Verbalizing Balls and Strikes

[DirtyDawg]

A powder blue shirt from Officials Choice so my ribbed CP will show.

Screw the ribbed CP, buy a raft, and don't forget your mask hook!! Oh, and my all-time favorite, constantly refer to that little thing with the balls, strikes, and outs on it as a clicker.

[catoblue]

An adjustable beanie on top.

Wait a minute!!!!! the adjustable beanie is out of style, a quality umpire will get a nice John Deer trucker's cap and wear it backwards! You should know better!!!!!

[Kevin Finnerty]

I can't believe no one's brought up the really handy Schutt three-loop nylon ball sack:

Edited May 24, 2010 by Kevin Finnerty

[JaxRolo]

I can't believe no one's brought up the really handy Schutt three-loop nylon ball sack:

Where can I get one of these??!!!

[jjb]

Does it come in red?

[Mike Prince]

I have one exactly like that somewhere in blue. Now that I have said that I will never find it (thankfully).

[DirtyDawg]

I can't believe no one's brought up the really handy Schutt three-loop nylon ball sack:

But there's no place to hang your mask on it!

[Kevin Finnerty]

I'll bet any good tailor or cobbler can fasten your mask hook to the thing.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Kevin Finnerty

[BrianC14]

Well, this thread certainly has jumped the shark. :notworthy:

[Kevin Finnerty]

Unfortunately the shark did not leap up and eat it and put it out of its misery.

[yawetag]

I can't believe no one's brought up the really handy Schutt three-loop nylon ball sack:

Kevin, my grandma called. She wants her purse back.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Tell your grandma to keep her hands off of my ball sack.

[Mike Prince]

I think the shark tried to eat this thread but he threw up!

[Thunderheads]

Tell your grandma to keep her hands off of my ball sack.

you guys owe me coffee....STOP IT!:yippie:B)

[DirtyDawg]

Am I the only person who the "go to first unread post" is not working for on this damn thread?

[mstaylor]

Don"t know, I have never used that function.

[carolinablue]

I would like to nominate this for thread of the year. 12 pages and going, that's got to be the record.

[BrianC14]

I would like to nominate this for thread of the year. 12 pages and going, that's got to be the record.

Yeah, some of it even useful.

[Umpire in Chief]

Am I the only person who the "go to first unread post" is not working for on this damn thread?

I checked it out it's working for me....

What may be happening is someone actually responding to the poll (imagine that after the track this thread has taken) I registers new poll responses as new posts and puts the thread in your unread post cue even if there is actually no new post.

[catoblue]

ahhh - and maybe this post will get us to one more page of shark-jumping before everyone gives up on it.

Definitely should be post of the year! LOL!!!!

Pretty funny how this thread degenerated - does that mean we're a bunch of degenerates?

[JaxRolo]

I would like to get back on subject.

I worked a 12U game last night where I worked on Verbalizing both Balls and Strikes.

It seemed to work out pretty good. Felt comfortable with it. Coaches and batters seemed to like it because the knew where they stood right away.

I believe it did help my timing.

So maybe I will keep doing it! :wow:

[catoblue]

Actually, I did the same last night in a 10U game. I've been verbalizing called strikes loudly,

swinging strikes so that only batter and F2 can hear, and balls so that only batter and F2 can hear. Based on the consensus here, I'm trying to change that to be LOUD called strikes, as usual, balls loud enough for both benches, and biting my tongue on swinging strikes.

Worked pretty well last night - I only caught myself verbalizing a swinging strike twice and murmuring "ball" three times.

No complaints from anyone - will keep working on it until it becomes second nature.

[Mike Prince]

My mechanic for swinging strike is to point at batter with left hand, and then give the strike sign with right hand (I point to the right holding up one or 2 fingers to show how many strikes that is). For swinging strike three I do the same but "hammer" the third strike. For me this curbs any temptation to verbalize the swinging strike.

[catoblue]

My mechanic for swinging strike is to point at batter with left hand, and then give the strike sign with right hand (I point to the right holding up one or 2 fingers to show how many strikes that is). For swinging strike three I do the same but "hammer" the third strike. For me this curbs any temptation to verbalize the swinging strike.

yeah, I've always simply pointed to the right for a swinging strike - and used a "murmured" verbalization of "strike", just as a "keep my rhythm tool. From the feedback here, I see that this is not an accepted or common thing to do, so starting last night I started biting my tongue to stop the verbal, while continuing my hand signal.

[txump81]

I worked with a veteran on Monday night and his tip was to help with timing, verbalize all pitches. I took that as not swinging strikes though. So I tried it last night. As was previously stated, it worked well. On a swinging strike, I just pause and then indicate with the hammer. If it a swinging strike three and there is no uncaught 3rd strike rule, I give them the chainsaw. If it is called, chainsaw and verbal, strike three. With an uncaught, I will just indicate with the hammer and verbal or not depending on swinging or not.