[quote name="MrUmp1" post="1394587" timestamp="1366067691"] I have never called a strike zone based on what bats are being used. If any part of the ball touches any part of the black of the plate it is a strike. Shrinking the zone will only make batters look for more walks not make them swing the bat more. If you are going to play College or be one of the few to play pro ball, get use to the ball on the edge consistently being called a strike. [/quote] "If any part of the ball touches any part of the black of the plate it is a strike." - Really? NFHS Baseball Rule 2.35 : "The strike zone is that space over home plate, ... " Home plate is 17 inches wide. Period. There is no black. Would you call a runner safe if he only touched the beviled black edge of the plate? Your answer is going to be something like "That's the way we call it" , "Get used to it because that's they way we call it at the next level". That is BS if you ask me. It's just the Good Old Boy Umpire Club calling what they want regardless of the rule.