I thought the strike zones for both games were inconsistent and tight. Especially in the first game, neither pitcher seemed to get the black on either side of the plate. I thought Guccione (the first game ump) opened up his zone but remained inconsistent throughout the game.

 

The ump in the second game seemed to give a bit more on the corners, but not much high or low. I heard a snippet of Reusse on Monday talking about umps and saying that, particularly for new umpires, Quest-Tec was influencing them and keeping the zones very small.

 

Are there any "pitchers' umpires" left? Are four hour games with 350 pitches going to be the norm? Are these good trends?

If the offense starts to dominate too much when the strike zone is called as it's defined, TPTB can always adjust by redefining the strike zone a little or by raising the mound height or by some other means. I like a level playing field¹, and just as importantly I like the perception that it's a level playing field.

 

¹ Insert your own joke about mound height in this context

You should have seen the idiot behind home plate in the Giants-Dodgers game. Bumgarner threw about three or four pitches right down the middle of the plate called balls. Then later in the game Puig took a pitch six inches outside that was called a strike. I don't know who Seth Buckminster is but there are a lot of new umpires this year and they have all been horrible.

I've been watching baseball for 45 years and I don't recall the strike zone ever being smaller. I have watched multiple games this year where any pitch above the belt is a ball. It seems most umpires are ok with calling a strike on a ball off the plate but nobody will call a high strike. Drives me crazy and is ruining the game.

I've been watching baseball for 45 years and I don't recall the strike zone ever being smaller. I have watched multiple games this year where any pitch above the belt is a ball. It seems most umpires are ok with calling a strike on a ball off the plate but nobody will call a high strike. Drives me crazy and is ruining the game.

 

I would echo this. Also, the low strike. The ball now needs to be above the knees to be a strike. Finally, third strikes. On Gameday, the strike zone gets smaller with two strikes.

Although strikeout rates have risen every year since 2008. I'm willing to believe this is swinging and not called strikes up to a point.

 

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2014/4/16/5613676/MLB-strikeouts-velocity-felix-fernandez-nationals-strasburg

I don't think most people realize just how big the strike zone is actually supposed to be. It's ridiculous how small it is in reality (That's what she said).

You should have seen the idiot behind home plate in the Giants-Dodgers game. Bumgarner threw about three or four pitches right down the middle of the plate called balls. Then later in the game Puig took a pitch six inches outside that was called a strike. I don't know who Seth Buckminster is but there are a lot of new umpires this year and they have all been horrible.

 

Looks pretty decent to me.

 

 

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/fastmap.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2014_04_17_lanmlb_sfnmlb_1&sp_type=3&s_type=7&cache=1.gif

 

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/fastmap.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2014_04_17_lanmlb_sfnmlb_1&sp_type=2&s_type=7&cache=1.gif

Looks pretty decent to me.

 

 

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/fastmap.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2014_04_17_lanmlb_sfnmlb_1&sp_type=3&s_type=7&cache=1.gif

 

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/fastmap.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2014_04_17_lanmlb_sfnmlb_1&sp_type=2&s_type=7&cache=1.gif

 

Well then that must not by synced with whatever Fox Sports throws up there because there were three pitches in the fourth inning alone right down the middle that were called balls. It was ugly.