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"Dead Ball!"


ArchAngel72

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So how many of you have been with partners that yell "Dead Ball"

 

Sigh I am with a couple older guys who do it and every time I take of my lid and hang my head while holding the hat over my heart.  You know in remembrance of that poor ball that lost its life by going out of play or by hitting the batter ( most typical concerns ) 

 

 

🤣

anyone else?

 

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1 hour ago, ArchAngel72 said:

So how many of you have been with partners that yell "Dead Ball"

Too many, unfortunately. Also, "foul ball" instead of "foul". Had to suggest to at least 3 partners this season alone they work on these two issues.

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29 minutes ago, noumpere said:

IT's better to say "time" of course, but of the to 10 things to worry about on the field, this comes in at below 100.

 

Address it in training, if needed, or in post-game feedback, if the umpire is receptive.

I've heard it from a CWS PU a year ago. You say dead, I say time, you say foul ball, I say foul, you say play ball, I say play. Once we let them know in training we leave it alone if they can't break the habit on the field. But my real pet peeve, signaling safe  when there was no tag/play. Have to back off that peeve also, just saw an MLB ump do it.

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4 hours ago, ArchAngel72 said:

So how many of you have been with partners that yell "Dead Ball"

 

Sigh I am with a couple older guys who do it and every time I take of my lid and hang my head while holding the hat over my heart.  You know in remembrance of that poor ball that lost its life by going out of play or by hitting the batter ( most typical concerns ) 

 

 

🤣

anyone else?

 

So as someone who didn't end up at any umpire-schools, what is the right thing to call in a dead-ball case like that?  Out of play, dead because interference/HBP/etc?   Dead Ball at least seems to stop any action, not sure what else I should be saying?

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So as someone who didn't end up at any umpire-schools, what is the right thing to call in a dead-ball case like that?  Out of play, dead because interference/HBP/etc?   Dead Ball at least seems to stop any action, not sure what else I should be saying?

Hit by pitch - “Time!” This allows you another second or 2 just to replay in your mind what happened. If you discern that, in fact, it didn’t hit the batter, you can then rule on keeping him in the box or awarding 1st.

Ball rolls/is thrown out of play - “Time, that’s out of play!”

Runner interference - “That’s interference!” while pointing at the play(er). Followed by “Time! That’s interference!”……if it’s necessary because player(s) didn’t stop playing.
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Ok then, so "Time" seems to be the magic word? Good to know! I always yell "foul" 2-3x loudly (the last one is foul-ball), as that is what I've heard umpires use before.

I suspect I picked up dead ball the same way.

 

Thank you!

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College it’s always foul and time. HS 80% it’s same but other 20% it’s dead ball!!! and I shake my head. Youth it’s dead ball, foul ball and the dreaded play ball. I try to talk to them but in one ear out the other. In youth my biggest pet peeve is putting the ball back in play. I explain to partner if it’s foul you gotta say play to make it live again otherwise on a pickoff coach will eat you alive. 

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6 hours ago, ArchAngel72 said:

So how many of you have been with partners that yell "Dead Ball"

Approximately all of us.

I think it's a softball mechanic, so guys who focus on that "sport" often carry it over. It's a symptom of poor/non-existent training. 

Given the umpire shortage, if any of us have not seen it, we should expect to do so (regardless of level, including college below D1).

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2 hours ago, ErichKeane said:

So as someone who didn't end up at any umpire-schools, what is the right thing to call in a dead-ball case like that?

In NFHS baseball, there are 3 Killing Words that make the ball Dead. In all other levels of baseball, there are 2 Killing Words that make the ball Dead:

  1. "Time"
  2. "Foul"
  3. "Balk" (although, the prior verbiage was to call "Time!" followed by "Balk! That's a Balk!"; since so many umpires do multiple levels of baseball, NFHS accepts that "Balk" kills a baseball in their ruleset)
19 minutes ago, maven said:

I think it's a softball mechanic, so guys who focus on that "sport" often carry it over. It's a symptom of poor/non-existent training. 

My personal irritant is those umpires who also officiate basketball (typically & specifically), and carry with them the phrase, "My Time! My Time!". Uhm, there is no possessive pronoun needed. "Time" will suffice. The reason they use "My Time" is because in basketball, the stoppage of the clock has to be attributed to someone or something (some action). Time Outs are charged, else any unattributed stoppage of the clock is on the officials, thus "My Time". 

Just call "Time", wipe the dust or gnat out of yer eye, and let's get back to baseball! 🙄

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1 hour ago, maven said:

Approximately all of us.

I think it's a softball mechanic, so guys who focus on that "sport" often carry it over. It's a symptom of poor/non-existent training. 

Given the umpire shortage, if any of us have not seen it, we should expect to do so (regardless of level, including college below D1).

I did say a CWS PU said "dead ball" a year ago.

