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Well, it has been my experience that if the ball gets away from the catcher on a third strike, it is usually a swinging third strike. I don't believe you are to verbalize on a swinging third strike. If the ball does get away, I'm not going to be standing there giving a strike three call. My mask is comming off and I am getting out of the way. That should be indication enough for the batter to start running. The only time I would verbalize a batter is out is if he/she took off running when they shouldn't be. I don't verbalize any call, out or safe, unless it is a bang bang play that needs to be sold. If it is an obvious out or safe just make the sign and keep quiet. MHO.
If it is just a plain dropped third strike, well, it's not the umpires job to tell tell a batter if they should or should not run. The batter should be responsible for picking up the ball after their swing.
[Edited by gsf23 on Nov 15th, 2002 at 08:23 AM]
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