Strike Zone

[JaxRolo]

I will just say this, nobody ever complains if you call the full strike zone. Everyone likes strikes, I don't care what they say. Nobody likes the postage stamp sized zones that create 3 hour 'walkathon' games. I say call the biggest zone that you can get away with, that is the full legal width of the zone, which in reality is about 23 inches wide. You might even get away with a little more on the outside pitch, if you call it consistently.

23in wide zone? Really?

Yes! It's all in the catchers setup and presentation of the pitch.

[blue23ll]

 

I will just say this, nobody ever complains if you call the full strike zone. Everyone likes strikes, I don't care what they say. Nobody likes the postage stamp sized zones that create 3 hour 'walkathon' games. I say call the biggest zone that you can get away with, that is the full legal width of the zone, which in reality is about 23 inches wide. You might even get away with a little more on the outside pitch, if you call it consistently.

23in wide zone? Really?

 

The plate is 17 inches wide, the average baseball is about 2.9 inches in diameter. A ball that touches any part of the plate and crosses the strike zone is a strike. So, at a minimum the zone is approximately 23 inches wide.

[maven]

23in wide zone? Really?

23in is on the small side. The plate is 17in wide, and the ball is about 3in in diameter. Any part of the ball over the plate counts, and that would give you 23in.

 

If you're calling only 23in, you're not getting a wide enough zone, especially in the middle. Most images of the zone have it as a rectangle, which of course needs to be a rectangular prism (it's 3 dimensional). But a better zone is wider in the middle and narrower at the top and bottom: rather egg shaped than rectangular.

[Dash Riprock]

At the NCAA pre-season clinic 2 years ago, they showed a graphic of umpire ratings (1-5) along with comments about the zone.  All the comments about a big (and in some cases huge) but consistent strike zone carried a rating of at least 4.  All the comments about a small zone carried ratings of 2 or 3.  There were far fewer comments about consistency with a small zone.  The point the NCAA was making is, the coaches want strikes called.

 

Lingering on the catcher's mitt for a second after he catches the pitch results in more strikes.  Pitches that initially look like balls often get better when you give them a second chance.

[Moe]

Ya, the catchers are horrible in the games I do. Should I still call strikes even if the catcher boxes it out?

[umpstu]

 

I will just say this, nobody ever complains if you call the full strike zone. Everyone likes strikes, I don't care what they say. Nobody likes the postage stamp sized zones that create 3 hour 'walkathon' games. I say call the biggest zone that you can get away with, that is the full legal width of the zone, which in reality is about 23 inches wide. You might even get away with a little more on the outside pitch, if you call it consistently.

23in wide zone? Really?

 

One ball off the plate

[umpstu]

 

23in wide zone? Really?

23in is on the small side. The plate is 17in wide, and the ball is about 3in in diameter. Any part of the ball over the plate counts, and that would give you 23in.

 

If you're calling only 23in, you're not getting a wide enough zone, especially in the middle. Most images of the zone have it as a rectangle, which of course needs to be a rectangular prism (it's 3 dimensional). But a better zone is wider in the middle and narrower at the top and bottom: rather egg shaped than rectangular.

 

Mine are not narrow at the bottom. Why?

[Lala]

One ball off the corners. Basically if it crosses between the plate and the chalk line and it's the right height, that's a good pitcher's pitch. And for God's sake don't sell that pitch as a ball by screaming ball louder that you normally call it. If it's that close sell the strike. I know when I walk on the field the teams know that I like to call strikes. How boring is calling a ball. Be known as a pitcher's umpire. The only ones who whine are the batters and they don't count.  And don't get me started on stee-balls. If you jump up to call a strike and then ball it, grrrrrrrr. Take crap for calling a strike, not a ball.

 

^^^^ This

 

and maybe a simple change in mindset would help...

 

just think "this pitch is a strike until it convinces me otherwise"

One of my mentors always told me that an umpire should always go into a game searching for strikes. If they're not, then it's going to be a long game.

[Dash Riprock]

If any part of the baseball passes through any part of the strike zone, it is a strike.

 

Part of the baseball is its aura.

