Couple of thoughts about the strike zone “box” displayed on TV…
MLB must allow this. Why? Is it a way to quantify the accuracy of the umpires?
The strike zone, as I understand it, is from the midpoint from the shoulders to the belt (high side) to the knees (low side). From my perspective the displayed “box” is rarely accurate on the high side. Anyone agree? Further, shouldn’t the “box” (high and low) change with the height of the hitter!
I think “from my perspective” is the key. The camera angle is never straight on, so it’s always going to look off.
Really depends on the batter’s stance. Here’s 5’10" Bert Campaneris in '69, when the strike zone was between the knees & armpits:
The funny thing about Campaneris is that despite having a strike zone the size of a walnut, he hardly ever drew a walk: just 30 times in ‘69.
MLB allows it, but the strike zone you see in broadcasts are done by the TV side of it. Which means its not the official MLB strike zone, just an approximation. MLB has other tracking and systems in ballparks to measure the pitch location, information that isn’t publicly available. And they do grade the umpires on their accuracy.
Here is a recent article about umpires and the strike zone. Also I would point out Effectively Wild for much more discussion about umpires, pitch calling, strike zones and more. (If you don’t have time to listen to podcasts, there is also a wiki with highlights and summaries.)
There was a recent episode (1844: Grill the Umpire that has an interview with a recently retired MLB Umpire.