North Carolina USSSA Men's Message Board

North Carolina USSSA Men's Message Board
[ North Carolina USSSA Men's Message Board ]

Old and new school umpires (strike zone)

Posted by Johnny Edwards User icon on September 19, 2014, 8:55 am

I want to say that the strike zone has got stupid. Now I umpired for a little while but don't have 20 years experience on umpiring but close enough to know what a strike is. If I remember the strike zone in USSSA is 3 foot from release. So that means if a pitcher releases it at his hip or thigh its really got to get about 5 foot to 6 foot off the ground. Not 3 foot from the ground and go underneath the hitters knees and be called a strike cause it cleared. Another is excessive speed. Its called slowpitch not fastpitch. So maybe some are going to say u got a bat and swing. Listen learn the strike zone before coming an umpire. My lord. And for the ones that don't want to give that 8 foot in the air and lands 6 inches behind the plate. You going to get the pitchers hurt that way having to throw flat pitches. For one its where the ball crosses the plate not where it lands. So guys don't point the bat at the mark where it landed. You look like a fool when doing that. No I don't know it all but I know enough about this game to know when someone makes you hit a pitch that is supposed to be called illegal once released. Read the Mechanic book on umpiring not just go to a clinic and pay and sign a piece of paper. Ok I done. LOL

Re: Old and new school umpires (strike zone)

Posted by Brent_Patterson User icon on September 19, 2014, 9:08 pm, in reply to "Old and new school umpires (strike zone)"

Sec. 5. TYPE OF PITCH PERMITTED.
A. The ball must be pitched underhanded at slow speed.
B. The pitched ball must arc at least 3 feet after leaving the pitcher’s hand and
before it passes any part of home plate.
C. The pitched ball shall not rise higher than 10 feet above the ground.
EFFECT Sec. 5. A-C. The speed of the pitch and height of the pitched ball are left entirely
to the judgment of the umpire (NOTE: Forsake of uniformity in decisions, any doubtful pitch
should be ruled as an unfairly delivered pitch). The umpire shall warn a pitcher who delivers
a pitch with EXCESSIVE SPEED that repeating such EXCESSIVE SPEED PITCH will cause
the pitcher’s removal from the pitcher’s position for the remainder of the game. A pitch that
does not arc the full 3 feet as required (flat level pitch) may not be an EXCESSIVE SPEED
PITCH, but merely an unfairly delivered pitch.

Re: Old and new school umpires (strike zone)

Posted by Brent_Patterson User icon on September 19, 2014, 9:13 pm, in reply to "Re: Old and new school umpires (strike zone)"

Sec. 3. LEGAL POSITIONS OF THE PITCHER’S FEET.
A. The pitcher may pitch from the pitching plate or from the pitching area, an
area the width of the plate and up to six (6) feet behind the pitcher’s plate.
B. Preliminary to pitching, the pitcher shall take a position with his/her pivot foot
firmly on the ground and in contact with the pitching plate or pitching area. The
pivot foot must be in contact with the pitcher’s plate or pitching area when the
pitched ball is released.
C. The other foot (free foot) has no restriction on position and may be placed on,
in front of, to the rear of, or to the side of the pitcher’s plate or pitching area. After
taking the initial position, the pitcher may take more than one step with the free
foot, in any direction of his choice, provided that it is taken prior to,simultaneously
with or during the actions of delivering the pitched ball.
D. After the release of the pitch, there are no restrictions on pitcher’s subsequent
movements or the fielding positions he may assume as a defensive player.

Player33

Posted by player33 User icon on September 19, 2014, 10:02 am, in reply to "Old and new school umpires (strike zone)"

U-trip doesn't call illegal when released. They call unfairly delivered after the pitch crosses the plate if the pitcher did something to break the rules(come from the side, not present the ball, not be in contact with the rubber, etc.) It is the batters judgement whether to swing or not. I wish they did cause it would make it easier. ASA is the only one I think that calls illegal anymore but not sure.

Re: Player33

Posted by Johnny Edwards User icon on September 19, 2014, 10:26 am, in reply to "Player33"

In USSSA u don't have to toe the rubber. Only the pivot foot has to be in the rubber width

Re: Player33

Posted by player33 User icon on September 19, 2014, 10:54 am, in reply to "Re: Player33"

Let me rephrase. One foot has to be in contact with the rubber when delivering the ball according to National rule. Can't be out of contact of the rubber when the ball is still in your hand. North Carolina rule is different from the National rule. "Toeing the rubber" is just a phrase that we use.

Re: Player33

Posted by Cdad99 User icon on September 19, 2014, 2:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

do any of you pitch? if so you wouldn't be complaining about this. All umpire have a different strike, none of them are perfect and none them ever will be. Once you see the umpires strike zone most the time it doesn't change throughout the game. USSSA have never stuck by the rules so why would any of you ever think they would stick by their strike zone/pitch rule.

Re: Player33

Posted by zapper User icon on September 19, 2014, 5:52 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

I use to pitch for 15 years and if I recall correctly the pitch height was 3 to 10 from release. I believe the zone is where the ball crosses the body and not where it lands. But usually if the ball lands 1/4 inch to around 8 inches behind the platet is usually called a strike. But umpires do have different zones so a pitcher doeshave to adjust. For the pitching rubber one foot has to be in contact when ball is released. You can dance around as long as foot is on rubber when released. Also pitcher has 5 seconds to release ball after pitch motion has started. Hope this helps

Re: Player33

Posted by player33 User icon on September 19, 2014, 5:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

Haha yes I pitch and probably one of the few people that won't say anything about someone hitting at me

Please read my posts again, I never said anything about the strike zone. For the most part, the umpires do a pretty good job. Tony does a good job with these guys. I was just clarifying a difference in the national and state rule about the rubber and whether or not a pitch is called illegal.

Re: Player33

Posted by Andy Richards User icon on September 22, 2014, 1:47 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

Player33

National rules state you don't have to toe the rubber. Conference Rules state you do when playing conference ball. You should know this, because you play conference ball.

Andy

Re: Player33

Posted by player33 User icon on September 22, 2014, 5:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

Maybe I am just confused on this then. Per the rule book, Rule A says one thing and rule B says another. Is it an either or thing? Be good to know next year

Oh and I was taking up for your umpires cause like I said, they do a pretty good job for the most part except for that one guy in league ball. HAHA

Sec. 3. LEGAL POSITIONS OF THE PITCHER’S FEET.
A. The pitcher may pitch from the pitching plate or from the pitching area, an
area the width of the plate and up to six (6) feet behind the pitcher’s plate.
B. Preliminary to pitching, the pitcher shall take a position with his/her pivot foot
firmly on the ground and in contact with the pitching plate or pitching area. The
pivot foot must be in contact with the pitcher’s plate or pitching area when the
pitched ball is released.

Re: Player33

Posted by player33 User icon on September 22, 2014, 5:13 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

Ha nevermind Andy just found my mistake. I was reading it wrong(shocker) My mistake except for the league ball umpire.

Re: Player33

Posted by JOCOBOY User icon on September 19, 2014, 6:32 pm, in reply to "Re: Player33"

Sorry, I got into the conversation late but want to comment in the strike zone question. I've umpired for about 3 yrs. and pitched for about 5yrs. The most important thing to me is a consistent strike zone. You call complain all you want to about an umpire but if he's half decent he's consistent therefore letting the pitchers and batters adjust to him. The notion that a strike is where it crosses the plate is also up for debate. I know the rules and the rules state it that way, but if as an umpire, if you call a strike strictly by the book, you'd have everyone complaining every pitch is deep or flat. That's just my two cents.

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