Catcher calls for HIGH pitch

[Mad Mike]

How do you guys set up to call a pitch when the catcher completely stands up to catch a pitch?

This happened several times in the game on both sides. I remained standing up with my knees slightly bent, but still to where I could observe the pitcher's delivery. There were several times the catcher did this late to not telegraph this to the batter and the batter swung at a high pitch well out of the strike zone. Easy call--swinging strike. No need to judge the zone.

Now let me add a twist, late in the game, the catcher stands up early and holds for what looks like it will be a high pitch out of the zone; however, the pitcher throws the ball lower and probably into the zone. When the catcher reaches down to get this, I am locked in for a high pitch and I don't move. Batter does not swing. I rule this a ball and the DHC come out to argue. I put up the stop sign. He says that is a designed play and it was right down the pipe. It probably was right down the pipe, but there is no way I am going to call a pitch where the catcher starts high and blocks my view. Most certainly, I am not going to be moving my head to readjust and try to call this pitch. He wants the call and I tell him there is no way he is going to get that call in that situation. He then mentions some other times it was called a strike and I remind him that the batter swung on those pitches.

Give me some advice here, how do/would you guys handle this from a mechanics perspective? Is there anything you would do different?

 

[Rich Ives]

The coach needs to teach his catcher how to do the high pitch bit. It's on him.

[ElkOil]

I'd probably do what you did during the inning to have the coach keep a lid on things, but maybe talk with him between innings about it.  For mechanics, that's a toughy.  Maybe tell the catcher you can't call a pitch you can't see a strike?  I'm loads of help on this one, I know...

[umpstu]

If you're able to see the strike why wouldn't call it?  That's like the umpire who buys into the "he has to catch it for you to call it", theory.  If a pitch is in the strike zone and pops out of the glove, I'm getting it.  And the catcher setting up high to deek a batter and then the pitch is thrown through the zone is a very frequent play.  Have no idea what button I pressed to cause the type to look like this?

[maineump]

This catcher standing up early for the high pitch is out of control. If you can't see the pitch, you can't call it. I caught a long time and never stood up for the high 2 strike pitch. The catcher calls it, then expects where the pitch will go (like calling a curve ball), but at the youth levels, the pitchers aren't as accurate as they might be at higher levels.

How to handle the coach? Just tell him you can't call what you can't see. The catcher needs to stay down.

[BillKen]

I umpire by the philosophy that every pitch is a strike when it leave the pitcher's hands...and then if it moves out of the zone after that, it will become a ball.  But when a catcher stands up or raises his glove up in front of my vision, he is telling me that this pitch is supposed to be egregiously out of the zone.  So that is now my new "preconceived notion".  It takes me getting a really solid look at a chute shot to turn that pitch into a strike.  If it becomes a pattern, I'm going to talk to the catcher first and if he isn't old enough to understand, I'll tell the coach something like, "Coach, at the levels I work at, catchers don't do that because they understand how it puts me in a tough spot to try and make late and unpredictable adjustments.  When I have to do that, I'm not as good as you deserve.  Please work with your catcher on how to call for a pitch out of the zone but still give me a shot at getting a strike on a ball in the zone."

[Dean]

Set up like you normally do, adjust (and tell the catcher to give you a look)  to the catcher who is blocking the zone.

It really is on you to see the plate (strike zone). 

That said, we all know the few catchers that do whatever they want and we cannot get a good look. As others have said - if I cannot see it I cannot call it.

 

[KenBAZ]

The coach left his position in the dugout to argue balls and strikes with you? Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

[Sut'n Blue]

 

14U game a couple weeks ago. One of the players is easily over 6' 6". When the kid comes up to bat the first time F2's coach has him stand up for the entire at bat. I got through it but it wasn't pretty though I didn't hear any grumbling. The next time the kid comes up to bat not only is F2 standing but moves inside as the pitcher starts his motion and I ball a pitch that everyone but me saw as a strike - the batter's coach actually called out from the third base box "You got lucky, the next one like that you better be swinging at." I only saw a glimpse of the ball as it left the pitcher's hand and heard the thump when the ball get caught - other than that I had no idea where the pitch was.

DC gave me a look that left no question he was wondering how the heck I missed it. I gave him a direct look back and shrugged my shoulders and after a second or two it looked as if the light was starting to dawn on him (the kid grounded out on the next pitch). When Stretch came up to bat the next time F2 stood up only to have his coach yell "stay down, let Blue see the ball." 

[TheRockawayKid]

My two cents is that, if the catcher is standing, don't call a strike. F2 wants a swinging strike. He wants the pitcher to throw high, and is willing to give up the called strike for it. This only really happens on an 0-2 or 1-2 count. 

Would you call a strike on an intentional walk attempt if the pitch wound up in the strike zone? What about a pitch out? 

[noumpere]

 

Would you call a strike on an intentional walk attempt if the pitch wound up in the strike zone? What about a pitch out? 

​Yes.  Yes.

[Rich Ives]

 

Would you call a strike on an intentional walk attempt if the pitch wound up in the strike zone?

​Ask Johnny Bench.  

[webspinnre]

So, the argument is that even though the ball is a strike, we should still call it a ball?

I'm fine with calling a ball if the catcher blocks the view and you can't see that it's a strike, but if you see the strike, call it.

[BCBrad]

My thought is you call what you see. If by F2 standing means that you cannot get into your normal slot position to call the pitch, you do your best from where you are at. If from an almost standing position the pitch looks like a ball to you, you have to call what you see - ball. 

It may be a low strike, but you are not  helping yourself by thinking, it looked like a ball, but I think I need to call a strike. At the end of the day, if I feel I stayed true to myself in calling what I saw; I can live with the outcome of the game. If I start calling shoulds, oughts and have tos, I feel guilty for letting petty things get in the way of ensuring the integrity of the game. 

[jkumpire]

Sorry to be so late on this topic, please forgive me....

1. Fundamental: Let the ball tell you whether it is a strike or not. I am getting an impression from the posts here that some of you are overthinking this. The pitch will tell you what it is if you relax and let the ball and F2 do their jobs!

2. Fundamental: F2's have two jobs, help you call strikes and make you look good. If F2 butchers a pitch and makes it look like a ball, it's on him, not you. Call what the pitch tells you it is. If the manager starts to complain like he did in #1 post, hold up the stop sign, that is non-negotiable at this point, and the stuff about 'a planned play' is a lame attempt to buy the next pitch. The guy is trying to save his F2's mistake by blaming it on you.   

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2015 by jkumpire