[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Patrick Szalapski


P-Sz: I've always had the opposite attitude
CC: ...if you don't SEE the ball fair, it is [foul].
Mick: [Your thought] sounds right, P-Sz.
Bfair: For me, when close to the line it is foul until proven to me to be fair.

Patrick, when I'm not sure, here's what I do.

1. See if my partner can give me any help at all. I realize that in certain situations my partner can't help me, but if he can I look at him first. If I'm working with a familar partner hand signals come in very handy.

2. See if the reaction of the player gives it away. You see this more in youth levels. For kids that shave, they are taught not to give anything away although sometimes they do.

On the check swing, (assuming my partner can't help me), I quickly look at the players expression and if his expression reads something like "why in the heck did I go after that" we got a strike. If there's no evidence of this and my partner can't help me then the batter gets the benefit of the doubt.

I believe someone can't remember who mentioned that baseball "all in all" favors offense. If that is the case, then the benefit of doubt should lie with the offense and therefore, rule accordingly.

Hey it's like flipping a coin, we have a 50% chance of getting it right. Also, if we are not sure we have to sell it

I think the important issue is working on mechancis so that we do not get ourselves into the inevitable position of having to guess. It does happen, but if we work hard at our craft, this should be at a minimum.

Pete Booth