Umpires don't even try to call balls and strikes in accordance with the published rules. They go with, usually, their OWN strike zone that's close to, but different than published rules.
That's why you rarely see the high strike in the National league which is built on pitching and pitches hitting.
During a playoff game the strike zone is known, historically, to lower 2-3 inches.
Of course in the Ame3rican league anything below mid-thigh is considered a ball.
All of the players, coaches and Umps know these unwritten rules and genuinely enjoy the passions and arguments it creates.
The ONLY thing they complain about is when a particular ump is NOT CONSISTENT.
Don't call that slider toward the back foot a strike on one pitch, and then a ball on the next.
I do not like this idea of trying to have technology take out the human aspect of sports, I hate replay in football because now after every big play, it seems you have to wait five minutes to find out if it’s going to stand or not, I’d rather go back to the way it was and take my chances, besides, bad calls tend to even themselves out in the long run.
Yup. Umps with different strikes zones is part of the game but nothing p*sses the fans off faster than an ump who can't make his mind up whats a strike & whats a ball.