STDs
I listed 9 points when an UMPIRE should raise his right hand and POINT. You don't use any of these signals to call a strike. There is a signal and mechanic to properly communicate a strike. If you confuse any of these signals for a strike call, which may or may not require finger pointing, then people in TEXAS and MOST of BASEBALL will laugh at you, instead.
The "Take Your Base Award Batter" is actually a Base on Balls AWARD that is not communicated to the batter. The catcher and batter should hear the original BALL call. The Base on Balls AWARD is communicated to the scorekeeper who may not hear the umpire's Ball 4 call because he is sitting in the cooler press box AC. I suppose he can see the batter THROW the bat and run to first, but an umpire's signal makes it OFFICIAL.
I guess some umpires just don't signal at all. Their union boss probably okayed it after complaints to allow them to remove their thin polo shirts from under the plate coat on a hot night, but that is another story. SO now there is one less signal to raise their right hand for. Some have already swtiched to the left hand toward the 1B umpire just to check to see if the batter committed a check-swing. I think its entirely okay for the ambidextrous veteran, but its a little too much to ask from us right-handed NEWBIE types. Just get a clue coach, what more do you want our union officials to cave into?
STANDARD baseball terminology and definitions are easily transmitted through proper signals and mechanics. Believe me, NO ONE will be confused about the pointing unless they saw you make some unrecognizable strike call. The UMPIRES on this board know to expect anything from a NEWBIE. It is there purpose in life to correct you, to improve your mechanics and to avoid any further confusion. Check that again, CREATE CONFUSION for entertainment purposes only.
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