It is optional for the base umpire to carry an indicator if the field has a scoreboard

[Kevin Finnerty]

If you are in Calif. ..... CIF-SS ... the answer is false.... It is not optional.

It's false because the scoreboard aspect is irrelevant.

[Jeremy_UEFL]

Here's a question for you all to ponder. Football. Down indicators. Should the line judge, back judge, etc. not wear a down indicator because the referee will CERTAINLY keep track and hey the head linesman and box man will always have the down....

[Kevin Finnerty]

You're equating the refusal to carry an indicator on the bases with shirking one's responsibilities to keep track of the ballgame. That's specious at best.

Carrying an indicator on the bases is both a distraction and an unnecessary trapping for some. Using an indicator behind the dish is part of the natural flow of calling balls and strikes. The day I stopped holding one in my hand---instead keeping it in my ball bag---was the day the flow and rhythm of my plate game improved. And the day I stopped carrying it on the bases is the day my base game similarly improved.

And I remain as aware of the count and number of outs as I ever was employing that unnecessary distraction.

[AZump78]

I think we are WAY past the point of on this one.

[mstaylor]

You're equating the refusal to carry an indicator on the bases with shirking one's responsibilities to keep track of the ballgame. That's specious at best.

Carrying an indicator on the bases is both a distraction and an unnecessary trapping for some. Using an indicator behind the dish is part of the natural flow of calling balls and strikes. The day I stopped holding one in my hand---instead keeping it in my ball bag---was the day the flow and rhythm of my plate game improved. And the day I stopped carrying it on the bases is the day my base game similarly improved.

And I remain as aware of the count and number of outs as I ever was employing that unnecessary distraction.

It is not specious at all. Many that do not carry have adamantly insisted tracking the count is not their job. If you can track the count and outs without one, all is good. I prefer to carry one. What I object to are the guys that are very condesending about the issue. CBrown is right, I think we have pretty much run this in the ground.

[sdix00]

.

[semper_fi_72]

Not optional if you had the PU Partner I had last night. :kissass: