Quote:
Originally posted by Kaliix
So Tony, you call the rules like FED wants them. All the rules, right.
So tell me, and be completely honest, you call a pitch six inches above the belt a strike? Even if only a little tiny bottom portion of the ball were to pass through an imaginary line that is half way between the shoulders and the waistline, you call that a strike right? Because FED is just ever so happy to change any rules it sees fit and their definition of the strike zone says half way between the shoulders and the waistline?
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C'mon, you know the size of the strike zone isn't relevant. Throughout this thread, most posters have made it clear the rules they are discussing that must be enforced are those
peculiar to FED.
For example, if you don't think the time of the pitch in your NFHS game should occur when a pitcher intentionally on the pitcher's plate moves both hands, that's your right.
But you shouldn't call FED ball. Knowing that proprietary rule and announcing you won't call it is dishonest, isn't it? What do you say when the other coach arrives in your face and asks: "Isn't that balk?"
Quote:
Originally posted by Bob Lyle
Till then, my well being is more important than the rules, and my interests are best served by having the pitcher and catcher communicating. Why call a balk when a simple warning will do and frankly, I rarely see a hand wave in FED ball.
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You may "rarely see a hand wave in FED ball" because other umpires in your area are enforcing the rules. Others from different parts of the country have had different experiences.
Like you, several posters have mentioned giving a warning for the hand wave. That's no big deal, depending on when the warning is given.
But the disturbing comment is: "My well being is more important than the rules." I trust that's simply hyperbole. I'm certain your association wouldn't want you officiating games where
your safety was the paramount issue.
How strict are you about batters unintentionally throwing the bat? We all know that's an official team warning. But the umpire must judge whether the trajectory of the bat warrants the definition of "throw." I take it from your insistence that your well-being comes first means that a batter gets penalized
whenever the bats leaves his hand other than in a straight drop.