Quote:
Originally posted by LDUB
It is somewhere under rule 9 that the PU can only ask for help on a pitch which is called a ball. If you try change the pitch from ball to strike, you very well may end up with a protest.
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You are confused. The rule says that the PU MUST go to his partner when asked about a checked swing ball call. The question of a strike call gets a little more complicated.
In the brand new world of "get it right" umpiring, any umpire can go to any partner about any call. The only difference in this case is that the PU has the final say in the matter. In a check swing ball call, rule 9 specifically delegates final authority to the base umpire.
Let's say that some crazy PU comes to me about a check swing strike call. If I am sure that he did not go, I am going to give him what I have got. However, I will do it in a private conference and not from long distance where everyone can see. If the PU then wants to change the call to a ball, the other team can protest but a good protest committee will uphold the plate umpire's final JUDGEMENT decision.
Peter