I would guess we have our own idiosynctasies
regarding a called strike 3 on a batter. My comment here lies with divisions of baseball and would like to know your thoughts to make me a better umpire.
To use Papa C's phrase - 1st for kids that do not shave
Here I simply say strike 3 - no emphatic gestures. I watched the LL World Series and what really got me was the way the PU would pump out (emphatically) a 12 yr. old kid on a called strike 3.
While I realize that our calls (for kids that do not shave) need to be signalled and verbalized IMO there is a limit.
The pressure is really on these kids and pumping them out emphatically to me serves no purpose. The kid feels bad enough and now we have the PU pulling the chain or something similiar indicating a called 3rd strike.
Now kids that do shave - That's a "horse of a different color" This is where I use the emphatic pulling of the chain etc. on a called 3rd strike. To me the kids in the older divisions appreciate this more as in most instances the called 3rd strike is on a real good pitch that hits the corner or a great hook that freezes the batter.
So gentlemen I would like to hear from you concerning the mechanics of a called third strike as it relates to both kids that do not shave and those that do.
As always Thanks
Pete Booth
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