[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

It is completely unnecessary and amateurish. I can live with the out call on the bases when the out is obvious because the defense has executed a play, a runner is advancing to a base, you do have issues such as a pulled foot or bobble, etc. But to signal every foul ball that is up in the bleachers is an absolute joke.

It is not a joke if that is what the umpire is directed to do. Unless you are the UIC, you have no standing to direct the umpire to do otherwise regardless of personal feelings.

Umpires use mechanics and signals to communicate to each other, the team members and others who are watching. When grandma sitting in the bleachers at Yankee stadium 350 feet from home plate can tell when Jeter slices one foul, how is it at all appropriate to raise your arms to signal a ripped foul ball straight back to the backstop? Sticking with WHY we have mechanics and signals, what justification is there for signaling here?

Now, comparing this to the MLB is a joke.

Instead of raising your hands, why not reach to the ball bag and get the catcher another ball (assuming it went out of play).
Additionally, if you are going to use a signal, it ought to be done correctly. If you are going to half-ass it because even you have determined it isn't really important, then don't do it at all.

I agree 100%. And so did my instructors and UICs in ASA and ISF who understood the differences in the vocation. It was often mentioned by a few that the ASA shouldn't have an advanced school for umpires, but a school for advanced umpires. Problem there is how can you become an advanced umpire without learning and executing the basic? Today's staff is hooked on black and white and/or the DVDs as the bible even though some of it is wrong. I've run into some NUS guys who hadn't been on the field for years and would rather have the umpire follow the given mechanics with no allowance for exceptions regardless of whether it makes or breaks the umpire's ability to catch the play and that just isn't good.

It has been years since ASA changed their training count and hammer mechanic. In the schools and clinics I held, I continued to teach the old method of reaching high and then dropping to a hammer. The reason was you need to know the path before you can arrive at the destination. Of those from the areas which went directly to the hammer, I was seeing guys and gals throwing that right arm out and up and down, even using the thumb to call people out. Reason I got was simply because they were told what the hammer appeared to be, but was never shown how to get there.

If I have 30 out of the park foul balls in a college game and I raise my hands every time, delaying the time it takes to get the ball to the catcher by 5 seconds, I've add 2 1/2 worthless minutes onto the game. I've likely also irritated the catcher who has her hand out waiting. That's poor game management.

Then maybe you shouldn't pose when doing so. I doesn't take that long and you speak as if every other person on the field was frozen in their place, including runners and just waiting on you. In fact, any runners, often including the batter, are not on the base need to return and reset. Same with any fielder which was leaning and/or walking on the swing.

I agree that an umpire doesn't need to throw up his/her arms and make a loud call on the obvious foul ball. However, more often than not, I've had to get the catcher's attention to give him/her a ball to put into play. And depending on the game, I wouldn't be two quick to consider a ball appearing to be out of play too quickly. At some of the higher level SP games, I've seen a batted ball soar over the stands at 3B only to come back and clear a 325' fence in fair territory.