I just want to share with you some new mechanics I learned watching the daughter play some slow pitch the other day.
Right arm, palm perpendicular to the ground, making an up and down motion like rubbing something. This means pitch outside, and you must say, "outside." (On a left handed batter, it means pitch inside, and you must say "inside.")
Same motion with the left arm means pitch inside, and you must verbalize "inside." (Just the opposite with left handed batter.)
These next two signals mean essentially the same thing, and can be interchanged. Give a safe sign, and then raise it (sort of like a bird trying to take flight, very slowly) and call "high", for a pitch that is out of the strike zone on the high side. Or, you can run your fingers across your throat, (sort of like a knife weilding murderer cutting your throat) and it means the same thing.
For a pitch that is low, hack your hand into your knee and say "too low."
If the pitch hits the plate, I know you all expect to see the double fist pump. No, not this one. Left hand open, palm up, bring your right closed fist into this, and verbalize "plate."
Also, before game and in between innings, do not use the prescribed mechanics, but rather talk with players and spectators as much as possible. He was so busy talking that a scheduled 6:30 start didn't actually begin until 6:43, and only then when the coaches said something to him. (The coach for "our" team said "we gonna play ball tonight?")
So, now all of you can say you know the latest in slow pitch mechanics. You can thank me later.
