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Why are softball plate umps more consistent than baseball
Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:25 pm
Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:25 pm
SEC officials as a whole are incompetent but softball seems to be better.
This post was edited on 3/25/25 at 8:26 pm
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Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:27 pm to Jenar Boy
Easier pitch recognition, bigger bright colored ball, etc.
It’s harder to turn two in softball, harder to go yard in softball (among other things), but much easier to recognize and make contact with at the dish.
It’s harder to turn two in softball, harder to go yard in softball (among other things), but much easier to recognize and make contact with at the dish.
Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:31 pm to Jenar Boy
Pitches don't move nearly as much, especially late.
Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:39 pm to Jenar Boy
Easier to see a pie plate moving at 60mph than it is to see a baseball moving at 95mph
Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:46 pm to LINOESC
quote:
Easier to see a pie plate moving at 60mph than it is to see a baseball moving at 95mph
Thus why there is no excuse not to go to electronic strike zones.
In my opinion it improves every aspect of the game. Hitters have a consistent strike zone every at bat, which makes hitting a baseball easier for them. Pitchers have a consistent strike zone which makes placing pitches easier. No more guessing by anyone.
Posted on 3/25/25 at 9:11 pm to LINOESC
I can share several facts about BB VS FP but I will only share a couple related to the topic.
If a boy throws 100 mph and a girl throws 70 mph the time from ball out of the hand to home plate is virtually identical with the girls time slightly faster. With that said the ump has the same time to judge the pitch. Also, this equates to a girl batter having less reaction time than Major League Baseball player.
A college pitcher that has a legit riseball can dig back and release the ball below a batters knees and cross the plate at the eyes of the batter in a distance of 43’ ….that’s a hell of a break. She can also throw a drop ball that starts at the chest and drop into a 5 gallon bucket at the plate…. That is also a lot of movement.
Sorry if I bored you guys lol.
If a boy throws 100 mph and a girl throws 70 mph the time from ball out of the hand to home plate is virtually identical with the girls time slightly faster. With that said the ump has the same time to judge the pitch. Also, this equates to a girl batter having less reaction time than Major League Baseball player.
A college pitcher that has a legit riseball can dig back and release the ball below a batters knees and cross the plate at the eyes of the batter in a distance of 43’ ….that’s a hell of a break. She can also throw a drop ball that starts at the chest and drop into a 5 gallon bucket at the plate…. That is also a lot of movement.
Sorry if I bored you guys lol.
Posted on 3/25/25 at 10:24 pm to Jenar Boy
The ump for tonight in softball was garbage…this past weekend if you watched on tv like me u saw 2 garbage umpires behind the plate. One of the crew didn’t even know what a infield fly was…
Posted on 3/25/25 at 10:32 pm to Tammany Tom
quote:
Thus why there is no excuse not to go to electronic strike zones.
Yes please
Posted on 3/25/25 at 11:10 pm to LINOESC
quote:
Easier to see a pie plate moving at 60mph than it is to see a baseball moving at 95mph
43’ at 60mph is the equivalent to 90mph at 60’ 6”. Same reaction time. Not all speeds are the same.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 1:11 am to sta4ever
Though the reaction time is roughly the same, the size of the ball makes a big difference. Something 1/4 larger and brightly colored is easier to spot and get a trajectory on, and keep on it.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 2:15 am to Jenar Boy
It's the equivalent of umpiring 10-11 year old Little League as far as mound distance and pitch velocity. Plus a big, bright yellow ball makes it easier to see. I know the "reaction time" is equivalent, but it is still exponentially easier to see as an ump.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 3:28 am to sta4ever
quote:
43’ at 60mph is the equivalent to 90mph at 60’ 6”. Same reaction time. Not all speeds are the same.
But the ump doesn’t have to time up the swing to hit it, just visually see where it went. In that instance, a softball is easier to see than a baseball primarily due to size and color. But absolute speed helps.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 5:38 am to QB
quote:
Pitches don't move nearly as much, especially late.
Have you tried to hit a softball at 65 from 43 feet? My good pitchers can throw pitches that have huge movement, especially my lefties.
Also softball pitchers can throw pitches that baseball pitchers can't-- rise ball & screw ball are two of them.
My dad taught me how to pitch & i coach my pitchers as a softball coach.
I know this isn't umpire related, but it's more difficult to hit a softball square on the nose because of its larger size. There's more room for pop ups, foul balls, and mishits. Seems to me over my years coaching that we have more foul balls than baseball.
Right now, the electronic strike zone may not be a bad idea for baseball & softball.... I think the bigger issue is the arrogance of many of our umpires lately. There's a shortage of officials and many now have the attitude of it's either me or nobody...
This post was edited on 3/26/25 at 5:44 am
Posted on 3/26/25 at 5:56 am to 18handicap
quote:
Seems to me over my years coaching that we have more foul balls than baseball.
I’m not so sure that it’s the function of the ball as much as it’s a function of the athletes trying to hit it.
quote:
Right now, the electronic strike zone may not be a bad idea for baseball & softball.... I think the bigger issue is the arrogance of many of our umpires lately. There's a shortage of officials and many now have the attitude of it's either me or nobody...
It’s the arrogance of everyone. I can’t imagine sitting along the 1B or 3B line with an angled view of home plate plus sitting above field level and thinking “Yeah, I see the ball and where it crossed the plate better than the umpire”.
I’m not saying umpires are perfect and I think an electronic strike zone could certainly help, but the arrogance of spectators (especially youth) coupled with arrogance of umpires is a huge issue. I agree with you.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 6:11 am to Jenar Boy
Because a neon yellow, cantaloupe sized ball moving 30% slower is easier to register.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 10:00 am to Tammany Tom
quote:
Thus why there is no excuse not to go to electronic strike zones.
In my opinion it improves every aspect of the game. Hitters have a consistent strike zone every at bat, which makes hitting a baseball easier for them. Pitchers have a consistent strike zone which makes placing pitches easier. No more guessing by anyone.
It would make to much sense. They would never do anything to reduce controversy.
This post was edited on 3/26/25 at 10:01 am
Posted on 3/26/25 at 10:26 am to Jenar Boy
The ball is bigger
Posted on 3/26/25 at 10:39 am to 18handicap
quote:
Have you tried to hit a softball at 65 from 43 feet? My good pitchers can throw pitches that have huge movement, especially my lefties.
Also softball pitchers can throw pitches that baseball pitchers can't-- rise ball & screw ball are two of them.
we're talking about calling balls and strikes, not hitting them.
what the ball does, or how long it takes to do that from release point to front edge of the plate is not in anyway relevant to that part of the game.
all an umpire is looking for is where is the ball when it crosses (or misses) an area that is essentially a 17" square. He doesn't have to read the spin, judge the break and adjust swing plane and timing, etc.
Just where is the ball when it crosses that spot.
in softball, a 4" ball thrown at 65mph spends about 15 milliseconds over that 17" square.
in baseball, a 2.5" ball thrown at 95mph spends about 10 milliseconds over that 17" square.
so the umpire has a 50% longer viewing window to see an object that is 38% larger.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 10:44 am to Jenar Boy
quote:The ball is bigger and softball pitchers' velo is around 60 mph vs. baseball pitchers' velo being in the low to mid 90s mph.
Why are softball plate umps more consistent than baseball
A bigger, slower ball is easier to see and call.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 11:05 am to Nutriaitch
My point was that the ball moves more than a baseball. Maybe read more than my first sentence.
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