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When I was younger, I explained why I didn't call the pitch a strike and let coaches question from the dugout. I started working with guys that nipped it early and put a hand up to stop coaches from even coming on the field. I saw that those guys kept the game rolling and actually were respected more BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EXPLAIN EVERY CALL. If you let explain one close pitch, the flood gates will open and the rain delay begins.
My comment was simple and straightforward. The coaches that see me know better than to chirp. They know that if I called it a ball, it wasn't in the strike zone. I don't say, "It just missed." I may tell the catcher that he's not going to get those pitches, so he needs to adjust. That usually settles it.
JJ, I know that you don't explain your calls. When you were UIC for the AA series a few years ago, you didn't tell your crew to do this. It only leads to trouble. I don't consider what I said to be baiting. If a coach is seeing me for the first time, he'll usually gain some insight at the pre-game and will settle down after the first inning. If he doesn't, there is a remedy. If one of you feels the need to clarify your calls, that is not showing certainty, it is showing subserviance. It is not a matter of being omnipotent, it is about doing your job. We don't say, "Safe! He slid under the tag.", so why should you justify your plate work? But then again, I see guys that wear white socks and gym shoes on some fields.
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