Heavyhittaz69420
New Member
Is a mat strike zone better than an ump? We might use one for our league. Need feedback.
I personally like them for senior play in nationals. All the players completely know and understand if it hits the mat (contingent on height) it’s a strike. The only setback I dislike is veteran pitchers who can throw a slow pitch curve, can actually cross the plate with a perfect strike but miss the mat. Not sure why you stated better than an ump. You still have to have an umpire.Is a mat strike zone better than an ump? We might use one for our league. Need feedback.
The only setback I dislike is veteran pitchers who can throw a slow pitch curve, can actually cross the plate with a perfect strike but miss the mat.
There is some disadvantages for good pitchers, they do lose corners!
Exactly. 99% of the umps here take both of those from me. Stayed in on one side is came around it on the other. I'd rather have a mat to be honest.You lose strikes that curve and catch a corner of the plate but miss the mat. But you GAIN strikes that miss the plate, curve in, and catch the edge of the mat. So that's really a wash.
I tried to explain an actual strike zone to a team in my city last year. The batters were all for it and the pitchers hated the idea. So many pitches that wouldn't be strikes with a zone that are because of the mat. With the mats we use here, a pitch that hits 6 ft and lands three inches in front of the plate is a strike, and so is the pitch that goes 12ft up and hits the back end of the mat 3.5 ft behind the plate.
I'm not a huge fan of it. One of the local tourneys tried to use them to make things easier for the umps, but that lasted about 2 tourneys before players got pissed.
These are the issues with umps here. Too flat,too high (as long as it hits mat it's a strike). I don't argue with them i simply point out the strkie zone and move on.All the leagues here have gone to mats, largely because they can't find adequate umps who can call balls and strikes without one. Seriously, no one wants to ump league anymore. All the leagues are struggling BADLY to find anyone to do it at all, mat or otherwise.
As a player and an ump I don't have a big problem with mat ball. As long as the ump doesn't allow pitches that are too flat or too high the mat provides a pretty decent strike zone.
Those must be some huge mats. The ones we use are smaller, and you get a pretty honest strike zone. As a batter I don't ever see really egregious strikes because of the mat.
They're not comfortable covering it, they don't really have an issue doing it. Those guys want it on a tee and ***** about anything else.Our mats extend 3-4" on either side of the plate, and pitches that hit the plate are strikes. It basically adds up to a 2' x 4' strike zone. I personally have no issues with it; I stand up in the box and I'm very comfortable tomahawking eye-level pitches. But shorter guys have issues covering the whole strike zone.
The mats are 5' long and 2' feet wide. There is 3" in front of the plate, the entire plate and then 40" behind it. With a 12' height limit that really isn't called until it's 15. I'm 6'3" and if I set up even with the plate to cover the front edge, I've got no chance to hit anything that gets the back with any kind of height on it. If I set up on the back edge of the box to cover the back part, I can't reach the front of the mat with my bat.Those must be some huge mats. The ones we use are smaller, and you get a pretty honest strike zone. As a batter I don't ever see really egregious strikes because of the mat.
The mats are 5' long and 2' feet wide. There is 3" in front of the plate, the entire plate and then 40" behind it. With a 12' height limit that really isn't called until it's 15. I'm 6'3" and if I set up even with the plate to cover the front edge, I've got no chance to hit anything that gets the back with any kind of height on it. If I set up on the back edge of the box to cover the back part, I can't reach the front of the mat with my bat.
That's exactly why I'd welcome it here. Right now we're at 7'-9' even though half the umps think it's 5'-10'. Well, the people that think it's 5 probably call 4'-7'.Umps that refuse to enforce height limits are the biggest problem with mat ball. It turns into unlimited arc, and they call anything that hits the mat a strike regardless of of the fact that its 15' or higher.
The mats are 5' long and 2' feet wide. There is 3" in front of the plate, the entire plate and then 40" behind it. With a 12' height limit that really isn't called until it's 15. I'm 6'3" and if I set up even with the plate to cover the front edge, I've got no chance to hit anything that gets the back with any kind of height on it. If I set up on the back edge of the box to cover the back part, I can't reach the front of the mat with my bat.
Most league umps around here call "invisible mat ball" anyways..... you know, check to see where the ball hits behind the plate before making up their mind if it was a strike or not with no regard to where the ball crossed the plate. Even had one ump draw a line about 3' behind the plate and said anything that hits near there is a strike.
Most league umps around here call "invisible mat ball" anyways..... you know, check to see where the ball hits behind the plate before making up their mind if it was a strike or not with no regard to where the ball crossed the plate. Even had one ump draw a line about 3' behind the plate and said anything that hits near there is a strike.