Struggling w/ low pitch

[Astrosdawg07]

For some reason I have been struggling with the low pitch, and tend to be calling it to low. Therefore I try to stay away from the low pitch all together to stay consistent. Any ideas or suggestions to help? I love the pitch at the knees I just have problems seeing it for some unknown reason. :)

[Umpire in Chief]

The low pitch, especially the low-away pitch, is the toughest pitch to call and can help define a good umpire. I wouldn't stay away from them because they can be good pitches to get. There are a number of techniques to help you develop a good lower strike zone.

Mechanically:

First make sure you have good head position in the slot. When I say have a good position in the slot you should feel completely exposed like you are going to be hit with the ball on inside pitches.

Keep you chin at about the same height as the top of the catchers helmet. From here you will have a great view of the plate. If you get squeezed by the catcher setting up inside go higher and the rest is on the catcher, but tell him when you get squeezed on the inside you lose the ability to get the low and low away pitches for him, he'll understand and help you out.

Also, don't follow the ball with your head, it changes your perception. Follow the ball with your eyes. A minor league guy told me that's called chasing sliders when your moving your head to follow the ball.

Timing. Take that extra time to think about the pitch again, then call it.

Pointers:

If the catcher catches the ball overhanded and in his frame - not pulling the pitch - from between his knees up to his shoulders /head (depending on how the catcher sets up) its usually a good pitch.

Start your zone bigger and while I'm not saying have rabbit ears, get a feel for the general reaction and make smaller adjustments if you need to.

Keep working with it the low strike is the toughest to get, but when you do it will make you that much of a better umpire!

[ump81]

Achestnut, I just did a clinic last month on plate work for about 50 HS guys in our association, at least 48 were too far back and had bad habits of hiding behind the catcher, most did not even realize that they were not "in the slot" and had gradually creeped back over time to protect themselves. Most low pitches are missed because the catcher is blocking your view, mostly as Ump in chief says due to not being up enough in the slot. Get that slot foot up to the catchers heel, as UIC says you almost feel as if anything inside is going to brain you in the mask. I almost never see a head height problem or flinching, it is 90% of the time the slot foot definition. Now at the low levels I realize we need self preservation but in anything HS and above most catchers will catch it and let us settle into a good slot position. Some of the factors of the plate stance are: head height, eye tracking, shoulders square to pitcher, slot definition, feet shoulder width apart, slight bend in knees, slight lean with back, head and neck relaxed. Think of a camera tripod providing a solid base for the eyes and head as the camera lens square to what you want to photograph. Timing is another area we struggle with, timing is proper use of the eyes. Let the catcher catch and "present" the baseball before we mentally register the pitch, then we signal. Clues for the low ball: anything that brings dirt from the glove or ball, catcher pulling it up, clearly then he thought it was low too, catcher "squats" lower with his body but glove still looks good, an old Johnny Bench trick to steal a few by optical illusion. Try working on a few of these items, see which will improve your look. That pitch at the "hollow beneath the kneecap" is the bread and butter of any higher level pitcher, and any higher level umpire. Many a career of both has ended at lower levels due to not being able to throw it or call it consistently.

[POLOGREEN]

What do you guys do to improve your tracking and strike zone? What techniques do you use for tracking both the top and bottom of the zone and the inside and outside pitches?

[Umpire in Chief]

Moved this thread because I believe the answers here would be a good starting point for answering.

[Dragon29]

ump81,

You provided very good advice (as did UIC) and I agree with almost everything you wrote.

. . . feet shoulder width apart, slight bend in knees . . .

I think it depends upon how tall the umpire is and how big F2 is.

I'm 6'5"; some of the F2s I work with are a foot shorter than me, some are my height. I start aggressively w/my slot foot but, for the most part, if I left my trail foot at around shoulder width, I'd be way too high up. My trail foot is usually wider than 'shoulder width' which allows me to 'sit' into a comfortable position with a good foundation and my chin no lower than the top of F2's head.

Just from one of your taller brethren.

[Majordave]

I work the Gerry Davis System, a/k/a "The Lock Box". That method/style/position/stance teaches that you are back from the catcher. I have taken some hits at camps and clinics but I consistently get compliments on my zone. Granted, I am only 5'9" so I am closer to the low pitch but I believe in calling it. I do not feel I miss much.

