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The PBUC hasn't instructed umpires to refuse such request for checked swings, Warren.
Matter of fact, I've seen batters rung up at low level minor league games with umpires in the middle (B or C). That just tells me that you're way off base and you really don't know what the current thinking is over here. And you certainly aren't speaking for the umpire schools or the PBUC. Jim Evans pooh-poohed the secret signal nonsense at a clinic I attended -- he said the base umpire should call what he sees provided he's sure of a swing REGARDLESS of his location on the field.
The days when a top umpire feels slighted when his partner overturns a call of "BALL" upon appeal are mostly over. The only ones that seem to care about this these days are (1) Smittys, (2) Control freaks, and (3) Umpires that should've hung it up 10 years ago. Category three usually also involves a balloon protector and the mistaken belief that the plate umpire only covers the plate and the base umpire covers the rest.
Me? Thanks for getting me another strike. Now let's get on with the game.
But you know how I feel about that.
Rich
PS - I don't know how you can say that the PBUC has concluded the plate umpire has the better view. Wasn't there a study done where checked swings were looked at and 90% of the time the batter actually offered? If so, why isn't the plate umpire CALLING 90% of the check swings as strikes?
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