NFHS strike zone (travel ball 12u)

[Sw-ump]

I ended up working a 12u travel ball game yesterday, played under modified NFHS rules, using 50’ pitching distance and 70’ base paths. The coaches from both teams voiced their displeasure for my strike zone being too small the entirety of the game (mostly about the zones height). I was calling from armpits to knee and wasn’t giving much off the plate. The consensus among both managers seemed to be they wanted shoulders to top of knees. Do you guys thing my zone was too tight for this level?

[Replacematt]

Just now, Sw-ump said:

I ended up working a 12u travel ball game yesterday, played under modified NFHS rules, using 50’ pitching distance and 70’ base paths. The coaches from both teams voiced their displeasure for my strike zone being too small the entirety of the game (mostly about the zones height). I was calling from armpits to knee and wasn’t giving much off the plate. The consensus among both managers seemed to be they wanted shoulders to top of knees. Do you guys thing my zone was too tight for this level?

Maybe you thought you were calling one thing and they thought you were calling another; the imaginary boundaries will always vary from person to person. 

The lesson I'd encourage is that if both sides think you're too tight, you probably are. 

[SH0102]

12u isn’t HS, despite the rule code.  Open it up.  Chalk to chalk, shoulders to BOTTOM of knees.

If catcher can catch it in the air without diving to side or standing up, it’s probably a strike at that age.

Always amazing how many kids will complain their first at bat and then get nice hits in their next bc they....gasp...swing the bats

[noumpere]

10 hours ago, Matt said:

Maybe you thought you were calling one thing and they thought you were calling another; the imaginary boundaries will always vary from person to person. 

The lesson I'd encourage is that if both sides think you're too tight, you probably are. 

Especially if this happens consistently in this league / level.

[SeeingEyeDog]

It's tough calling multiple levels and adjusting our zone...and that's the job. Open the zone for the younger age groups...and tighten as you are moving up in age and ability.

Get in the slot after the first warm up pitch from each starter, take 2 from each side and go from there. As with all zones, whatever you establish in the 1st inning...is what you need to call for the rest of the game.

~Dawg

[ArchAngel72]

EESh in LL majors we go armpit to top of knees and plate 

 

LL minors (8-10)  I open up my strike zone to top of shoulders- bottom of knees and batters box line to batters box line which is about a ball width and a half off from the black that I would normally call.

 

I have to admit the games for minors I have it a bit more going as high as chin, just because the pitchers that young are NOT getting anywhere for the most part near the K zone.  not all but most.  I will probably tighten that up a little bit in like 3 weeks but for now I am leaving it that wide and tall, in order to keep the games moving and not being a walk fest.

 

[Sw-ump]

On 4/25/2021 at 9:59 PM, Matt said:

Maybe you thought you were calling one thing and they thought you were calling another; the imaginary boundaries will always vary from person to person. 

The lesson I'd encourage is that if both sides think you're too tight, you probably are. 

Turns out what I thought was the top of the shoulders the entire ballpark thought was center of the chest, maybe the extremely small catcher messed up my positioning? My game this past night was smooth sailing.

[SH0102]

7 hours ago, Sw-ump said:

Turns out what I thought was the top of the shoulders the entire ballpark thought was center of the chest, maybe the extremely small catcher messed up my positioning? My game this past night was smooth sailing.

Glad your game went better.  It is possible with a very small catcher, they have to reach up or even jump up for pitches at the top of the strike zone, whereas a "normal" sized catcher wouldn't...perhaps that messed you up.  One of the things I no longer do that I know I used to back before I had any formal training is not letting the catcher or batter mess me up.

When I was much more un-seasoned, a kid jumping out of the way or ducking usually led to a ball, because my tracking went to them instead of keeping it on the ball.  It is possible the catcher moving a lot (as most do at young ages) messed you up.

Continue to do what you're doing, and just track the pitch all the way in.  

[rhinolith]

Sometimes it’s tough when a really small batter comes up to hit. The strike zone shrinks a lot and—depending on their stance, which is usually compact—the vertical zone might be only 18” or so. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

@rhinolith, I would recommend aligning your eyes with the top of your zone. (You'll stand a bit taller for taller batters and lower for shorter batters.) Obviously, if you get a tall catcher and a short batter this may not be possible, but give it a try and see if that aids in handling batters of widely varying heights.

~Dawg