Quote:
Originally posted by Dakota
I called a few games last year with Billy P., and when he was on the bases, he used the mechanic. He said it was being experimented with by ASA and he expected it to be adopted as the standard mechanic. This was fast pitch.
However, it was not taught in our ASA state school this year. I didn't attend an ASA national school, so I don't know what was taught there.
At his suggestion, I tried it the first couple of innings when I was on the bases. I haven't used it since, but I attribute that more to me doing what I was accustomed to doing rather than any real issue with the mechanic. I does make IP more difficult, but OTOH, it puts the umpire in position for the most common call, and removes the problem of having to make the call at 1st from foul territory in certain circumstances.
What amazes me is the cabal of coaches on eteamz (you know who they are) who immediately described this as some kind of consipracy to give umpires another excuse to ignore infractions.
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I've worked for Billy P and he has a load of "experimental" mechanics in his hip pocket. And he let us have them 4 hours before the Men's Major SP NC a couple of years ago. Talking about screwing up a crews' cohesion!
Unless they want to do away with the calling of IP in FP, the umpire has to stay at 1B when possible. Watching the pitcher from the B is a completely different angle and much harder to see some of the stupid little things.