A good friend of mine, who is on this board, mostly as a lurker since he was competing for one of the 8 or 9 open positions in professional baseball this spring. He made it, got notified yesterday.

Anyway, in reference to this thread. He and I discuss umpiring almost incessantly. I have it as bad as he does but he is young enough to act upon his desires. He just got done with PBUC. In school and in practice, we worked together frequently in high school ball and fall ball last year, he works the slot as taught at the pro schools with heel-toe stance and outside arm/hand tucked across the stomach with inside hand along the leg/knee.

The big point he made is that the PBUC instructors moved him back a full arm's length with fingers extended fully and not really touching the catcher to guage his distance to start his stance/set from. He said he can really see the outside and low pitches well. I believe him. I use an arm's length as my guage as well.

So, do what you think helps you. I get good reviews and commentary from coaches and catchers on my zone. The number one at one of the 2009 pro schools and one of 8 or 9 new hires at PBUC obviously gets good reviews from those that matter on his zone and consistency.

I'm just sayin. Tim C on the other boards advocates a lengthy distance back from the catcher as well. He works the Oregon State HS Championship game so he must be doing something right.

Good luck with whatever you decide works for you.

[Astrosdawg07]

I'm about 5'10 and I spread way out. But I'm thinking I may be a little to close to the catcher now. I'm gonna try the arms length distance away next week for the first inning and see how it goes.

[Majordave]

ok, two more things.

1. Head height: I put my eyes at top of zone for each batter which means sometimes feet are wider than other times depending upon height of the batter. Usually approximately double shoulder width but sometimes more and sometimes less.

2. Nose or inside ear on the inner edge of the plate: Pick one. I had always used nose but Tony Walsh, SEC/ACC and 5 time CWS umpire, had me put my inside ear (i.e. right ear on RH batter and vice versa) on the inside edge of the plate at Music City Camp at Middle Tennessee in September. It gives you a slightly wider view but not so much that you are too far out. At Tony Thompson's camp in Atlanta in October, MLB umpires Ed Rapuano and Paul Nauert had no problem with this placement and did not say a word about anything I did except compliments. I have it on tape. But, Brian Kennedy-a AAA International League umpire, wanted me back with my nose on the inside corner. I am going with Tony, Ed and Paul. Brian was let go this spring, so I hear and I feel good with the ear instead of the nose. Either way is probably fine.

I can talk this stuff all day. If only I got into this when I was younger.

Hope this helps. I think reps and evaluations and cage work or bullpen work with someone to critique is the best way to get the kinks worked out. Good luck.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Majordave
clarity

[Astrosdawg07]

Well I'm 20 now so thankfully I am still young. I just wish I was able to get more work then just games.

[willv28]

I have had a little trouble with low pitches so far too. But, I'm not going to use my last game as an example. I did have to hide a bit as the catcher was both tiny and couldn't catch the first half. Dealing with LL I find they often setup way too close and I don't like being too close to the catchers. So, sometimes I can see the plate well other times no. That's the only location my partner said I might have missed pitches, calling them too low.

Also, how do you handle a catcher that stands up or gets more upright on a high pitch? Especially when it's really late or as the pitch is being released?

[mstaylor]

If he blocks you out then it is a ball. If he complains, tell him you can't call a strike you can't see.

[BrianDawn95]

I thought I was doing a pretty good job calling the low strike. Then, after a game recently I asked the BU (with whom I work often) if he thought my zone looked good high and low. He told me that lately I had been calling strikes too low -- touching the knee barely. He told me that I was very consistent with it, but it was just a tad low. The next game I tried to raise the zone ever so slightly and I felt wildly inconsistent with calling the low pitch. Now I'm not sure which is better: stay consistent with the low strike, or make everyone deal with the inconsistent zone while I retrain my eye for calling that pitch.

Any thoughts?

[BT_Blue]

it depends on how low is low. My clue is on a fastball if the catcher catches the ball below where his (the catcher not the batter) knees are the pitch is a ball. At or above the catcher's knee then its a strike. Breaking balls are a little harder but if he has to catch it off the dirt or if he catches the pitch and brings the glove up he is telling you it is a ball.

