Slowpitch Pitching

Question
What is a "deep pitch"? Should I give signals when it's a ball? I see umpires doing this. How do I get a ASA umpire rule book or attend ASA school. I live in Coopersville MI near Grand Rapids.

Thanks,

Paul  
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Followup To

Question -
ASA rules recreation league.
Please provide me with instruction on how to call balls and strikes consistently. This is a 6 to 12 ft arc. More specificly how does one judge the height so that it is not over 12 ft as it leaves the pitcher and below the rear shoulder of the batter as it comes across the plate?

Answer -
Thanks for the question Paul!

I umpire both slow and fast pitch and I will tell you this: It is MUCH more difficult to judge a slow pitch zone than a fast pitch zone!

Part 1: Height.

There are a couple things that can help you with height.  First of all, it sounds like you're using the strike zone instead of a mat.  That's good because it's harder to throw a ball high through the strike zone than a lower ball.  Some parts of the country use a mat just behind the plate as the strike zone.  Mat ball causes pitchers to be able to throw higher because the strike zone in not at an angle, it's on the ground.  

On height, you can use a couple of things to help.  One is use an object behind the outfield, high in the sky to use as a base point for judging height.  Usually the lights tend to work well.  They do vary at different parks, so that抯 important to note.  Another way is to use the height of the pitcher.  Every pitcher is usually about 6 feet in height, so just double the height of the pitcher (within reason, like say if the guy in 6' 5").  Still another way is to fix your hat bill so that it sits at 12 feet.  If the ball goes over the bill, you know it's too high.  The best way is to use some of these techniques and then do two things:  Use the tips I gave you and get an idea of where 12 feet is and then just call height without using any tricks.  Second, go to a Metro or National School to help add on and hone your skills.  Even if you've been to one before, you'll always learn something.

Part 2: Over the shoulder.  

The strike zone is as if the batter assumes a natural position at the plate.  The zone never moves, no matter where the player is standing in the box.  What I do, is as every batter is setting up in the box, I look at where he is in relation to the plate.  If he's even with the plate, no problem I can use his actual shoulder to judge the ball.  If he's forward or back in the box, I have to decide where his shoulder would be if he were standing in a natural position at the plate.  I do all this before the first pitch is made to each new batter.  I didn't really realize how much I process before a batter, till I wrote it down for you.  Now, the next thing that will help you is using a crouched position as illustrated in the ASA Rulebook Umpire Edition (any year).  In the back of the book, it describes the slow pitch plate mechanics.  You stand on the side the batter is hitting, for a right handed batter stand on the left side, for a lefty rotate to the right side of the box.  As the ball is pitched, you decide if the ball is legal or illegal on all aspects.  If you decide the pitch is a legal pitch, then you squat down in a crouched position, to more easily see the ball go over the shoulder.  Crouch down just as low as your eyes are just below the arm pit of the batter (which is usually about 6 inches, keep your back straight, don't bend at the neck, bend at the knees like a squat).  Now I am 6 foot tall, so most batters are about my size which means I have to get down low to get my eyes below that armpit level.  Ok...  still lots to do, and we still have to judge a strike or ball.  Now while you're doing all this fun stuff you're tracking the ball from the moment of release as it goes up and down towards the zone.  As the ball goes through the zone decide what you have and make a verbal call, still in your crouched position.  Then stand up all the way back up and make the visual call.  In strike zone ball, if doesn't matter where the ball hits the ground.  So just watch the pitch through the zone and decide what the ball is.  Chances are you'll be looking somewhat up at the ball as it comes down, which is the whole point of the crouch.  It is much easier to see the pitch go over or through the shoulder (strike zone) when you're down in the crouch.  Now what happens if the pitch is illegal?  In ASA we call illegal pitches immediately, so when a pitch is thrown and you decide that it is an illegal pitch, then you do not have to crouch down, remain standing and just hold you're left arm out parallel to the ground and verbally say "Illegal Pitch" loud enough for the catcher and batter to hear.  The players in the field will know it's illegal because they'll see your arm go out.  As umpires we try to draw as little attention to ourselves as possible.  

Answer
Deep is a four letter word and you should never use it.  :-)

Seriously though, players use the word "deep" to describe a pitch that is over the back shoulder and not in the strike zone.  Don't fall prey to using this word...UIC's get irritated.  Also, don't use the hand signals to indicate this.  Some use them to tell the pitcher that you saw the ball was "deep", however these are not official mechanics for ASA umpires.  You absolutely should not use them if you go to a national tournament.  Bad habits are hard to break.  If you don't start using the signal, you don't have to break that habit for a big tournament.

To find your local ASA association (which is probably Michigan ASA) go to the link below and input your zip code.  Send an e-mail to the UIC and they can help you buy a rule book.  You should have gotten one when you registered for ASA.  ASA registration provides you with insurance, a rule book and a bat ring plus whatever your local ASA association likes to throw in.  They can also help you with additional training.

http://www.softball.org/about/contact_us.asp

You're also in ASA Region 8.  Region 8 UIC is Mike DeLeo.  I've met Mike personally and he's a fantastic person and UIC.

I hope this helps answer your question, if not please ask.