Can You Imagine?

[834k3r]

[Richvee]

Don't let Manfred see this. 

[stevis]

I might as well keep it secret half the time. I'll give a 2-1 count, call a strike, and the coach will ask me what the count is.  "Sir, I am impressed you got this far in life without being able to count by ones."

[SeeingEyeDog]

I have lost count...(what I did, did you see it?) of the number of times, the batter has stepped out of the box, resets himself, gets in the box, I give the count, put the ball in play and...the batter then asks for the count. Mrs. Dawg and the pups are always telling me I need to get better about "leaving my umpire voice AT the ballpark". I'm loud. It's not that he didn't hear me.

~Dawg

[beerguy55]

I love it - you won't have anybody wasting a pitch at 0-2...'cause it' might be 2-0.

[Velho]

It would liven up the at home watching experience. Like poker when you see the hole cards.

[orangebird]

[ArchAngel72]

But but but, What would the people running the scoreboard do?

 

Take wild guesses at what the pitch was?

 

a "?"  under the ball area.  another under the strike area..

 

ugh just NO.

 

although I gotta admit it would knock all those "lookbacks" and sneers and etc until the at bat was over at least.

 

[Velho]

The more I think about this, from an on field and tv viewing perspective (where you would know the count), the more I like it. 99.9% of in stadium fans, they'd have a hard time with it.

[MadMax]

On 2/27/2025 at 11:55 AM, Velho said:

99.9% of in stadium fans, they'd have a hard time with it.

C’mon… most stadium fans of today aren’t really clued in on a pitch-by-pitch basis. Their attention is too wrapped up in checking Instagram, or Snapchat, or sportsbetting, or any number of other things until <whack>, they hear the sound of bat-on-ball. Then they have to figure out what’s going on, then they react. 

Why are there now 25-ft high nets around the playing field? 

You could conduct a random snap-survey of 10(?… 20?… 50?) individuals at a ballgame, after an extra-base hit in an inning prior to the 9th, what the count was on that hit… and you might get maybe 30% correct. 

On 2/26/2025 at 1:24 PM, stevis said:

I might as well keep it secret half the time

One of my colleagues was out working a ST session like we typically do – working solo, on plate, and just call Bs&Ks, F/F, Catch/NoCatch. Don’t worry about plays on the bases, and you don’t even have to move very much. 
And… in this particular session… do not give the count, even if a player asks. 

Even if you arrive at 4 balls or 3 strikes, the coaching staff behind the backstop just a few feet away (this was one of the back fields) will determine whether or not the batter is out or walked. 
Why this exercise? 
It was to force hitters to look for “their (hittable) pitch”, instead of “working the count”. So what if it’s 3-0 (supposedly)? If that’s a pumpkin 🎃 right in your wheelhouse, jump on it! 

Suffice it to say, it was a surreal experience for my colleague. I’d love to have many of my newer umpire colleagues get to do a session like this, where you can really hone-yer-zone skills. No having to look for balks, no having to interact with base coaches (or having to hold up or usher hitters because they’re “getting a sign!” from a base coach), and no having to diddle with your indicator! 

[Richvee]

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

No having to look for balks, no having to interact with base coaches (or having to hold up or usher hitters because they’re “getting a sign!” from a base coach), and no having to diddle with your indicator! 

We call this cage work. Sometimes cage work with live batting. Probably more popular up here where where we're happy when early season temps break 45 degrees

[The Man in Blue]

On 2/26/2025 at 10:31 AM, Richvee said:

Don't let Manfred see this. 

 

Sounds like another opportunity to expand the role of gambling in the game.

[Richvee]

58 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

Sounds like another opportunity to expand the role of gambling in the game.

Stop!! He may be watching. (Half kidding. If it adds revenue, he’ll consider it)

[BLWizzRanger]

What a revenue grab!!! Pete and Shoeless Joe would be turning over in their graves for the opportunities to bet on another team!

Announcer: Here's the pitch! Lets see what the odds are:

Inside 2-1
Outside 3-2
below knee 3-1
at knee 5-6
below belt 4-1
Check strike: 5-1
Check ball: 1.5 - 1

And the pitch is: