That was a Strike?!!!-Interesting Article, MLB Strike Zone Analysis

[Majordave]

I ran across this story and I, in a multi-degreed, way too much education for my own good way, found it quite interesting. A little heavy on the math and analysis but there are graphs and pictures.

Apparently the hardcore MLB jock sniffers and FANatics think that Angel Hernandez is not a good umpire but this article proves them wrong. He is above average.

Enjoy!

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/that-was-a-strike/

[LMSANS]

I read this article also. It was interesting, although there were a couple of parts that made my head a little foggy.

Good read on the science/match of it.

[Umpire in Chief]

Interesting read, and I think it shows the guys who are up there are certainly there for a reason.

Getting a bit off topic here, but I've thought it would be pretty cool to call a few games where my ball/strike calls were accurately measured. I think I'd come out pretty good among my peers.

Would you ever want to have your calls tracked?

[Stan W.]

Interesting read, and I think it shows the guys who are up there are certainly there for a reason.

Getting a bit off topic here, but I've thought it would be pretty cool to call a few games where my ball/strike calls were accurately measured. I think I'd come out pretty good among my peers.

Would you ever want to have your calls tracked?

I am reminded of a post on a player/coach website where the poster asked "who is the worst player in MLB?"..........I responded that I wish my son had the opportunity to be the worst player in mlb...

Even for the worst of them..,they are there because they are the best...we all have to be ranked...Id like to be ranked among the very best....

Id love to have a few innings tracked by the technology used in MLB..I think that would be a great training tool...

[BrianC14]

I was traveling home from a business trip last night, when the gentleman seated next to me on the plane saw my J/R manual and inquired about it.

We got to talking baseball in general, and he asked why, since the technology does exist, didn't baseball use an electronic method of calling balls and strikes, or for that matter, even plays on the bases - especially first base?

I gave him my opinion (with the caveat that I was somewhat of a traditionalist) that the plate would have these sensors - but what about a a check swing interfering with the "call"... (the obvious example), but I told him that I thought that if that level of technology was brought into the game, then the human element would be removed. If that continues to be the case, then why not just play the game with robots - or even cheaper, simply with a computer program? I ended up by telling him that (in my opinion) that if such electronics were to be used, you'd see a great many umpires quite the game, and that I'd be one of them... maybe I could take up gardening!

[LMSANS]

Interesting read, and I think it shows the guys who are up there are certainly there for a reason.

Getting a bit off topic here, but I've thought it would be pretty cool to call a few games where my ball/strike calls were accurately measured. I think I'd come out pretty good among my peers.

Would you ever want to have your calls tracked?

I'd love to be tracked for a while.

Hell, I'd like to be evaluated just once. :crybaby2:

[POLOGREEN]

I would love to be evaluated in a live game situation. I think it would be helpful for me ane my self-evaluation. What am I right on in my judgement and most importantly what am I in need of .......to get to work harder on, how else can we improve. I've learned more from my mistakes than anything else.

[BrianC14]

This is why I think that clinics should strive to have the attendees work live games - the instructors would be there for immediate feedback as well as post-game analysis.

[MCLEOD36]

thank you MDave for posting this. An interesting read, I wouldnt mind going in front of a computer like that, to fine tune the curves/sliders/ etc...

[Dragon29]

Would you ever want to have your calls tracked?

I'd love to have my calls tracked - at a clinic, a game - whatever. Not all the time, of course, but at least enough for me to use that information to improve.

[BrianC14]

I'd love to have my calls tracked - at a clinic, a game - whatever. Not all the time, of course, but at least enough for me to use that information to improve.

Ditto for me. It's like they say, "you're either getting better or you're getting worse, but you never stay the same." :crybaby2:

[catoblue]

There's an article that appeals to my inner-geek!!!!!

Great read. I enjoyed it. Would be great to have something like that available for all umpires - for feedback on consistency. I'd love to know just how consistent I am game-to-game.

[mstaylor]

Isn't there anybody that does evals in NJ?

[POLOGREEN]

We here, in New Jersey, have an excellent clinic comming up on March 7 at Rutgers Prep. The unfortunate part last year was that it rained and we could NOT go out on the field. We did some ball and strike work indoors, BUT that is not ideal.

[LMSANS]

We here, in New Jersey, have an excellent clinic comming up on March 7 at Rutgers Prep. The unfortunate part last year was that it rained and we could NOT go out on the field. We did some ball and strike work indoors, BUT that is not ideal.

I've been to that clinic 4 out of the last 5 years and have never been outside.B)

[mstaylor]

How far is Salisbury, MD from you guys. We are doing a local clinic for our HS group that we open to outsiders. It's not a great advanced clinic but an excellent tune-up clinic. We do it in an indoor facility that has an infield marked out. It isn't perfect but not bad. We also have two cages for plate mechanics. We have quite a few college guys as instructors, two are Wendlestatt grads. I am the roving rules guy. It's only $30.00 for an one day clinic including lunch. We only charge guys outside our group to help defray the cost of rental.

[LMSANS]

How far is Salisbury, MD from you guys. We are doing a local clinic for our HS group that we open to outsiders. It's not a great advanced clinic but an excellent tune-up clinic. We do it in an indoor facility that has an infield marked out. It isn't perfect but not bad. We also have two cages for plate mechanics. We have quite a few college guys as instructors, two are Wendlestatt grads. I am the roving rules guy. It's only $30.00 for an one day clinic including lunch. We only charge guys outside our group to help defray the cost of rental.

Salisbury, I think is about 3+ hours. When is the clinic?

[mstaylor]

Here's the flyer.

Announcing: The 4th Annual ACUA Umpire Clinic

Saturday February 21, 2009 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Crown Sports Complex, Fruitland MD

The Atlantic Coast Umpire Association invites anyone interested in umpiring baseball to join us in a day of training at the Crown Sports Complex.

Are you interested in becoming an umpire, or will you be volunteering at a local youth league this spring. We will cover all the basics to get you started.

We will be covering basic and advanced plate and field mechanics, according to each person's experience.

If you've never been to an umpire clinic before, or if you just want to get ready for another season, this clinic will work for you.

Our instructors are all graduates of pro umpire clinics.

Please contact Mike Ross at: 443-614-2765 or at: mike27@comcast.net for more information or to sign up. Space will be limited.

Cost is only $25 per umpire

Lunch will be available on-site for $5 per person

Call Mike if are interested and tell him I told you to call him or just let me know and I'll set you up.

[POLOGREEN]

I would love to go mike but it would be 4 and a 1/2 hours from me. I'm in northern New Jersey.

[mstaylor]

I understand completely. I wasn't sure if you might have been southern NJ and it wouldn't be too difficult. That is a bit of a haul.

[LMSANS]

I understand completely. I wasn't sure if you might have been southern NJ and it wouldn't be too difficult. That is a bit of a haul.

Afraid you won't be seeing me there either, I have another commitment on the 21st.

Thanks for trying.

[BT_Blue]

I would love to have my calls tracked. Especially since I havent had the chance to work many games over the last two years and I want to make sure I am giving my best.