Umpires in the postseason vs the SEC

[Todd4State]

Is it just me or does it seem like the strike zone gets higher in the postseason vs what we are used to seeing in SEC play? It seems to me like if you want to get a strike called in the postseason you have to get it in the thigh area and very rarely is anything at the knees called. In SEC play it seems like the umpires call a lot of low strikes- or at least more of them.

[shoeless joe]

College umps are just terrible. I think that’s all there is to it.

And by terrible I mean beyond belief awful. Inconsistency is one thing but what kills me is the late inning tighten up. This has affected us several times this year. Compare college umps to MLB umps and it’s even worse. It really is amazing how good big league umps are in regards to the strike zone.

[Ari Gold]

College umps are just terrible. I think that’s all there is to it.

And by terrible I mean beyond belief awful. Inconsistency is one thing but what kills me is the late inning tighten up. This has affected us several times this year. Compare college umps to MLB umps and it’s even worse. It really is amazing how good big league umps are in regards to the strike zone.

Agree.... even with MLB still running Angel Hernandez out there still.

[Marvin]

College umps are just terrible. I think that’s all there is to it.

And by terrible I mean beyond belief awful. Inconsistency is one thing but what kills me is the late inning tighten up. This has affected us several times this year. Compare college umps to MLB umps and it’s even worse. It really is amazing how good big league umps are in regards to the strike zone.

My biggest complaint is routinely calling 6”+ off the plate in both directions a strike just because a catcher stuck the glove. You can easily tell “that’s an MLB ball” a dozen times each game. There’s a reason they don’t have the K-Zone up there because it would be flat out embarrassing to the NCAA

[smootness]

My biggest complaint is routinely calling 6”+ off the plate in both directions a strike just because a catcher stuck the glove. You can easily tell “that’s an MLB ball” a dozen times each game. There’s a reason they don’t have the K-Zone up there because it would be flat out embarrassing to the NCAA

It happens the other direction, too. I've seen numerous times where the catcher set up outside, the pitch missed but ended up right down the middle and it was called a ball.

[gravedigger]

Is it just me or does it seem like the strike zone gets higher in the postseason vs what we are used to seeing in SEC play? It seems to me like if you want to get a strike called in the postseason you have to get it in the thigh area and very rarely is anything at the knees called. In SEC play it seems like the umpires call a lot of low strikes- or at least more of them.

I noticed it going outside and low in regionals we weren?t playing in. If the superimposed strike zone had been used it would have been quite revealing.

[MetEdDawg]

Home plate umps are getting fooled by too many pitches, especially bigger breaking balls. There were some on both sides in the supers that were missed that were clearly strikes.

The other that's been pretty bad is the FB off the outside corner. Umps are calling strikes on these straight FBs that hit their target but finish off the plate. It was pretty bad on both sides in our game as well, but this one is a college baseball problem in general. Too many of these getting called strikes.

The game is getting too fast at the college level for these umps and I think you are seeing that across college sports. All these officials have other jobs and don't work at their craft enough. And with more and more kids coming to college in baseball the talent is much better. NFL refs, while they have other jobs, still go through intense training to get ready for the season. NCAA officials just aren't able to keep up with the college game anymore in virtually all sports now.

[Dawg2003]

Just automate calling balls and strikes. Have that box on the screw like in MLB, and go by that. The ump can still stand there and call people out or safe at the plate.

[Jack Lambert]

I know a guy who umps for the Big 12 and I asked him why. He said it's because the size of the batter, the size of the pitcher are different. You have a 6 foot five inch pitcher for a few innings then you get a 5 foot 11 inch pitcher for a few then add in different height and size batters the perspective is different. His perspective and the catchers perspective stays the same but the knees on the batter are different. What looks like a strike on one guy might not look like a strike on another but the ball is being placed in the same spot.

[Johnson85]

Home plate umps are getting fooled by too many pitches, especially bigger breaking balls. There were some on both sides in the supers that were missed that were clearly strikes.

The other that's been pretty bad is the FB off the outside corner. Umps are calling strikes on these straight FBs that hit their target but finish off the plate. It was pretty bad on both sides in our game as well, but this one is a college baseball problem in general. Too many of these getting called strikes.

