Time of Day/Level of Play?

[umpire_scott]

Does anyone notice that they see the ball better during particular times of the day?  I had DH's both Friday and Saturday for a JV tournament.  I had the plate for the second game on Friday with a 5:15 start time.  I was not happy with how I was seeing the ball and therefore was not pleased with my consistency on my zone.  And this was coming after I'd been extremely happy with my zone all season. I've made the conscious decision to open my zone up a little and call more strikes.  It's been going really well and I've gotten several compliments on how consistent my zone has been.  Then Friday's game I just felt like I wasn't seeing and tracking the ball as well.  There was one bender I even completely lost sight of.  I don't recall that ever happening before.  I literally lost it out of his hand and then saw the catcher catch it.  Thankfully the catcher caught it with his glove in the dirt so I felt comfortable it was a ball.  

 

Then on Saturday I had the first game with a 1:00 start.  I felt much better about my zone in that game, but still not as good as I've felt during most of my games this year.

 

Do you also see a difference in pitchers ability to hit spots and have command at different levels?  I've felt really good about my zone for the youth travel ball games I've done (10U-14U).  I also felt good about my zone in the JUCO game I did and the few varsity games I did. Have you found that JV pitchers have a particular inability to hit spots so maybe the excessive glove movement by the catcher might cause a lack of confidence in your zone?

[BalkHawk]

The sun was in my eyes... said that before.

As for pitchers' command at different age levels, every 13 year old I've seen spots it like Yu, so I don't know what you mean.

[Rulekeep]

I usually see the ball better during the day rather than night. :wave:

[Dash Riprock]

Have you found that JV pitchers have a particular inability to hit spots...?

As I remember, JV pitchers have a particular inability to hit the ocean.