ABSTRACT
C onsider an evaluation of a very simple type of merit. In American baseball, the pitcher throws a strike whenever the ball goes over home plate between the knees and the lower (armpit) shoulders of the batter. Otherwise the pitcher has thrown a ball. If the batter swings at the ball, no matter where it is, and misses it, that is also a strike. Let’s consider the case where the batter does not swing at the ball. The umpire stands behind home plate and determines whether the pitch has been a strike.
