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I never liked the safe sign mechanic for an uncaught third strike because some of those are checked swings. Not only is there a question as to whether the ball was caught or not - there is some question as to whether the batter swung or not. There can sometimes actually be two issues that are simultaneously unclear.
I think some may interpret the safe sign to mean "the batter didn't go".
After all, what's the signal a base umpire gives on an appealed checked swing if, in his opinion, the batter did not swing? The safe sign!
I actually like the extended arm mechanic. It looks like a strike call (which a safe sign does not) and the fact that the umpire maintains that signal is a strong indicator that something is pending.
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