Batter fouls off a borderline pitch, asks you, "Was that a strike?"

[JHSump]

What do you say?

 

(a) You tell him what you think it was going to be, a called strike, or ball.

(b) You tell him it was a ball, regardless of what you might actually think.

© You tell him it was a strike, regardless of what you might actually think.

(d) You tell him you don't know.

(e) You don't say anything.

(f) You don't say anything, but you give him a sinister grin.

(g) You ______________________ (fill in the blank)

 

Extra credit "short answer question" --- We are taught to decide whether a pitch is a ball or a strike *after* it is caught by the catcher.  And in deciding the call we use all the evidence, including how the catcher receives the pitch.  So, technically, you should not have made any decision at the time the ball is fouled off.  How does this enter, if at all, into your answer to the original question?

[Richvee]

My answer differs a bit from time to time.

If it's a 2 strike count and he fouls off a close pitch, I'll answer "Too close to take"

Sometimes I'll say something like "You swung before I decided"

Once I told the kid, "I'm glad you swung. One less borderline pitch I have to make a decision on" 

[johnnyg08]

I like the "you swung before I decided" comment.  

[noumpere]

Any of the above including the "I dont know yet" comment but my "zone" is wider when answering that question than it really is.

 

For example, if it was close but a ball I might answer "dont know yet" if it was close and I havent' decided I say "strike"; only if its way out do I answer ball.

[Rich Ives]

a)

 

What's the harm? The pros do it.

 

Anything else is just being pompous

[johnnyg08]

They never ask on cock shots, because those are obvious.

 

They always ask on border pitches.  If it was going to be an obvious ball, tell him it was probably a ball.  

 

If it was close, he already swung at it, tell him probably a strike.  

 

If you truly don't know, then tell him that you don't know.  

[sdix00]

"Close. . . Three balls. Two strikes. PLAY!"

[bam]

There's no such thing as "borderline". "Borderline" is a strike in any level I officiate. So the answer would always be "yes".

I had one a couple days ago foul off a pitch that was very high - chin high. Batter asks me if it "was it high?" "It was so high it would have been two balls". All three of us chuckled.

See? I can be personable.

[JHSump]

There's no such thing as "borderline". "Borderline" is a strike in any level I officiate. So the answer would always be "yes".

I had one a couple days ago foul off a pitch that was very high - chin high. Batter asks me if it "was it high?" "It was so high it would have been two balls". All three of us chuckled.

See? I can be personable.

 

After I posted this question, I realized I should not have put the word "borderline" in the question --- the best answer for a borderline pitch is, "Yes, that was a strike."

 

But It's not so easy to tell if a pitch is borderline if the batter doesn't let it pass through/near the strike zone, and the catcher does not get to catch it.

 

And, I liked the "See? I can be personable." 

 

I won't say anymore about what I do when this situation happens.  I want to see more answers...

[johnnyg08]

There's no such thing as "borderline". "Borderline" is a strike in any level I officiate. So the answer would always be "yes".

I had one a couple days ago foul off a pitch that was very high - chin high. Batter asks me if it "was it high?" "It was so high it would have been two balls". All three of us chuckled.

See? I can be personable.

 

 

They're border since we're "calling" the pitch for the hitter while the pitched ball is in the front of the plate.  

 

At that point in the pitched ball's path, I would contend that yes, you can have a border pitch.

[bam]

There's no such thing as "borderline". "Borderline" is a strike in any level I officiate. So the answer would always be "yes".

I had one a couple days ago foul off a pitch that was very high - chin high. Batter asks me if it "was it high?" "It was so high it would have been two balls". All three of us chuckled.

See? I can be personable.

 

 

They're border since we're "calling" the pitch for the hitter while the pitched ball is in the front of the plate.  

 

At that point in the pitched ball's path, I would contend that yes, you can have a border pitch.

Are you with TSA? What border are you guarding?

[johnnyg08]

There's no such thing as "borderline". "Borderline" is a strike in any level I officiate. So the answer would always be "yes".

I had one a couple days ago foul off a pitch that was very high - chin high. Batter asks me if it "was it high?" "It was so high it would have been two balls". All three of us chuckled.

See? I can be personable.

 

 

They're border since we're "calling" the pitch for the hitter while the pitched ball is in the front of the plate.  

 

At that point in the pitched ball's path, I would contend that yes, you can have a border pitch.

Are you with TSA? What border are you guarding?

Good one bam!

[carolinablue]

I go with a).

[johnnyg08]

Are you with TSA? What border are you guarding?

Nope.  "Home"land security.  The plate is mine!  

[MidAmUmp]

Yes, you swung at it.

[mstaylor]

I have told them out was up or out. I have told them I couldn't tell. I have told them that I would have swung at it.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[Dannytheman]

I would tell them what they want now in the early season, and less as tournament times comes along. But if asked nicely, I will give info to a player.

Yesterday I had a manager asking, "Where was that Blue?"  I answered something I learned here, "In the Ball Zone"!  Where is that?  Not in the strike zone.  Love that answer!!

[JaxRolo]

See? I can be personable.

No way!!!