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Originally Posted by GarthB
While working on a story for the paid portion of this site (don't worry, I don't try to recruit new subscribers...I doubt any of you would find anything I have to say to be of any interest), I was speaking with some people at the proschools. They described a new "approved" mechanic for 6.02 (a)(c) that is being taught this year that would seem to indicate a rule change.
For starters, there is no "directed" pitch. There is now an "automatic strike" and the mechanic is:
The batter is given two verbal warnings to take his place in the box. If he still refuses, PU then calls "TIME". With his right hand he first points to the appropriate batter's box (not the batter) and announces "That's a strike". He then signals with his usual strike mechanic and announces the new count.
If the automatic strike was strike three, he simply says, "That's strike three." He does not use a strike three mechanic. (Since the batter is already pissed at this point, no sense in rubbing it in.)
Interesting.
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Garth, as with most rule changes the Players Union will get involved.
About 10 yrs. ago or so, the Umpires were instructed to call balks in line with the rules, not the way things were. During that time, there were more balks called in 1/2 of the season compared to all of the preceding year.
After the All Star break things went back to "normal" which tells me that the Players Union got involved.
In a nutshell, baseball can change any of it's rules but ultimately, the Players Union will have the final say.
You really think that an umpire in the World Series will call Derek Jeter out on strike three if he fails to show up in the batter's box in accordance with the rules.
Pete Booth