ASA Strike zone
- Thread starter egibree
- Start date
SevenBizzos
The R
The ASA book contradicts itself a little on home plate. In the Playing Field section, it describes home plate as "Home plate shall be made of rubber or other suitable material. It shall be a five-sided figure, 17 inches wide across the edge facing the pitcher’s plate. The sides shall be parallel to the inside lines of the batter’s box and shall be 8 1/2 inches long. The sides of the point facing the catcher shall be 12 inches long.". That would be the white part only.
Later in that same section it list home plate as "17” wide, sides parallel to the batter’s box line and are 8 ½” long, sides of the point facing the catcher are 12” long. The width of the black edge is ¾”.
You'll also notice there's no height, so it's a two-dimensional object.
It never states whether the black edge is part of it (making the home plate 18 1/2" wide).
Whether someone can actually throw a legally arced pitch that lands only on the black edge (and no portion of the 17" surface) is another story. It's really not supposed to be that exposed.
Later in that same section it list home plate as "17” wide, sides parallel to the batter’s box line and are 8 ½” long, sides of the point facing the catcher are 12” long. The width of the black edge is ¾”.
You'll also notice there's no height, so it's a two-dimensional object.
It never states whether the black edge is part of it (making the home plate 18 1/2" wide).
Whether someone can actually throw a legally arced pitch that lands only on the black edge (and no portion of the 17" surface) is another story. It's really not supposed to be that exposed.
BretMan
Addicted to Softballfans
If home Plate is installed as intended, the black beveled edge will be buried. Only the white will be exposed and it will be flush with the ground. What you see in the rule book is based on the assumption of a properly installed home plate. Since that's the default, there aren't rules to cover improperly installed plates.
ASA gives interpretations to their umpires that if the black is exposed to treat it as part of home plate.
ASA gives interpretations to their umpires that if the black is exposed to treat it as part of home plate.
DeputyUICHousto
Addicted to Softballfans
Well,said BretMan...as usual
My standard line is "If you pick up the plate the black comes with it doesn't it? Then the black is part of the plate."
My standard line is "If you pick up the plate the black comes with it doesn't it? Then the black is part of the plate."
egibree
Addicted to Softballfans
I checked the entire book last night for asa and it makes no differentiation between colors so......but as far as utrip it's a strike so I hope your not a utrip ump because it clearly states black is separate from the white and if exposed a strike
USA All the wAy
Manager
There was an ASA memo, i think irish posted it, that says the black will be considered part of the plate.
Leave IT to USSSA to make the umpire distinguish wether it its black or white....lol
Leave IT to USSSA to make the umpire distinguish wether it its black or white....lol
NCASAUmp
Un-Retired
Barring having a plate that's completely raised up above the ground, ask yourself this - how likely is it that a pitch can hit the black portion of the plate without also nicking at least some of the white portion? Most of the time, if it hit the black of the plate, it also hit the white of the plate.
But let's not split that hair too finely. If it looks like it hit the plate, it hit the plate.
But let's not split that hair too finely. If it looks like it hit the plate, it hit the plate.
BretMan
Addicted to Softballfans
It's in the Clinic Guide used at all of the ASA national umpire schools.
egibree
Addicted to Softballfans
I've been umping usssa for almost 10 years now and have seen many times a ball clip the black......I wish all our fields were well maintained and the black was buried but that's not the case.....the ball usually scids back as opposed to bouncing up and many times leaves a mark in the dirt.......
Qoheleth52
Addicted to Softballfans
My thoughts exactly, except when it is called a strike--which is frequently.