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52 minutes ago, MadMax said:

In NFHS baseball, there are 3 Killing Words that make the ball Dead. In all other levels of baseball, there are 2 Killing Words that make the ball Dead:

 

  1. "Balk" (although, the prior verbiage was to call "Time!" followed by "Balk! That's a Balk!"; since so many umpires do multiple levels of baseball, NFHS accepts that "Balk" kills a baseball in their ruleset)

 

In any baseball code "Balk" makes the ball dead. It's just in OBR/NCAA what time it makes it dead is dependent.

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10 hours ago, MadMax said:

My personal irritant is those umpires who also officiate basketball (typically & specifically), and carry with them the phrase, "My Time! My Time!".

That's not a proper basketball mechanic, either. I've worked HS basketball for nearly 20 years now.

Unrelatedly: basketball is the ONLY HS sport in my state that has enough officials.

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35 minutes ago, Catch18 said:


Dang, that’s the 2nd sport I’ve thought about picking up.

1) You might not be in the same state as Maven

2) No one has "too many" officials; even if there are "enough" you will be able to work all you want.

Yes, you (and all) should pick up a second sport

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I guarantee you will see umpires in the LLWS yell "dead ball" for an HBP.  [Yeeeech!]

When I was as WR Academy, if you said "Dead Ball!"  sometimes some instructors would come out with a stretcher, put the ball on it, sing "Amazing Grace!" and then carry the ball to the graveyard!

Time!  Foul!  are the only two words used to signal that the ball is no longer in play.

And never say "Fair Ball!" on something like a nubber in front of the plate.  If you didn't say "Foul!" the defense has to know to play the ball.  If replay or help from your partner proves that the ball was foul, fine!  That's easy!  But only Angel Hernandez can un-foul a ball!  [Seen it twice!]

Mike

Las Vegas

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2 minutes ago, Vegas_Ump said:

I guarantee you will see umpires in the LLWS yell "dead ball" for an HBP.  [Yeeeech!]

When I was as WR Academy, if you said "Dead Ball!"  sometimes some instructors would come out with a stretcher, put the ball on it, sing "Amazing Grace!" and then carry the ball to the graveyard!

Time!  Foul!  are the only two words used to signal that the ball is no longer in play.

And never say "Fair Ball!" on something like a nubber in front of the plate.  If you didn't say "Foul!" the defense has to know to play the ball.  If replay or help from your partner proves that the ball was foul, fine!  That's easy!  But only Angel Hernandez can un-foul a ball!  [Seen it twice!]

Mike

Las Vegas

 

LL school in Bristol was where I learned the moment of silence for the "Dead Ball" thing

We were told over and over "TIME"  "FOUL"

never ever ever say "dead ball"

 

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1 hour ago, noumpere said:

2) No one has "too many" officials; even if there are "enough" you will be able to work all you want.

That's correct. You won't necessarily be able to work the level you want—especially starting out—but between rec ball and school, there's basketball pretty much year around.

Helpfully, boys and girls play the same rules (only the ball is different). So that's half again as many games (girls don't play as much off-season).

Watch out for AAU, especially in some states....

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12 hours ago, Jimurray said:

In any baseball code "Balk" makes the ball dead. It's just in OBR/NCAA what time it makes it dead is dependent.

You mean there's a delay before the ball becomes dead?:lol: (yes, I'm joking.)

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On 7/12/2022 at 6:00 PM, ErichKeane said:

Ok then, so "Time" seems to be the magic word? Good to know! I always yell "foul" 2-3x loudly (the last one is foul-ball), as that is what I've heard umpires use before.

I suspect I picked up dead ball the same way.

 

Thank you!

"Time" and "foul" are the only two words we should use that stop play.

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All of this is just my opinion ... roast me as you will.

"Play ball!" starts the game.  "Play" resumes play the rest of the time.

"Time" means I am temporarily authorizing the game to be stopped.  "Dead ball" means something occurred that requires play to be stopped.  Maybe that is the softball side of me, but I see a distinction.  Now, I have begrudgingly given up "Dead ball!" in baseball.  I still cannot bring myself to call "Time" on a hit-by-pitch, though.  It is simply arms up, jump out from behind the plate, yank my mask off, and point to first base.

I say "Dead ball!" and you laugh at me as you respect the ball's passing.  😁

You say "Time!" and I check my watch then tell you "Time of death is 4:37.  The ball is now dead."  😁

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43 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

I still cannot bring myself to call "Time" on a hit-by-pitch, though.

How come? It's a widely used and accepted mechanic taught nearly everywhere, as far as I can tell.

Why the aversion?

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“Time” on a HBP saves your ass in case of partner help or you quickly replay that pitch. “Dead ball” locks you in with a coach who’s now pissed that you determined his player got hit, but with further evaluation, is getting screwed and staying at the plate. Use things to get you out of trouble, not to get into it. Is it really that bad to not yell “dead ball?”

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17 hours ago, JonnyCat said:

How come? It's a widely used and accepted mechanic taught nearly everywhere, as far as I can tell.

Why the aversion?

I don’t know … The same reason I don’t like cottage cheese or people who wear ties with short-sleeves.  

 

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