[willv28]

I've been a touch better with the low pitch lately. But then I cal one that's like 5 inches off the ground a strike. I saw the pitch, I timed and I called it a strike anyway.... It is hard because some of the tiny kids the low pitch is so much further away and down.

[BT_Blue]

different ages take different strike zones. Im trying to change my mentality on my strike zone as I am used to varsity and college pitchers. But with Pony and below I need to open my zone in all areas cause for the most part these kids can hit the zone but not always.

[therefump]

I've been a touch better with the low pitch lately. But then I cal one that's like 5 inches off the ground a strike. I saw the pitch, I timed and I called it a strike anyway.... It is hard because some of the tiny kids the low pitch is so much further away and down.

Suggestion: can you get someone to video tape about 2 innings on you. You'll be amazed at what you thought you called and where it was exactly. Having said that consistency is the answer. Don't beat yourself up.

This year for some reason I'm having trouble with catchers who are so far up to the plate they block it. I try and tell them quietly (while waiting for Catcher Interference) but make it a suggestion not an order. They get the idea. The other issue I'm having is that the catchers are extending their glove so it blocks the plate. This is more with the "in-house" leagues and not the travel leagues.:BD:

[Umpire in Chief]

Changing your existing strike zone will be tough to do, but slow things down use good timing see the pitch and give it a second to process will all help.

[BT_Blue]

Something that no one has mentioned is that maybe you arent tracking the ball from the pitchers hand all the way to the glove. That will help you with not calling the pitches too low.

[BrianDawn95]

Something that no one has mentioned is that maybe you arent tracking the ball from the pitchers hand all the way to the glove. That will help you with not calling the pitches too low.

In fact, tonight I felt the pitcher was quick-pitching. By the time the F2 stopped moving around and stayed in one one place, the F1 was halfway through his delivery.

I have tried to keep my head still and let my eyes track the pitch as was suggested in other posts. Again, this site is a God-send!! I love the tips and advice here!!

[noumpere]

touching the knee barely.

Isn't that a strike anyway?

What are you hearing from the coaches / players? (and, I don't mean in any particular game, I mean across all the games in that league) If they aren't bitching, then I wouldn't change the zone -- it's where it needs to be for that league.

[BrianDawn95]

Isn't that a strike anyway?

What are you hearing from the coaches / players? (and, I don't mean in any particular game, I mean across all the games in that league) If they aren't bitching, then I wouldn't change the zone -- it's where it needs to be for that league.

I think he was saying it was a ball low. I believe the strike zone is from the armpits to the top of the knees in LL. I was calling the ones just below or barely touching the knees.

As for any griping, I'd have a manager maybe huff a little in the top of the first if a low strike, but not much after that once everyone realized that I was calling it consistently for both teams. This is more about me wanting to improve as an Umpire.

Edited June 11, 2009 by BrianDawn95
terrible spelling

[MCLEOD36]

Knees are the knees..... tracking the ball from the pitcher is the key, and setting up in the slot. If you are getting pinched by batter on plate and catcher setting up inside, I have heard and tried stepping back and moving up and that works great....

[LLWS#32]

All good advice. Here's something I don't think I've seen yet in this thread: Get somebody to videotape a couple of innings from several angles. Its easy for us say "move up in the slot" or " get your head height right" much different though if you can see yourself. My biggest improvement came in the '06 season after seeing myself umpire a televised game at the end of the '05 season...a chance us amateurs don't often get. I not only got a chance to tweak a few things but it also allowed me to "delete" a couple of annoying habits--the kind of things only other umpires notice....the things we call "polish." I've been fortunate enough to get 14 Live TV ops with 4 on the plate.

[BrianDawn95]

All good advice. Here's something I don't think I've seen yet in this thread: Get somebody to videotape a couple of innings from several angles. Its easy for us say "move up in the slot" or " get your head height right" much different though if you can see yourself. My biggest improvement came in the '06 season after seeing myself umpire a televised game at the end of the '05 season...a chance us amateurs don't often get. I not only got a chance to tweak a few things but it also allowed me to "delete" a couple of annoying habits--the kind of things only other umpires notice....the things we call "polish." I've been fortunate enough to get 14 Live TV ops with 4 on the plate.

Thanks for the advice. I will have someone record me and see how bad it is

I'll be taking my boys up to the LLWS this year to watch some games. Maybe I'll see you up there!!