Are umpires sometimes fooled by the pitcher?

I can only speak for myself. Pitchers throwing "normal" for an average teenager, then seeing one throwing heat never bothered me. It's when a pitcher would pitch one way for four/five innings, then suddenly changed his speed or rhythm. But that was only for that one pitch.

But it seldom caught me off-guard, because I tried to just "zone-in"on the strike zone.

In my experience, this is not an issue. For a number of reasons. Most HS pitchers I see on a regular basis are usually close in velocity. Since I do baseball from PONY through HS, Colt and Legion I am used to velocity anywhere from 70 through mid 80's.

Every trained umpire takes a few pitches to get used to a pitcher and if he is using proper mechanics and tracking the ball with his eyes, usually does not have any problem.

Now, concerning a 90+ pitcher, I have had the opportuity to call a number of games with pitchers who can bring it at that level. Just like a player, I know who the heat throwers are and I get my game up to get ready for them. For me it takes concentration and steady mechanics. You cant be moving when a 90+ ball is on the way and expect to call it easily.

Lock in your stance, consistent head level, concentrate, follow the ball and Im fine. The faster the pitcher the more deliberate I try to be with my mechanics.

I guess the only thing that can bother me is when a team is out of pitchers and they bring in an unexperienced pitcher and he is a mess. When your watching them fumble around with stances and grips and balking, its tough to concentrate.

Justbaseball...

I'm so glad you asked this question. My husband and I were just having a discussion about this area...as my son's 2 seam fastball has quite a bit of movement on it..and it is turning into one of his best pitches...and he has some velocity attached to it..

but it seems to be missed a few times...by some or our local umps...

just an observation on our part...

I have been fooled by a knuckle ball. It might be the forth inning and all the sudden a knuckle ball. Often the catcher will make me aware that is one of his pitches before the game.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Texas2004:
Justbaseball...

I'm so glad you asked this question. My husband and I were just having a discussion about this area...as my son's 2 seam fastball has quite a bit of movement on it..and it is turning into one of his best pitches...and he has some velocity attached to it..

but it seems to be missed a few times...by some or our local umps...

just an observation on our part...

---

Smart pitchers and coaches (an oxymoron) will let the PU know that the pitcher throws something out of the ordinary sometimes, and to please watch for it.

And that goes for unusual defensive moves.

The only thing out of the ordinary is its FAST and it moves a lot.

If you're saying 90 mph fastballs and sliders are out of the ordinary for HS, then I'll agree with you. But I would not have guessed that a coach should alert an umpire, "hey, this guy throws 90 with a wicked slider."

I would have thought an umpire would say, "so what?" (at least in his head).

as far as saying something to PU...hadn't really thought it was something to do...guess I would have thought my son would have got that "so what" thing too...

I've noticed in our travel leagues that some umpires stand behind the catcher when a pitcher warms up...be in in the early stage at the beginning or if he comes in for relief...

But locally many of our ump's talk and hang off to the side...not really watching how a pitcher's ball moves or what he throws.

And yes he does throw a bit faster than some in our division for high school and it moves alot which is good...but didn't ever consider the idea of telling the ump anything...

hmmm....

As a follow-up to this thread, I found out that the umpire that got me to thinking is actually also a college umpire.

After talking to an umpire friend, he said that he believed that this umpire was likely distracted/distressed by the catcher chasing the pitches around the strike zone. That is, catcher's glove moving as he tries to catch up with the movement on the ball. Not being used to this at the higher levels, and perhaps even annoyed by this, the umpire's strike zone was thus smaller.

Makes sense to me. Any more thoughts?

Clearly a pitchers best friend is a solid catcher. It can be annoying to have a moving swaying catcher in front of you. I have had to remind some catchers to stay down if they want me to get a good look.

As catchers have gotten bigger, I have not. A good solid catcher, quiet and still, who gives me a nice frame (notice I said frame and not pull) will get you strikes.

I will admit it. I have been fooled. I had a college kid throwing 97 consistently with nothing but fast balls for 3 innings. In the top of the fourth, he threw a nasty curve and I had relaxed. The catcher just smiled and said I should have told you that was coming. We laughed and went on.

I call all levels including semi-pro,college and fill-in at the minor pro level. You have to look at a pitcher when is warming up. I also ask the catcher if he has anything I need to know about, knuckle, split finger etc. Have I ever been fooled by a pitch, absolutely. The secret as you move to higher levels is to make it an exception not the norm.
Now as was pointed out, if you have an exceptional pitcher and an average catcher he can loose the pitcher some pitches.

The ump's watching during warm-ups, I think, are watching his "normal" delivery, so if somthing seems a bit strange, it doesn't catch them off guard.

"Now as was pointed out, if you have an exceptional pitcher and an average catcher he can loose the pitcher some pitches." Don't I know it!

MichaelSTaylor...our senior catcher graduated last year...so I believe it took...hmmm...

5 different catchers before one could land the spot...since mine pitches...he so loves a good catcher...in one game before the best one had surfaced...it was making me "tense" on every two seam or change up my son would throw...plus he's got the inside working and outside too...

I love a good catcher!!!