Verbalizing Balls and Strikes

[ehawkins1]

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

"Plus it's not a purse, it's called a satchel. Indiana Jones wears one." :WTF

[DirtyDawg]

Nope.....it's with the new posts. It just automatically takes me to the end saying that all the posts were read. It's only on this post, too. Very, very strange.

Anyways.....a question for all you college veterans out there. Swinging third strike, I just use my normal hammer motion while saying, "three" (of course it sounds like I'm saying "thud"), acceptable or not? I started doing this while umpiring the lower levels. I would typically have batters linger in the batters box after swinging strike three, so I just started doing that in order to inform the young'ins it's time to move on. I'm hoping one day I'll be able to grace the college fields, and am wondering if this is a habbit that'd best be broken before trying to move on to the next level.

Edit: Check, that, it sounds more like a low grumbling "threw" after some evaluation.

Edited May 26, 2010 by dirtydawg
Check, that, it sounds more like a low grumbling "threw" after some evaluation.

[mstaylor]

Yes, work on dropping the three on a swinging third.

The point to the batter should only be used on a checked swing that you are calling a strike. Pointing means something jappened and shouldn't be used on a normal play. That goes for singing strikes, safe/out at bases or a scoring runner. If something weird happens, dropped ball, missed swipe tag or a batter checks but is considered swinging then point and announce what the call is.

Edited May 26, 2010 by mstaylor

[LMSANS]

Yes, work on dropping the three on a swinging third.

The point to the batter should only be used on a checked swing that you are calling a strike. Pointing means something jappened and shouldn't be used on a normal play. That goes for singing strikes, safe/out at bases or a scoring runner. If something weird happens, dropped ball, missed swipe tag or a batter checks but is considered swinging then point and announce what the call is.

I love those singing strikes...figaro-strike...figaro-strike...:TD:

[mstaylor]

As I have said many times, proofread, proofread, proofread. :TD:

[Umpire in Chief]

If anywhere near close I'll say that's a catch.

[coach_ump4]

I never verbalize balls only strikes except for swinging strikes at which point I just point. On dropped 3rd strikes I just hold out 3 fingers and never say anything unless 1st is occupied.

[yawetag]

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

12 pages? You need to change your settings. I'm only on page 4.

[catoblue]

12 pages? You need to change your settings. I'm only on page 4.

HA!!! It's up to 14 for me now!!!

[Guest]

I wish to ammend my previous sentiments based on an experience of mine Thursday:

I said previously always seriously verbalize calls of "ball", unless of course the pitch sails to the backstop or something.

On Thursday, I had a regional championship HS game with a very rambunctious crowd. Even when standing right next to them, neither the batter nor catcher could hear anything I said, even when yelling at the top of my lungs.

So, if you're ever in this situation, save your voice.

[constable]

baseball Ontario/Canada are pretty clear on this. Verbalize each pitch with it's #.

Ball 1

Strike 1

Strike 2 etc

I can't see myself ever using hand signals. Opens pandorah's box and could set yourself up for some arguments.

If they ask politely where a pitch was, I'll tell them.

[FVBump]

I never used to call balls until I had a veteran ump say something to me.

"you have to sell the balls as you would the strikes" No there is no question from the field or the fans for that matter what my call was. The only time I do not call a ball is when it is way out of the zone...over the head, in the dirt, ect.

Also use my fingers as I verbalize the count.

[Umpire in Chief]

"you have to sell the balls as you would the strikes"

A wise older umpire once asked me, "Whyare you selling a ball call so haard?"

I told him, "Because it was close and I want to sound strong like I know I have it."

He replied, "Well if it's close enough that you have to sell it hard as a ball, you can sell it as a strike too."

Since then they've all been strikes.

[FVBump]

A wise older umpire once asked me, "Whyare you selling a ball call so haard?"

I told him, "Because it was close and I want to sound strong like I know I have it."

He replied, "Well if it's close enough that you have to sell it hard as a ball, you can sell it as a strike too."

Since then they've all been strikes.

Touche....point well taken. I think my problem really was that I wasn't verballizing balls at all and having a similar mechanic as a strike. Since then, I feel I have improved, being loud enough so both teams can hear what I am calling and staying down when it is a ball....if any of my rambling makes sense.

[JaxRolo]

Thanks to this Thread I now verbalize both Balls and strikes and I really like it. My called strikes are much more emphatic than the ball calls. I dont call any balls louder then another ball call. Just loud enough for anyone around the Home Plate area to hear.

[zm1283]

A little story about this thread FWIW. I was behind the plate for a college league game last week. The home team's leadoff batter went 0-2 to start the bottom of the first. The third pitch is a ball, but close on the outside corner. I let out an emphatic "ball!". The visitor's F2 threw the ball back and said something like "Wow, nice and sharp, I like that".

[kylejt]

Here's the rule of thumb I go by: Your volume on calls should be proportional to the proximity of the pitch. A 3-0 fastball taken down the middle doesn't need more than a simple "strike". (I know we're all supposed to be on Jim Joyce love fest, but his bellowing nonsense on some of his strikes is just silly). And no, don't pull the chain in swinging K's. A simple fist pump at the waist will do.

Now I'm not saying to go Timmy Mac on us, and not even make a sound after a 10 second pause, but save your good stuff for when it counts. If it's an obvious ball, just let it go. If it's a taken strike down the middle, make it simple. Save the big call for the big situation. If you get a chance, watch tape of Jim Evans loading up for K. He's ready, knew the situation, and knew when to make the appropriate call.

[FVBump]

Here's the rule of thumb I go by: Your volume on calls should be proportional to the proximity of the pitch. QUOTE]

I have noticed myself doing this as well...not sure how I feel about it. :hi5:

[mstaylor]

All balls and strikes should loud enough that nobody has to ask what it was. That doesn't mean there shouldn't be different volumes for different calls but all should have decent volume. It is the same as working a sport with a whistle, soccer, football, basketball or wrestling. The participants should know from your whistle if a rountine play just happened or somebody is in big trouble.

[benjix4]

We've got some umpires in our league that, in my opinion, have a bad habit of signaling with their right hand where the ball was, such as high, low or inside/outside. Sometimes, especially on the close high ones or outside it looks from my point of view in the 1BC box that they're signalling a strike.

disclaimer: I said bad habit, because I don't know/think it's a mechanic. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

That is a horrible looking mechanic.  The only thing your arms should be doing is emphasizing a strike or safe and out.

[maven]

I think it's great that we have an influx of new umpires to the site, and I think it's great that they want to go back and learn from old threads (including posts by the late, great MST).

 

I don't think it's great to revive those old threads, especially with posts that add nothing new or pertinent. Warren, maybe there's a setting to automatically lock threads with no new posts after, say, a month? Site policy if not?

[noumpere]

I would vote for that.