Umpires

Comment

Comment by bob oleary on December 23, 2009 at 10:47pm

mike; your right, at the younger levels the children have a hard enough time throwing the ball over the plate and hitting it. So an expanded strike zone consistent for both teams is right on as long as the ball is hittable. if not your in for a long day.
plus your dealing with little leagues fragile ego's,and the worst part, the parents.

Comment by Michael Thomas Weber on December 23, 2009 at 2:57pm

I agree with Mark. I am sure most umpires understand what the book says the strike zone is but the perception of the strike zone in game is another idea altogether. That is where the varying strike zones between umpires occurs not the knowledge of the rules. Now having said that, Oleary has a good point about calling the rule book as is because over many years of umpiring, especially in professional baseball, a set of unwritten rules has developed. One of these rules, as Oleary stated, is that the highest point of the strike zone is below the letters. I am curious though when this rule takes effect though. I umpire with a youth league umpiring association and many of the umpires call the strike zone to the letter of the book. At this age level, I have found it expedient to call a game this way, but odd that it is generally accepted that professionals lower the strike zone.

Comment by Mark Cassler on December 23, 2009 at 10:53am

Bob, I didn't mean that every umpire has a different strike zone but it can vary from umpire to umpire. I call the high strike by the book and the coaches know it. Perception can be different among umpires simply by not locking in or getting in the slot. The biggest problem is that many umpires call the strike too fast until waiting for the ball to be caught by the catcher.
Coaches want umpires to call strikes as do pitchers and catchers. It moves the game along. My point is to track the ball through the zone into the catchers mitt. Call every strike you can according to the book. Be totally consistent through the game and coaches won't give you a problem. Remember this...the catcher is you best friend out there. Talk to him and let him know if he's blocking your view. After all is said and done the umpire and the catcher are the only one's who can see the call on the corners. All the players and coaches can see is up and down. Never call a strike below the knees but don't be afraid to call the high strike.

Comment by bob oleary on December 23, 2009 at 9:59am

!) Mark you said the strike zone is in the book.
then why won't the umps call it that way and the same way.If I called a strike at the letters I'd be dead meat
2) You said "Good coaches will have their players adjust to the strike zone of every umpire." your telling me everyone has a different zone.Ergo that's what proves my point! "Only the best will be consistent on that 2-2 pitch"

Comment by bob oleary on December 23, 2009 at 9:49am

Mark and Mike
I agree with what you said!
So doesn't Steve Palermo and John Winkin .
but only the best will be consistent on that 2-2 pitch that's why i brought it up.
And this is the same stuff I hear from my fellow officials. All I am asking is to keep an open mind and watch it when it comes up at your game or the game your watching on the t.v.
That call on the 2-2 pitch has changed the effect on the ballgame.
All of my fellow officials at the h.s. or college level look for strikes and outs but not to change the strike zone.

Comment by Mark Cassler on December 23, 2009 at 9:08am

The strike zone is in the book. Keep the same zone the whole game. Umpires should not alter due to score or the count on the batter. Being consistent is the key to being a good plate umpire. Good coaches will have their players adjust to the strike zone of every umpire.

Comment by Michael Thomas Weber on December 23, 2009 at 8:31am

I have a question concerning that,

Why would an umpire wish to call varying strike zones depending upon the count? The book states what the zone is, so why not just call the pitch as you perceive as them rather than what the count is? In the course of the game each action should be judged individually not collectively; this ensures maximum neutrality and judgement of the rules.

Comment by bob oleary on December 23, 2009 at 12:40am

Years ago I met coach John Winken from the U Maine black bears.
He was at the high school tourneys in Ma.looking for some ball players.
I introduced my self and gave him some names.
Then we struck up a conversation about umpires and the strike zone.
We talked about the 3-0 pitch and anything close would usually get a strike call and just the opposite on a 0-2 pitch so he says we go to a 3-1 pitch and a 1-2 pitch.
everything he said I agreed with.
Then he tells me " what about the psychology of the 2-2 pitch ".????
He goes on to explain to me, I want you to watch your fellow umps and watch major league baseball on the tube and when a 2-2 pitch is thrown and is on the corner or up or down 90 % of you guys won't call it a strike unless your the reincarnation of Steve Palermo. I always wanted to watch Tim McClelend because i think he has the best strike zone in the majors. So for the rest of the spring and summer i tried to talk about the above but would get shouted down by my fellow officials.so every time I had a 2-2 count on a batter and the pitch was tight on the corners I would ring it up.
In the first two innings i would get some looks but after that they started swinging the bat and the game moved at a much faster pace and the game was always well played by both teams and by my partners
When the Catchers came up I would bare down again on all pitchers because we worked together and i wanted no beefs from them.
So after watching 100's of games over the years and umping games I have to agree that coach Winken was right about the psychology of that 2-2 pitch and actions of the pitcher and batters.
I see more major league officials not call this and they wind up in a shit house or a 4 1/2 hour ball game
All comments welcome.
Yours In Baseball,
bob oleary

Comment by Luke Hofkamp on October 18, 2009 at 11:12pm

Bill,
I never saw the play, no replays on postseason.tv. I guess he made the right call, if he had been calling the touch all night then he was consistent.

Interesting article about postseason umping: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10221930/Injuries,-rules-make-umpiring-a-sore-subject

Comment by Bill Stanton on October 18, 2009 at 9:54am

Luke- I agree. In a postseason of inconsistent umpiring, he did a great job and let's not forget it was 40 degrees and rainy. There was a lot of controversy about Jerry Lane not giving Erick Aybar the "neighborhood" call on that double play in the 10th, but technically it was the correct call.

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