Quote:
Originally posted by JEL
I watched a college game recently where the PU did something I didn't understand, and had not seen before. After sweeping off the plate, he would smooth the area directly in front of the plate. I wanted to ask him why he did so, but the answer struck me later on. I used this technique in a tourney this past weekend, and called a batter out for contact out of the box. No arguement from the coach, (he said she had done it before), but the batter was also the catcher. As she returned to the defense I asked her if she understood to which she replied she couldn't have been out of the box (she was thinking front of box). I had a footprint to show her, one and only print directly in front of the plate! This is a neat little trick.
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I do this "smoothing" of the area in front of the plate whenever I have a team that does a lot of slap bunts or when I feel like maybe the team is getting an advantage.
I actually learned it at the old Evan's Umpire School for small ball years ago.
Sometimes just the act of smoothing the ground in front of the plate will serve as enough of a warning that I am watchng.
Another advantage is that if you smooth the ground to where the lines should be (I also smooth out the ground in front of the batters box) batters don't tend to try to start out illegally and frankly, coaches don't whine when you do call the out.
You don't need to use it all the time, just pay attention to how the teams work. I have gone for many games with no need for it and other times, you need to do it constantly.