[JaxRolo]

Ya, the catchers are horrible in the games I do. Should I still call strikes even if the catcher boxes it out?

Read post 26

[noumpere]

When I train umpires and the zone is too small, it seems as though the parrallex (or whatever it's called) is giving them problems.  THat is the line from the eyes, through the ball to the ground hits the ground well outside the plate.  So, they call it a ball.

 

Sometimes, just telling them to call the line in the other batters box solves the problem.  No line?  Put your foot where the line would be when you brush the plate.  You'll see it there when your behind the plate.

 

Or get a buddy and go to the park -- or your backyard.  Get in position.  Have him/her move the ball across the outside edge of the zone (probably at your level that's a little off the plate.  Watch it foru or five time.  Then call a strike 4 or 5 times.  Then have him move it an inch in or out and call it.  Then have him stand five feet in front and toss the ball and you call it.

 

In one afternoon you can get more consistent with the bigger zone.

[Moe]

When I train umpires and the zone is too small, it seems as though the parrallex (or whatever it's called) is giving them problems.  THat is the line from the eyes, through the ball to the ground hits the ground well outside the plate.  So, they call it a ball.

 

Sometimes, just telling them to call the line in the other batters box solves the problem.  No line?  Put your foot where the line would be when you brush the plate.  You'll see it there when your behind the plate.

 

Or get a buddy and go to the park -- or your backyard.  Get in position.  Have him/her move the ball across the outside edge of the zone (probably at your level that's a little off the plate.  Watch it foru or five time.  Then call a strike 4 or 5 times.  Then have him move it an inch in or out and call it.  Then have him stand five feet in front and toss the ball and you call it.

 

In one afternoon you can get more consistent with the bigger zone.

I was planning on doing this as soon as the infernal snow melts. I was going to go to the cages as soon as they open. Should I work on it in the cages or do I do it with pitching?

[blue23ll]

 

When I train umpires and the zone is too small, it seems as though the parrallex (or whatever it's called) is giving them problems.  THat is the line from the eyes, through the ball to the ground hits the ground well outside the plate.  So, they call it a ball.

 

Sometimes, just telling them to call the line in the other batters box solves the problem.  No line?  Put your foot where the line would be when you brush the plate.  You'll see it there when your behind the plate.

 

Or get a buddy and go to the park -- or your backyard.  Get in position.  Have him/her move the ball across the outside edge of the zone (probably at your level that's a little off the plate.  Watch it foru or five time.  Then call a strike 4 or 5 times.  Then have him move it an inch in or out and call it.  Then have him stand five feet in front and toss the ball and you call it.

 

In one afternoon you can get more consistent with the bigger zone.

I was planning on doing this as soon as the infernal snow melts. I was going to go to the cages as soon as they open. Should I work on it in the cages or do I do it with pitching?

 

Yes, both. Get as much plate work as you can, in any form. If you have a buddy or child that is willing help you, play soft toss with them. Do the "tennis ball" drill, lay on your back and toss a tennis ball up in the air, and follow it only with your eyes, do that a lot. Stand in front of a mirror and work on your stance, Work any and all scrimmages you can, take the first plate, and stay there until they kick you out, and make them tell you that you have had enough scrimmages. Then work games, and ASK to be evaluated by both your partners and evaluators in the stands.

[umpstu]

 

 

When I train umpires and the zone is too small, it seems as though the parrallex (or whatever it's called) is giving them problems.  THat is the line from the eyes, through the ball to the ground hits the ground well outside the plate.  So, they call it a ball.

 

Sometimes, just telling them to call the line in the other batters box solves the problem.  No line?  Put your foot where the line would be when you brush the plate.  You'll see it there when your behind the plate.

 

Or get a buddy and go to the park -- or your backyard.  Get in position.  Have him/her move the ball across the outside edge of the zone (probably at your level that's a little off the plate.  Watch it foru or five time.  Then call a strike 4 or 5 times.  Then have him move it an inch in or out and call it.  Then have him stand five feet in front and toss the ball and you call it.

 

In one afternoon you can get more consistent with the bigger zone.

