Quote:
Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu
But as a previous post asked, what if a runner steps off a base or the pitcher does something in that time between the foul ball and the batter being set in the box. If you've not signaled, can you call a violation. Or maybe worse, ignore one?
Ted
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Easy to address, actually. If you plan to be "that umpire" certainly you can call a violation; "that umpire" wants that attention. Even if he hasn't signalled the ball back into play.
Now, if you HAVE signaled it into play, you really can't justify ignoring a violation, even if you consider it ticky-tack. Maybe the runner is smoothing a rut in the dirt, or the pitcher is adjusting her glove; but now you have to call the violation.
If you want to ignore something that has no real significance, and you haven't pointed/signaled/declared, you can; and justify it that you didn't put it back in play yet. Better yet, you can now choose to point it in, AFTER you ignored the ticky-tack, and are fully supported, and showing everyone that NOW the ball is live, it wasn't earlier.
It has been suggested to me (not really gigged, just a topic of conversation in a high level NCAA conversation; KJ, you know of what I am speaking) that all that pointing simply looks like we are micromanaging something that is self-managed without any need for our intrusion. Do we need the added attention? Has anyone had a batter, catcher, or pitcher waiting for you
to "make the ball live"? Can't it be live when you want it to be, and still dead when you prefer (if someone is gaining an unintended advantage)?
Conversely, I have had batters, catchers, and pitchers stop and look at umpires that point and say "play", because they are wondering what the umpire is doing or saying.