from both coaches and his plate lasted 1:38.  He is a pro school graduate (2012-Evans' last class).  I am not.

 

Oh well.  Whaddya gonna do?

[GreyhoundAggie]

That's funny. It's amazing the perspective winning puts on the quality of the umpiring.

[dumbdumb]

On the subject of calling more strikes.  I have to share this.  Worked a low level NAIA DH this past weekend.  My partner had day one with host losing both games.  Fast forward to day two of the weekend series, host is now visitor and loses both,  again.  I had first plate.  6.5 innings with home winning 1-0 in 1:08.  Only four called K3's, two per team.

 

Game two, home wins in bottom of 7th coming from 3 runs down to win on walk off single with two on, two outs.

 

Now to the strike calling part.

 

Got my evaluations from coaches forwarded by assigner. 

 

Losing visitor's coach rates my judgment at 1 and says worst strike zone he's seen all season because his catcher said I was calling strikes a foot off of the plate.  (His own catcher is complaining I called too many strikes on other team's guys?, really?)  Gives me all 4s on remaining ratings.  Overall rating 3.7 out of 5.

 

Winning home coach rates me some 4s and a mostly 3s.  One of which was in judgment and says my strike zone was inconsistent.  His catcher says I did not call enough strikes.  Overall rating 3.4. 

 

So, did I call too many or not enough strikes?  I say if they're both unhappy I did a good job. 

 

Partner got almost all 4s from both coaches and his plate lasted 1:38.  He is a pro school graduate (2012-Evans' last class).  I am not.

 

Oh well.  Whaddya gonna do?

Same thing you went through when you were a rookie with a veteran.

 

This is happening all over the country every day.

 

Is it the coaches ratings that count or is it peer reviews that count. Pity if it is the coaches.

[guitarplaya2007]

on coaches reviews... just my two cents... I was given a coaches review for "my information" from my assignor the other day more or less so i could have a laugh at it... ANYWAYS back on topic, i ejectede this manager in the second game of a double header and had absolutely nothing happen in the first game, absolute blowout actually, but both reviews stated that I needed to improve on my professionalism and verbal communication skills, gave me all 1s across the board....... Funny thing about it is, the opposing manager gave me 4s everywhere but consistency which he gave a 5, and said I exceeded expectations on verbal communication skills for game one (had an umpire interference and he didn't realize that if the runner was put out then the interference was ignored as PU). Game 2 was given 4s across the board. The other funny thing about the first coach's evaluation was the professionalism and verbal comm skills saying needed improvement, as I only have 5 games which haven't said that I exceed expectations on professionalism and have 4 exceeds on comm skills... long story short, that manager obviously has no idea what professionalism is and should probably develop a bit on his own... oh and my peer reviews have all been 4 or 5, not a single 1 or 2 rating... maybe a 3 somewhere in there i think because the guy thought i looked "too young"

[IABlue]

Reviews from coaches aren't worth the paper they are printed on.  I'm sure I have a few waiting for me on our association Arbiter page, but I frankly could not possibly care any less and won't bother ever looking at them.

 

I'm not out there to please coaches when I umpire.  My goal is to make the assigner happy.  As long as I keep getting a solid regular season and postseason schedule, and have no major complaints from my assigner, a coaches opinion about ANYTHING is absolutely the last thing on this earth that I care about.

[Haid D' Salaami]

OK.. when a coach keeps complaining about you and the lack of job you do ( BTW IM not saying you do).... or the coaches don't like you, the assigner's will stop sending you to that school. when some of these schools are paying you 200 a game or more... they will let an assigner know they do not want you back.. is it right?... nope but money talks and BullSH*# walks.... and if the coaches keep being pissed off they will find different assigners to do there work. I agree as long as I do what I'm supposed to do I should not have to worry.. but some coaches I work for have scratched some really good umpires cause " that umpire Ejected me, so I don't want him here anymore"  It happens more than you think.

[IABlue]

OK.. when a coach keeps complaining about you and the lack of job you do ( BTW IM not saying you do).... or the coaches don't like you, the assigner's will stop sending you to that school. when some of these schools are paying you 200 a game or more... they will let an assigner know they do not want you back.. is it right?... nope but money talks and BullSH*# walks.... and if the coaches keep being pissed off they will find different assigners to do there work. I agree as long as I do what I'm supposed to do I should not have to worry.. but some coaches I work for have scratched some really good umpires cause " that umpire Ejected me, so I don't want him here anymore"  It happens more than you think.

Well duh. 

 

I'm not saying I go out of my way to piss off coaches, but this whole "coach A gave me a 3 and coach B gave me a 4" is about a thousand times more anal retentive than I'm going to get.

 

Also, it pays to get in tight with the assigner(s) and know that you have enough pull that you can override a few minor coach complaints.

[noumpere]

OK.. when a coach keeps complaining about you and the lack of job you do ( BTW IM not saying you do).... or the coaches don't like you, the assigner's will stop sending you to that school. when some of these schools are paying you 200 a game or more... they will let an assigner know they do not want you back.. is it right?... nope but money talks and BullSH*# walks.... and if the coaches keep being pissed off they will find different assigners to do there work. I agree as long as I do what I'm supposed to do I should not have to worry.. but some coaches I work for have scratched some really good umpires cause " that umpire Ejected me, so I don't want him here anymore"  It happens more than you think.

Yeah but some other coaches will want you because you TCB so it all evens out (ignoring effects of travel ect)

[bam]

This isn't rocket science.  Call the zone they want.  Umpires that advance are able to adjust their zone to the circumstances.

[Haid D' Salaami]

alot of times is isnt the zone, its the other things that happen ina  game that can get umpires in trouble.. but hey.. maybe you know more than I do...good luck.

[BalkHawk]

alot of times is isnt the zone, its the other things that happen ina  game that can get umpires in trouble.. but hey.. maybe you know more than I do...good luck.

 

Totally! I know what you mean about how it is isn't the zone not sometimes only, but then other times it's not is what you were (not) thinking it wasn't not. But hey, at least his shoes weren't not white where they meant to be black.

[Fittske24]

At the lower levels of college ball its more about balls and strikes.... Once you progress into higher levels... It becomes more about game management and situation management. Not being able to handle a rule interp or a problem like a throwing situation will get you in trouble faster than missing that pitch on the outside corner.

[Haid D' Salaami]

At the lower levels of college ball its more about balls and strikes.... Once you progress into higher levels... It becomes more about game management and situation management. Not being able to handle a rule interp or a problem like a throwing situation will get you in trouble faster than missing that pitch on the outside corner.

Thanks Fittske.. someone gets it.