Foul ball off the foot/shin

[JimSmith25]

How do you umpires look or hear for one of these? I find it probably 'the' most difficult call to make, and base it solely off of the players reaction. If he doesn't run/limps/cusses I'm probably not going to call that fair ball. 

 

If this is a play that must be seen, then how do you umpires that can, train yourselves to not blink at a swing? Or a loud smack of the bat. I'm pretty good at watching the ball all the way to the glove without blinking, but once that bat 'whooshes' through the strike zone, I just can't help it.

[Jocko]

A brutally honest admission. It just requires determination, discipline, and training. You have to teach yourself not to blink. Sock drill sock drill sock drill.

[Rich Ives]

How do you umpires look or hear for one of these? I find it probably 'the' most difficult call to make, and base it solely off of the players reaction. If he doesn't run/limps/cusses I'm probably not going to call that fair ball. 

 

If this is a play that must be seen, then how do you umpires that can, train yourselves to not blink at a swing? Or a loud smack of the bat. I'm pretty good at watching the ball all the way to the glove without blinking, but once that bat 'whooshes' through the strike zone, I just can't help it.

 

Catchers have to learn the no-blink also. Practice by having someone throw a nerf ball at you (mask on).  After awhile it'll just be natural.  Keep at it.

 

BTW it really hurts to get hit on the foot or shin.  You'll know right away if that happened.

[noumpere]

It gets missed both ways in MLB too so don't beat yourself up too much on this.  Just try to read the flight of the ball and the reaction of the batter.

[th3]

hopefully you have a good partner (@soapbox) who will help you out

[Stan W.]

I get a case of "the blinks" every year...............no notice its coming and goes away ............not sure what brings it on....maybe some low level catcher play or a hard mask shot?...not sure...but the way I get out of it is by drills (sock, tennis ball).....and by use of the eye.........for a number of batters each game, I get set and when the ball is on the way, I open my eyes as wide as I can......seems to mechanically delay any blink reaction.......  might look silly but no one can tell and it does help me.....

[Mudder]

I've been trying holding my breath as the pitch comes in that I've heard about, seems to work

[MadMax]

I caught and played goalie for so long, my hearing is attuned to picking up discrepancies like this (ball hitting bat, glove, ground, plate, body parts, backstop; puck hitting pads, pipes, stick, boards behind you). I've also trained my eyes to follow the ball/puck _rather well_. In no way am I perfect, and there certainly are times I've missed a few... But I'm thankful that I usually have an observant BU that will see that contact that I missed.

Perhaps to train your hearing, sit behind the backstop at just about any game, and close your eyes right as the pitcher releases it. Hear for the results.

@Mudder - the consensus of advice is to exhale on the delivery, so you are locked in steady in you focus on the strike zone and the pitch.

[Mudder]

@Mudder - the consensus of advice is to exhale on the delivery, so you are locked in steady in you focus on the strike zone and the pitch.

 

I thought it was to exhale on delivery, then hold it as the pitch comes through the zone?  Am I doing it wrong?

[Dragon29]

JimSmith25,

 

Your BU can help you - A couple of people have touched on this; I'll be a little more detailed as it seems you may be new(?)

 

Pre-game this w/your BU - If he clearly sees a batter hit by a ball in the batters' box, he can call it.  Some guys like to tell their BUs to wait a moment for them to call it first, but I personally don't care.  If I'm behind the plate and you clearly see a batter hit while in the box, call it!

[th3]

JimSmith25,

 

Your BU can help you - A couple of people have touched on this; I'll be a little more detailed as it seems you may be new(?)

 

Pre-game this w/your BU - If he clearly sees a batter hit by a ball in the batters' box, he can call it.  Some guys like to tell their BUs to wait a moment for them to call it first, but I personally don't care.  If I'm behind the plate and you clearly see a batter hit while in the box, call it!

How about if he CLEARLY sees a HBP that you don't see?

[Dragon29]

I see those!

 

Seriously, that's not something I want or need help with.  One of the reasons I don't want the BU involved in that call is that sound can be a very important piece of evidence when making that decision, and he can't hear it from there.

 

I'd also have a hard time imagining a situation in which a BU can clearly see a HBP that I couldn't see at all.  Not saying it's not possible, but it'd have to be a very odd HBP.

[BigUmpire]

Back foot

[blue23ll]

I think the one's the BU can be of assistance on are when the batter is swinging, checking their swing, or bailing out on a close pitch. The PU always has primary on these calls, though.

[Mudder]

I'd also have a hard time imagining a situation in which a BU can clearly see a HBP that I couldn't see at all.  Not saying it's not possible, but it'd have to be a very odd HBP.

 

Really, as a PU you've never been blocked out on a foul off the batter's outside shin or the edge of his foot?  I have, and when I know I did not get a good look or hear it, and the ball took a funny bounce or something afterwards, I'll let it play out, then go to my partner and sometimes he will confirm it hit him when he has no doubt.  Some of the guys I work with as BU will kill it immediately if they are 100% sure, some even if they are 100% sure will not kill it, give me a chance to make the call, if I don't his signal will tell me he's got something and we confer then bring the batter back.

[LMSANS]

 

I'd also have a hard time imagining a situation in which a BU can clearly see a HBP that I couldn't see at all.  Not saying it's not possible, but it'd have to be a very odd HBP.

 

Really, as a PU you've never been blocked out on a foul off the batter's outside shin or the edge of his foot?  I have, and when I know I did not get a good look or hear it, and the ball took a funny bounce or something afterwards, I'll let it play out, then go to my partner and sometimes he will confirm it hit him when he has no doubt.  Some of the guys I work with as BU will kill it immediately if they are 100% sure, some even if they are 100% sure will not kill it, give me a chance to make the call, if I don't his signal will tell me he's got something and we confer then bring the batter back.

 

Did you miss the HBP in his comment?

[MadMax]

@Mudder - the consensus of advice is to exhale on the delivery, so you are locked in steady in you focus on the strike zone and the pitch.

 

I thought it was to exhale on delivery, then hold it as the pitch comes through the zone?  Am I doing it wrong?

Ah, from the way you phrased it, it was "holding your breath (in)"... Usually, holding breath = after inhaling.

[sflo0]

as BU is it acceptable to call foul right away when you see the ball go off the player after he hits it?

[noumpere]

as BU is it acceptable to call foul right away when you see the ball go off the player after he hits it?

Most places yes but in some they want BU to wait and then only get it if PU doesn't and in a very few they want to wait for PU to ask for help.

[Dragon29]

 

as BU is it acceptable to call foul right away when you see the ball go off the player after he hits it?

Most places yes but in some they want BU to wait and then only get it if PU doesn't and in a very few they want to wait for PU to ask for help.

 

 

Pre-game this - no confusion