The game is getting too fast at the college level for these umps and I think you are seeing that across college sports. All these officials have other jobs and don't work at their craft enough. And with more and more kids coming to college in baseball the talent is much better. NFL refs, while they have other jobs, still go through intense training to get ready for the season. NCAA officials just aren't able to keep up with the college game anymore in virtually all sports now.

They seem to be especially awful on the 12 to 6 curve balls. They mainly seem to just assume that the break went through the strike zone as long as it's caught at or below the top of the strike zone and doesn't hit the dirt first.

[shoeless joe]

Home plate umps are getting fooled by too many pitches, especially bigger breaking balls. There were some on both sides in the supers that were missed that were clearly strikes.

The other that's been pretty bad is the FB off the outside corner. Umps are calling strikes on these straight FBs that hit their target but finish off the plate. It was pretty bad on both sides in our game as well, but this one is a college baseball problem in general. Too many of these getting called strikes.

The game is getting too fast at the college level for these umps and I think you are seeing that across college sports. All these officials have other jobs and don't work at their craft enough. And with more and more kids coming to college in baseball the talent is much better. NFL refs, while they have other jobs, still go through intense training to get ready for the season. NCAA officials just aren't able to keep up with the college game anymore in virtually all sports now.

I?ve posted this before, but to your last point: in regards to basketball and football the gap between officials in the pro and college game is no where near as big as the gap in baseball. And the reason for that is minor league baseball. Any ump worth a damn, OR WITH THE DESIRE TO BE WORTH A DAMN, are in pro ball at either the major or minor league level. What?s left for the college game are guys that either aren?t good enough for the pros or don?t have the desire to be that good and therefore don?t care to be any better than they are.

That along with lack of accountability is why college baseball umps are shit. And it?s a shame if you think about the time energy and effort that the coaches and players put into the game only to have things decided by an inept clown that likes the extra cash.

[Martianlander]

Just automate calling balls and strikes. Have that box on the screw like in MLB, and go by that. The ump can still stand there and call people out or safe at the plate.

Right. The technology is there. Why not use it.

[WinningIsRelentless]

I?ve posted this before, but to your last point: in regards to basketball and football the gap between officials in the pro and college game is no where near as big as the gap in baseball. And the reason for that is minor league baseball. Any ump worth a damn, OR WITH THE DESIRE TO BE WORTH A DAMN, are in pro ball at either the major or minor league level. What?s left for the college game are guys that either aren?t good enough for the pros or don?t have the desire to be that good and therefore don?t care to be any better than they are.

That along with lack of accountability is why college baseball umps are shit. And it?s a shame if you think about the time energy and effort that the coaches and players put into the game only to have things decided by an inept clown that likes the extra cash.

That?s just wrong. The average age of a minor league umpire is like 27. Those guys make under 20k a year and basically live out of a car till they make triple a and then they make about 40k. College umpire who work 4 games a week in a month makes between 6-8k.

[MetEdDawg]

I?ve posted this before, but to your last point: in regards to basketball and football the gap between officials in the pro and college game is no where near as big as the gap in baseball. And the reason for that is minor league baseball. Any ump worth a damn, OR WITH THE DESIRE TO BE WORTH A DAMN, are in pro ball at either the major or minor league level. What?s left for the college game are guys that either aren?t good enough for the pros or don?t have the desire to be that good and therefore don?t care to be any better than they are.

That along with lack of accountability is why college baseball umps are shit. And it?s a shame if you think about the time energy and effort that the coaches and players put into the game only to have things decided by an inept clown that likes the extra cash.

Well that post on Facebook by the 1st base ump with Mac tells you all you need to know about your point. Said he was happy the season was over but that he still does it because the money is good.

Those are the kind of people we have to get out of athletics and aren't ones trying to get better, which goes straight to your point.

[shoeless joe]

That?s just wrong. The average age of a minor league umpire is like 27. Those guys make under 20k a year and basically live out of a car till they make triple a and then they make about 40k. College umpire who work 4 games a week in a month makes between 6-8k.

Nothing you posted is in conflict with what I posted. So what’s your point?

[WinningIsRelentless]

I?ve posted this before, but to your last point: in regards to basketball and football the gap between officials in the pro and college game is no where near as big as the gap in baseball. And the reason for that is minor league baseball. Any ump worth a damn, OR WITH THE DESIRE TO BE WORTH A DAMN, are in pro ball at either the major or minor league level. What?s left for the college game are guys that either aren?t good enough for the pros or don?t have the desire to be that good and therefore don?t care to be any better than they are.

