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1. The catcher pulls pitches into the strike zone rather than framing. If you say hold the pitch where its caught and trust me. If you pull it you must think its a ball and thats what I will call.
2. The pitcher is either consistently high or low. If you say to the catcher (only you and the catcher know what was said) give him a higher or lower target in hopes of getting more strikes?
3. If the catcher sets up to deep and you tell him to get closer to the plate.
4. The pitcher for example is pushing the envelope in coming to a stop. Not balking. You tell the catcher (again only you and he are heard) tell your pitcher to come to a stop.
5.When does preventive officiating become coaching?
1. Nope, just keep calling pulled pitches balls. Either the catcher learns or he doesn't. On the field, I'm an umpire, not a teacher.
2. Nope, that's coaching. If the catcher asks me, "was that high?", of course I will give him an answer. But it's up to him to ask the question, not for me to volunteer an answer.
3. No, again, not my job. But if I am getting forced out of position (in which case he must be REAL deep), the next time he gets up for any reason, I move forward and don't move when he comes back.
4. If I am working a youth league, say 13 year olds, where the kids are just learning the set position, I MIGHT say something. Anything beyond 13 year olds, and again, either it's a balk or it's not. Call it or leave it alone.
5. I'm not sure what you mean by preventive officiating. You may think these things are preventive officiating, I think the cross the border to coaching. But you may have other examples that are not.
These things pertain to the level of ball I normally call (16 yr olds and up). As I said, if I am doing 13 year olds just learning the set position, or if it is a very relaxed, recreational teaching league (i.e., some Fall Ball leagues), then the situation is different, in that case I AM part teacher.
But if they are playing "for real", with standings and scores and all of the other trappings of competition, then my job is to officiate, not coach.
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