Ok Everyone. Under the title of "God works in Mysterious ways": I was the one who insisted on calling strikes regardless of whether the catcher catches the ball on the fly or not. Check the thread with Coach_Bayer and the "strike zone".

Anyway, tonight I had the game from hell. A CYO "B" game. This is 7th and a few 8th graders. The catcher set up at least 4 maybe 6 feet behind the batter. I don't coach so I let this go on for 2 innings. I took at least 6 hit baseballs that he missed. I finally coached him and basically told him he's costing the pitcher strikes. Didn't matter.
Bottom line, I missed some strikes tonight. I fought to protect myself first and foremost. I still hold the position that a strike should be called even if the catcher doesn't catch it but I will amend my statement to say that I reserve the right to protect myself over calling a strike.

Have at it boys.....and girls.

To call balls and strikes consistently you must see the pitch all the way into the catchers mitt. Those marginal pitches are the ones the catcher has to catch and make them look like strikes. If he doesn't catch it I don't have a chance to look at it and determine whether or not it caught a piece of the zone.

At this (very bad baseball) level, any pitch the batter has a reasonable opportunity to hit is a strike.

This is why I hate to do levels like this. First, it screws up my "good" strike zone. Second, the parents and some coaches think they're in MLB. Finally, I have to work the next day and the possibility of getting hurt is far worse at this level.

I did have a parent come up to me after that game and say "Thank you, you did a great job" which made all the difference in the world. I only do CYO because I came up through there and want to "give back". I donate my time even though they pay the umpires.

refump....

you have hit on the reason that many good and qualified umpires do not do youth ball....As an Umpire advances his ability they quickly find that youth ball is not worth the hassle...

I have youth coaches who ask me why dont we get better umpires.....but the better umpire does not want to put up with the daddy coach and parent grief coupled with the low level of play....

I do not do youth ball until my higher level schedules are over.....then I will do PONY/COLT...but that is because low level youth ball throws off my timing and ,like you, my good zone that I have worked to refine.....

Amen PIAA_UMP. We're totally on the same page.

One other anecdote from that game. A player was rung up on a called third strike for the 3rd out goes over to the screen protecting the players and hits his helmet on it. That drew my attention to him. As I'm getting ready to say "don't throw it" he takes the helmet and slams it into the dugout in front of 6 players seated on the bench. Fortunately, it got a true bounce and went straight up. No players hit. I immediately tossed him. 2 dads and 3 coaches immediately start carping at me. I started to argue and then decided "screw them" I'm not explaining myself. He threw equipment and now he's gone (FED rules). I'm also thinking, boy, aren't we good Catholics (CYO)....I'm one so I can say this.

Last inning, they TRY and put him on 3rd base as a coach. Nothing doing. I get more **** and quietly tell the coach he'd be gone if he didn't let it go.

Basically, they condoned this player's behavior. BTW, turns out the player ejected was the one who was setting waaaayyyy back behind the plate. I didn't realize it until the new catcher came out.