That along with lack of accountability is why college baseball umps are shit. And it?s a shame if you think about the time energy and effort that the coaches and players put into the game only to have things decided by an inept clown that likes the extra cash.


Nothing you posted is in conflict with what I posted. So what’s your point?

My point is their are some very good umpires in the college game who just doesn?t want to starve for 15 year to try for a chance to be one of the 75ish mlb umpires.

[shoeless joe]

My point is their are some very good umpires in the college game who just doesn?t want to starve for 15 year to try for a chance to be one of the 75ish mlb umpires.

Oh I’m not saying there aren’t. What I am saying is that in general the guys with the desire to be the best are in the pro game. Once you make the big leagues you’re set. So what that leaves for the college game, in general, are the guys that don’t have the drive to get to that level or the guys that tried and didn’t make it.

Pay attention to the umps next week...and keep in mind that they’re the best of the best in college baseball. One umpire in particular, I can almost guarantee he’ll be there cuz he is every yr, is a decent ball strike guy but not elite. He’s also the ump that made the bogus interference call in laninfa in 07 that really hurt us. It was absolutely brutal yet he’s one of the best there is available.

Go back and watch the old codger that was behind the plate in one of the super games at vandy last yr. he was clueless. Then again, the guy here this past week. These are the guys given super regional games because they’re some of the better umps available. If they’re the best available then that tells you all you need to know.

[Lord McBuckethead]

It happens the other direction, too. I've seen numerous times where the catcher set up outside, the pitch missed but ended up right down the middle and it was called a ball.

That exact thing happened two time to Liebelt or was it Plumlee this past weekend. Skelton sets up outside. Pitcher misses the spot by 10" as the ball goes directly down the middle of the plate. Ball is called.

[smootness]

That exact thing happened two time to Liebelt or was it Plumlee this past weekend. Skelton sets up outside. Pitcher misses the spot by 10" as the ball goes directly down the middle of the plate. Ball is called.

Yep, it was definitely one of them, I think Liebelt. His 2-seamer started tailing too much on him...except it tailed right into the middle of the zone. But because he 'missed his spot' it was a ball. Stupid.

[DancingRabbit]

That ump in super #1 must have been closing his eyes just before the ball hit the mitt. Seemed clueless some of the time, taking 4 seconds to call the pitch.

Framing the pitch is not Dustin's best attribute. I think we lose a call every now and then because of it. He's still a bad-ass, maybe MVP of the super between his bat and his arm.

[RougeDawg]

That ump in super #1 must have been closing his eyes just before the ball hit the mitt. Seemed clueless some of the time, taking 4 seconds to call the pitch.

Framing the pitch is not Dustin's best attribute. I think we lose a call every now and then because of it. He's still a bad-ass, maybe MVP of the super between his bat and his arm.

Been saying that his inability to frame may end up biting us in the ass all year. His bat usually makes up for it so we are still playing. Hopefully they have the best umps in Omaha.

[shoeless joe]

Oh I?m not saying there aren?t. What I am saying is that in general the guys with the desire to be the best are in the pro game. Once you make the big leagues you?re set. So what that leaves for the college game, in general, are the guys that don?t have the drive to get to that level or the guys that tried and didn?t make it.

Pay attention to the umps next week...and keep in mind that they?re the best of the best in college baseball. One umpire in particular, I can almost guarantee he?ll be there cuz he is every yr, is a decent ball strike guy but not elite. He?s also the ump that made the bogus interference call in laninfa in 07 that really hurt us. It was absolutely brutal yet he?s one of the best there is available.

Go back and watch the old codger that was behind the plate in one of the super games at vandy last yr. he was clueless. Then again, the guy here this past week. These are the guys given super regional games because they?re some of the better umps available. If they?re the best available then that tells you all you need to know.

The ump I?m referring to in this post is behind the plate in this Arkansas game. The fact that for at least 12 years the same ump opens up the CWS behind the plate tells you all you need to know about the pool they have to choose from

[Dawgcap]

Baseball games are decided by a hot team and the home plate umpires strike zone. It sucks that 1 man can interject his thoughts of a s personal strike zone when we could fix it with a universal strike zone.