Swinging 3rd Strike Call

mcrowder

left coast wrote
I have a hard time calling a strike (especially strike three) on a pitch that hits me in the shin guards and the catcher has to run to the backstop to get. That pitch should be called to reflect what it looks like.

You and PDX are either idiots (and from other things I read, I doubt this is the case), or are completely or deliberately misunderstanding the sitch posted that got you to respond.

The ball didn't go directly from pitcher, through the zone, to the shinguards. It hit the mitt first. A pitch could be a cockshot and for some reason the catcher flubs it and it hits your shin - you gonna call this a ball?

rookieblue

pdx,

You quote, with approbation, leftcoast:

I have a hard time calling a strike (especially strike three) on a pitch that hits me in the shin guards and the catcher has to run to the backstop to get. That pitch should be called to reflect what it looks like.

No quarrel there, but is there a distinction between making the "expected call" on a ball/strike, versus making the "expected call" on safe/out? It seems one may be permissible, while the other is a question of integrity.

I'm not attempting to be a wise-guy, although I may be doing a good job of it! I'm just learning my way, as the name and post count indicate.

Thanks, all, for a tremendous web site.

Bob James
Virginia

Grateful prayers for the repose of all those heroes who gave this nation the last full measure of devotion.

NIump50

rookieblue wrote
pdx,

You quote, with approbation, leftcoast:

No quarrel there, but is there a distinction between making the "expected call" on a ball/strike, versus making the "expected call" on safe/out? It seems one may be permissible, while the other is a question of integrity.

I'm not attempting to be a wise-guy, although I may be doing a good job of it! I'm just learning my way, as the name and post count indicate.

Thanks, all, for a tremendous web site.

Bob James
Virginia

Grateful prayers for the repose of all those heroes who gave this nation the last full measure of devotion.

Great catch Rook!!

LMan

left coast wrote
I have a hard time calling a strike (especially strike three) on a pitch that hits me in the shin guards and the catcher has to run to the backstop to get. That pitch should be called to reflect what it looks like.

Ummmm, interesting philosophy, but that's not the sitch here. It clearly says 'a 3d strike that is caught' 🙄 😀

SanDiegoSteve

mcrowder wrote
You and PDX are either idiots (and from other things I read, I doubt this is the case), or are completely or deliberately misunderstanding the sitch posted that got you to respond.

The ball didn't go directly from pitcher, through the zone, to the shinguards. It hit the mitt first. A pitch could be a cockshot and for some reason the catcher flubs it and it hits your shin - you gonna call this a ball?

I'm not going to call a cockshot a ball unless the catcher completely bails out and lets me catch it. But pitches that are on the extreme edges of the zone should be stuck by the catcher to get those calls. Their coaches will even tell them that that's why the umpire didn't call it a strike. "Catch that and it's a strike, meat!" or words to that effect are often heard from the dugout.

BigUmp56

I couldn't agree more. How the catcher handles those borderline pitches is a critical factor in helping me define my zone.

Tim.

BigUmp56

This thread's been up for the better part of the day and I've yet to hear anyone try to explain why we don't verbalize "out" on a routine swinging strike three.

Tim.

SanDiegoSteve

BigUmp56 wrote
This thread's been up for the better part of the day and I've yet to hear anyone try to explain why we don't verbalize "out" on a routine swinging strike three.

Well, what are you waiting for?:confused: I'm sure you're just dying to tell us!

bossman72

Yes Tim, please enlighten us.

I have a person i work with all the time that says "Strike 3 batter's out!" all the time and it annoys the heck out of me.

Lay the reasons down on us so i know what to tell him to stop him from doing it! haha

NIump50

SanDiegoSteve wrote
I'm not going to call a cockshot a ball unless the catcher completely bails out and lets me catch it. But pitches that are on the extreme edges of the zone should be stuck by the catcher to get those calls. Their coaches will even tell them that that's why the umpire didn't call it a strike. "Catch that and it's a strike, meat!" or words to that effect are often heard from the dugout.

If reds on black or top on bottom I prefer the catcher to stick it
but if it's inside of that it's a strike regardless of what the catcher does.

