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Strike Zone in Baseball
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Oct 25, 2022 10:52:54   #
Dannj
 
Maybe I’m not paying close enough attention but I don’t think I’ve seen a box in that position. In any case, the box is purely a guide for TV viewers and while it’s close, it doesn’t represent the actual zone as the depth is distorted.

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Oct 25, 2022 10:53:52   #
Dannj
 
Triple G wrote:
What counts is how the umpire calls them and that he does it consistently.


👍
Consistency is the key.

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Oct 25, 2022 10:57:02   #
Dannj
 
flip1948 wrote:
I have never seen a strike zone on the TV screen with the top of the zone at belt level. It is always higher.

There is talk of major league baseball using the strike zone box for balls and strikes automatically with no input from the umpire. The technology exists for such a change.

Next year pitchers and batters will be on a "shot clock". They used it this year in the minor leagues and it cut the time of games by about 25 minutes.

Also coming next year...no defensive shifts allowed. There must be two infielders each side of 2nd base and their feet must be on the dirt portion of the infield...not shallow outfield.
I have never seen a strike zone on the TV screen w... (show quote)


Good changes…except for the shift. Call me old school but the “hit ‘em where the ain’t” approach still works for me.😂

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Oct 25, 2022 11:15:32   #
SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA
 
The OPs diagram is the official strike zone defined in the current MLB written rules. The box on TV is only a strike zone estimate and can differ between broadcasters

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Oct 25, 2022 11:28:15   #
bobforman Loc: Anacortes, Washington State
 
This reminds me of the story of 3 umps talking amongst each other about how they call balls and strikes.
The first says: I call 'em as I see 'em.
The second says: I call 'em what they are.
The third one says: They're nothing, until I call 'em.

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Oct 25, 2022 12:24:39   #
Latsok Loc: Recently moved to Washington State.
 
Ruthlessrider wrote:
That's kind of a harsh response for a question about modern day baseball.


Yes; I wholeheartedly agree with your comment about being a harsh response.

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Oct 25, 2022 12:51:07   #
mhdt64 Loc: Tampa, FL
 
From the second picture, the strike now seems to be from the shoulders to the knees, but not of the batter but of the catcher.

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Oct 25, 2022 13:12:10   #
JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington
 
While watching Mariner games this year where the strike zone box is projected, I have been impressed with how close the home plate umpire is in calling the ball or strike as indicated by the zone box. Yes, they miss a few calls each game and sometimes it is an important call that makes a difference in a given inning.

But overall, the Umpires do a pretty darn good job of 'getting it right' in an instant of time.

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Oct 25, 2022 13:12:50   #
bonjac Loc: Santa Ynez, CA 93460
 
Latsok wrote:
Yes; I wholeheartedly agree with your comment about being a harsh response.


Me, too.

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Oct 25, 2022 14:23:01   #
flathead27ford Loc: Colorado, North of Greeley
 
jpwa wrote:
Because that's where it is today. Get over it.


Jpwa woke up and chose violence. A bit harsh don't you think? It was just a question.

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Oct 25, 2022 14:31:38   #
nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah
 
If the ball is thrown any higher than that, they call a ball. Not sure why, but that's the way it is.

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Oct 25, 2022 14:39:52   #
Mainridge Loc: NW Mich, SW Fla
 
[quote=Just Shoot Me]Also from Google
"Has the strike zone gotten smaller?
Consequently, the zone was shrunk in 1969 to now span from the batter's armpits to the top of his knees. It shrunk again in 1988 to span from the midpoint between the shoulders and belt (the letters) and top of the knees."

Don't know if this helps or hinders.
Could it be the perspective of the camera angle and the projected "box" on the TV screen?[/quote

I certainly remember the high strike zone in 1968. I was/still am a Detroit Tigers fan and am quite certain pictures like Denny McLain and Bob Gibson benefitted from the bigger strike zone (both threw an impressive high hard one). In 1969 the pitching mound was also lowered.

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Oct 25, 2022 16:33:58   #
NickGee Loc: Pacific Northwest
 
bobbyjohn wrote:
The Definition of the Strike Zone in MLB is:

“The official strike zone is the area over home plate from the midpoint between a batter's shoulders and the top of the uniform pants -- when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at a pitched ball -- and a point just below the kneecap. In order to get a strike call, part of the ball must cross over part of home plate while in the aforementioned area.”

This is verified by the many diagrams of the Strike Zone via Google. One such diagram is shown below.

When I was a young boy in Little League many many moons ago, we were instructed that the strike zone is from the letters (chest level) to the knees, which matches pretty much with the above definition. Yet, when we see on TV the Strike Zone BOX (second image below), it shows the top of the zone to be at BELT level and not at CHEST level. And if the pitch is above the line, the ump typically calls it a ball. So why is the top of the BOX on TV at belt level?
The Definition of the Strike Zone in MLB is: br ... (show quote)


You might find this to be an interesting angle on the discussion of the strike zone. Got this from a site called Umpire Bible .com

https://umpirebible.com/index.php/mechanics/balls-strikes

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Oct 26, 2022 18:54:39   #
neillaubenthal
 
jpwa wrote:
Because that's where it is today. Get over it.


Every umpire has a different strike zone and none of them follow the official rule. My guess is that MLB has told them to adjust because otherwise there would be way more strikeouts and many more 1-0 games…which generally is not a fan friendly score. Baseball in general seems to be much more interested in following the unwritten rules handed down from yesteryear than the actual rules of baseball. If you want a different strike zone…change the rules and tell the umpires to follow them.

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Oct 26, 2022 19:54:23   #
SteveR Loc: Michigan
 
bobbyjohn wrote:
The Definition of the Strike Zone in MLB is:

“The official strike zone is the area over home plate from the midpoint between a batter's shoulders and the top of the uniform pants -- when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at a pitched ball -- and a point just below the kneecap. In order to get a strike call, part of the ball must cross over part of home plate while in the aforementioned area.”

This is verified by the many diagrams of the Strike Zone via Google. One such diagram is shown below.

When I was a young boy in Little League many many moons ago, we were instructed that the strike zone is from the letters (chest level) to the knees, which matches pretty much with the above definition. Yet, when we see on TV the Strike Zone BOX (second image below), it shows the top of the zone to be at BELT level and not at CHEST level. And if the pitch is above the line, the ump typically calls it a ball. So why is the top of the BOX on TV at belt level?
The Definition of the Strike Zone in MLB is: br ... (show quote)


At some point, the strike zone changed to produce more offense. The pitchers' mound was also lowered. When Denny McLain won 30 games, he blew a lot of pitches that were in the high part of the previous strike zone....i.e., across the letters.

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