home plate

quote:

Originally posted by dmangalo:
Ok here is a pretty simple one for you guys.
My son plays Pony Baseball at Pony level(13-14 yr olds). We had a game were the oposing team coach asked the ump to clean the plate, the ump ignored him, so he asked again to which blue responded"I can see it just fine" the coach asked if he would clean it for his pitcher, he ignored and yelled for the pitch. Whats your guys thoughts? I thought he should clean it, since we are paying his salery(little as it is) and it seems like a fair request.
My humble opion, what say you?

1. "Since we are paying his salary" is no reason for an umpire to do anything. It it was, where would it stop?

2. Many umpires will not clean the plate immediately upon being directed to do so, but will clean it a pitch or two later.

3. Knowing nothing about the game and what transpired up to that point, it's hard to figure out what happened and why,

4. Sounds like two stubborn people having a disagreement.

Sounds to me like an umpire ignoring a coaches request---request being the key word

What transpired before the verbal exchange?

That may explain a lot

One time I asked an umpire to call nothing but strikes with us in the field. He ignored that and it really hurt my feelings. What was his problem?

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Sounds to me like an umpire ignoring a coaches request---request being the key word

What transpired before the verbal exchange?

That may explain a lot

I will have to agree with TR and Jimmy.......there seems to be something missing out of this...a simple request to clean the plate usually will not provoke an exchange like this....

Was there any conflict prior?....

Umpires know we arent the only ones who need to see the plate for a point of reference....Most of us have a pattern to when we clean the plate....

honestly, nothing happened before the request.
This umpire just didn't like being asked and wasn't gonna do it.
When I say "paying" I don't mean "pay-off", I am just stating that they are there for the kids, love of the game and a couple extra bucks doesn't hurt either. So requests to clean the plate shouldn't be that big of a deal. It was covered pretty good (nothing that I hadn't seen before while my son was pitching)

My first thought was the manager had been yakking about pitches and the PU took it to be a smart comment. Without knowing what preceded the request, who knows.
Having a perfectly clean plate is not needed to call balls and strikes. Unless I missed something, the pitcher pitches to the catcher's glove, the plate is ilrelevant.

Michael

How can the plate be irrelevant if you are calling balls and strikes ?---the mitt has no bearing or framing wouldl not be a question


WOW --here we go again

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
Unless I missed something, the pitcher pitches to the catcher's glove, the plate is ilrelevant.

I assume you mean that the plate is irrelevant to the pitcher, but not the umpire!

But the plate may be relevant to the pitcher. Generally, the signal is for fast ball, changeup, breaking ball, etc. However, the pitcher can choose to throw a 4 seam fast ball which is relatively straight side to side, a tailing 2 seamer, or a cutter. He'd like to know where the plate is. For example, if the catcher is set up well off the plate, the pitch is wasted if the ball starts off even further off the plate and then breaks toward it. It's also helpful to know if the batter's stance is close or far from the plate.

I meant the plate is irrelevant to the pitcher. What I meant is the pitcher pitches to the glove not the plate.
As far as for the umpire. he does not need a pristine plate to call balls and strikes. I'm not saying you can cover the plate but if there is a little dirt it should be left. If I have the corners I can take a good guess the rest of the plate is between them. It is a game management thing. Unless it is a loose plate area you shouldn't spend time cleaning the plate needlessly.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Michael

How can the plate be irrelevant if you are calling balls and strikes ?---the mitt has no bearing or framing wouldl not be a question


WOW --here we go again

What is your understanding of the term "framing a pitch"?

Hate to sound harsh, but coach's, if a dirty plate is really whats killing yer F1, go ahead and have F2 wipe er off.

Not that I disagree with cleaning a plate, mine is (momma always told me, "clean your plate".
Something I like to do when "practical". A bit of dirt on the plate is normal..

If there's a legit problem with the field, sure bring it to blue's attention.

I'm won't even go "where the previous pitch was" before the "request to clean the plate". Or what tone it may have been presented.

I hope this didn't become an issue in taking away from two teams playing ball.

Had an "adult" last year whine "a little" about a close safe call at 3B, he was a whiner in general had come close to crossing any kinda line, but sincere in his whining none the less.

As they get the 3RD out, I trot on over to my water jug, grabbing a sip when I glance towards HP as F5 was heading towards the 1B dugout, I glimpse him take a healthy kick at the dirt and bury HP. I kinda went off, almost as he intering the DO, I see he's reaching for his batting gloves, say a quick little prayer, he's reaching for a bat, I pray a little more, he's up, it was answered: he's leading off, I can't believe it!

As he ingnores me and takes his place in the box, I see him look down at the plate and make a kinda of beckoning motion towards the plate. I say "I can see enough. I thought you liked it that way? Let's play".

He gentlemenly request's time, I grant it, he wipes off HP. His buddies ribbed him pretty good and, he was quiet the rest of the night.

quote:

Originally posted by jjk:
Hate to sound harsh, but coach's, if a dirty plate is really whats killing yer F1, go ahead and have F2 wipe er off.

In case any coach or player is thinking of having F2 clean off the plate, think again.

Most umpires will regard a player cleaning the plate, especially mid-inning, as a rather pointed comment on the quality of their strike zone. Some will even consider it an ejectable action, similar to a batter drawing a line to indicate the path of a pitch.

I suppose that first asking permission to clean the plate would be better, but I wouldn't advise it. Better to just wait until the umpire decides it needs cleaning.

I had a catcher say one time
"My pitcher is a whiney baby and says he needs to see the plate to pitch, can I clean the thing off for the baby?"
We laughed and I cleaned it off for him. He said sorry and kept it clean the whole game. I never had to clean it the whole time they were pitching. I just thought it was funny.

Calling travel ball last weekend catcher was constantly dragging back foot when throwing back to pitcher. Many times I would kick over plate to keep relatively clean. Fans not coached kept complaining about plate being dirty. Finally coach chimed in as well and I told him to watch his catcher between pitches. He then started harping on catcher and then momma harping on coach for getting on to catcher. So just let the plate go and ump will do the best he can.