SanDiegoSteve

NIump50 wrote
If reds on black or top on bottom I prefer the catcher to stick it
but if it's inside of that it's a strike regardless of what the catcher does.

Agreed.

BigUmp56

bossman72 wrote
Yes Tim, please enlighten us.

I have a person i work with all the time that says "Strike 3 batter's out!" all the time and it annoys the heck out of me.

Lay the reasons down on us so i know what to tell him to stop him from doing it! haha

It's been ingrained into me that we don't verbalize the obvious. Think about it. He just went down swinging. He knows it, his teamates know it, the defense knows it, and if the fans are paying any kind of attention they know it too. I also feel there is an element of showing the player up when he goes down swinging.

This is like screaming "foul ball" when a ball is hit straight back over the backstop. It's kind of a pointless exercise.

Tim.

Carbide Keyman

BigUmp56 wrote
It's been ingrained into me that we don't verbalize the obvious. Think about it. He just went down swinging. He knows it, his teamates know it, the defense knows it, and if the fans are paying any kind of attention they know it too. I also feel there is an element of showing the player up when he goes down swinging.

This is like screaming "foul ball" when a ball is hit straight back over the backstop. It's kind of a pointless exercise.

Tim.

I have had several batters this season get back into the batter's box after what I consider an obvious "Strike Three". So, I have taken to quietly verbalizing "You're Out". I don't like it, but it has moved the batters along.

Doug

SanDiegoSteve

Yes, at the lower levels they sometimes think they get 4 strikes! The same thing happens to me. I usually look at them and say "that's 3, man!"

BigUmp56

Carbide Keyman wrote
I have had several batters this season get back into the batter's box after what I consider an obvious "Strike Three". So, I have taken to quietly verbalizing "You're Out". I don't like it, but it has moved the batters along.

Doug

Doug:

Do you do it only when they're trying to step back in after strike three? I think thats alright. What I'm talking about is loudly verbalizing "out" like you're ringing him up.

Tim.

Justme

SanDiegoSteve wrote
......... But pitches that are on the extreme edges of the zone should be stuck by the catcher to get those calls. Their coaches will even tell them that that's why the umpire didn't call it a strike. "Catch that and it's a strike, meat!" or words to that effect are often heard from the dugout.

That's right. I want to give you the strike, help me by doing a good job of catching the pitch.😃

bossman72

BigUmp56 wrote
It's been ingrained into me that we don't verbalize the obvious. Think about it. He just went down swinging. He knows it, his teamates know it, the defense knows it, and if the fans are paying any kind of attention they know it too. I also feel there is an element of showing the player up when he goes down swinging.

This is like screaming "foul ball" when a ball is hit straight back over the backstop. It's kind of a pointless exercise.

Tim.

Right. The guy i work with seems to think that there's a difference between "strike 3" (uncaught) and "strike 3 - batter's out" (caught). He does that to differentiate between the two.

I don't like it, but i don't know what to tell him to change it other than "it's not the proper mechanic."

LakeErieUmp

I don't verbalize "you're out" for the same reason I don't say "take your base" on ball four. There aren't all that many things a palyer is expected to know, but the number of strikes you get is certainly one of them. But then again, I don't go all acrobatic on a swinging strike three as I see too many times.

BigUmp56

LakeErieUmp wrote
I don't verbalize "you're out" for the same reason I don't say "take your base" on ball four. There aren't all that many things a palyer is expected to know, but the number of strikes you get is certainly one of them. But then again, I don't go all acrobatic on a swinging strike three as I see too many times.

I agree. Pulling the chain on a batter on a routine swing strike three smacks of pure Smittyism.

Tim.

nickrego

mcrowder wrote
You and PDX are either idiots (and from other things I read, I doubt this is the case), or are completely or deliberately misunderstanding the sitch posted that got you to respond.

The ball didn't go directly from pitcher, through the zone, to the shinguards. It hit the mitt first. A pitch could be a cockshot and for some reason the catcher flubs it and it hits your shin - you gonna call this a ball?

Either way, it's very difficult, for an experienced pitch caller, to call a ball on the ground a strike. Especially when the catcher had to reach for it. (Catcher set up outside, ball tails inside, per original post)

BALL

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