I was planning on doing this as soon as the infernal snow melts. I was going to go to the cages as soon as they open. Should I work on it in the cages or do I do it with pitching?

 

Yes, both. Get as much plate work as you can, in any form. If you have a buddy or child that is willing help you, play soft toss with them. Do the "tennis ball" drill, lay on your back and toss a tennis ball up in the air, and follow it only with your eyes, do that a lot. Stand in front of a mirror and work on your stance, Work any and all scrimmages you can, take the first plate, and stay there until they kick you out, and make them tell you that you have had enough scrimmages. Then work games, and ASK to be evaluated by both your partners and evaluators in the stands.

 

And have your buddies or evaluators be brutally honest with you about your plate work. You won't get better if nobody is honest. Too many umpires want a pat on the head and then, when the good ol boys are gone, can't figure out why their schedules are missing really good games. It's because you haven't been properly evaluated and have digressed in your abilities as an umpire.

[Mr Ump]

 

What is your interpretation of the 'zone' for the level of ball you call?

The level of ball I call is an open men's league. Its open to anyone 18+. The baseball is actually pretty good. There are a few former NCAA guys and a few former Varsity league guys. I call it rulebook: Over the plate, no lower than the hollow beneath the knees and no higher than the mid-point between the belt and the shoulders. Like I say, I MIGHT be a little small on the outside corner. I want to maybe give the pitcher a little bit more on the outside edge. 

 

Fix that outside corner issue. Like was said earlier from the batters box chalk in to the plate - call it, especially in a men's league. If you don't you gonna be out there forever. The batters will adjust. You got to try it to ever be able to do it. You really don't want the reputation of a 'small' zone. Then you get labelled a batters ump. I would rather be a 'pitchers' ump. Get's me to my car faster. Those batters will take pitches forever if they know you got a small zone. Trust me on that one.

[ricka56]

I hear this "my zone is small, but hey, it's consistent!" business periodically from guys in my association.

 

I try to avoid working with them, and when I do, I take the plate. The last one who had the plate, it was over 3 hours for a 6-inning mercy game, with over 30 runs between the 2 teams. The pitching was weak, but not that bad. I'm talking about HS varsity...

 

Call the largest zone you can possibly get away with. And maybe slightly larger than that.

    ^^^^^^This. You might be "that guy" that partners don't look forward to working with. If its a lower level game I "consistently" get that dick high ball and a half outside pitch...especially on strike one. Lower levels... I get anthing I can on strike one...consistency be damned. I subscribe to the egg shaped SZ (especially in youth BB), not the RB SZ.

 

"I never got into trouble by calling strikes" - Al Alford, ABUA Hall of Fame

[nicshow]

I'm struggling with my low outside zone also and yesterday I took advice I read on here and tracked the ball so that I could read the log on the catcher's glove. It made me realize that I am, in fact, shifting my eyes back up to catch the batter's swing. In fact, I think I verbalized a strike that the batter offered at because my eyes were focused on the ball and catcher's glove.

 

So, how do I see both the ball all the way into the glove AND the batter's swing?!

 

Nic

[Thunderheads]

I'm struggling with my low outside zone also and yesterday I took advice I read on here and tracked the ball so that I could read the log on the catcher's glove. It made me realize that I am, in fact, shifting my eyes back up to catch the batter's swing. In fact, I think I verbalized a strike that the batter offered at because my eyes were focused on the ball and catcher's glove.

 

So, how do I see both the ball all the way into the glove AND the batter's swing?!

 

Nic

Nic, you can't see both, right? So, what's more important?

[ALStripes17]

I'm struggling with my low outside zone also and yesterday I took advice I read on here and tracked the ball so that I could read the log on the catcher's glove. It made me realize that I am, in fact, shifting my eyes back up to catch the batter's swing. In fact, I think I verbalized a strike that the batter offered at because my eyes were focused on the ball and catcher's glove.

So, how do I see both the ball all the way into the glove AND the batter's swing?!

Nic

Good timing is necessary.

I verbalized a swinging strike a few times my first year calling. Proper timing will allow you to see the whole pitch/play