[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Carbide Keyman

I believe that some of our veteran members of my association do not subscribe to the belief that you should call out "Strike three" or "Ball four". The argument is made that you don't call "Strike one" etc., etc. and that the players should know what the count is.

I have seen two major league game in person this past week and watched several on television, and to a man the umpires have vocalized "Strike three" and "Ball four". I also was at a AA game and the PU also vocalized "Strike three" and "Ball four".

I would like some feedback from the more experienced members as to their take on this.


IMO it's simply a matter of umpire preference and is not really a big issue in clinics.

The more important aspect of calling balls/strikes is not so much in how one verbalizes but in the accuracy. Timing is the issue not so much how one calls the pitch.

An umpire calls the pitch in accordance with timing. If calling the pitches number by number gives an umpire better timing then so be it.

The ONE POINT that is stressed is not to verbalize a swinging strike 3 where everyone in the park knows what happened.

Pete Booth