Started umping this year - LL with sons doing bases - great experience.
Anyway, I've noticed that all the ball/strike counters available in my area post strikes before or in front of balls. I, as a beginning PU find this a distraction at the least, and more than once I have announced 'strikes' before 'balls' when I've found myself referring to the clicker in left-to-right reading convention.
There's got to be a reason why all the ball/strike counters read 'backwards' but what is the reason? Thanx

I feel your pain.
 

peter,
I struggled with those locally available indiclickers, also.
Maybe there is a reason, and one of the esteemed members of this forum can give a reason for that setup.

To "counter"-act what I too consider a deficiency, I went to <u>Honigs Whistle Stop</u> and bought a few indicators by <b>+POS</b>. I fell in love with the 3 ball/2 strike/2 out clicker immediately, and they read down balls to strikes to outs.

I also gained larger numbers and wheels.

What I lost was the inning number. But there is usually a scorebook around somewhere. :)
mick

http://www.honigs.com/

Re: I feel your pain.
 

I agree with mick, the +POS indicator is great, the
little ones with the innings are hard to read when you
get over 60. :D As far as need the innings most of the
games I have done are on time limits and rarely go 7
innings.

Re: I feel your pain.
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mick

Quote:

Originally posted by peter_s_n peter, I struggled with those locally available indiclickers, also. Maybe there is a reason, and one of the esteemed members of this forum can give a reason for that setup.

I'm not all that esteemed, but I'll give you my theory.

When you show the count to the pitcher, you do it with your palms forward. When you hold the indicator correctly in your left hand, and show the count, the strikes are properly on the right side and the balls are properly on the left.

I use the indicator that you guys say you dislike. I've used that style for twenty years. I have one that I've been using for 15 years straight. The numbers are worn off, but that doesn't matter to me.

A local guru showed me a trick. I believe Jack Clark is credited with being the first to introduce the following trick on the Internet.

I have cut grooves in the wheels at all the zeroes. That way, I can feel the indicator to reset it. I never look at it. The grooves are wide enough so that I can still feel them after one click and before they disappear into the body of the indicator. So, essentially, I can feel when there are no strikes, one strike, no balls, and one ball. From there, the rest is easy. You can take it a step further and use a file to smooth the grooves for ball two. I don't find that necessary.

The only reason I look at my indicator now is for the inning. That only needs to be done seldomly between half-innings.

Save your dough on that new braille indicator. Just make your own.

I have the same indicator and have had no problems. I get a lot of grief for using one that has ball 4 and strike 3 but I don't care. It works for me so I'm keeping it.

Yeah you are.
 

Jim,
Yes you are esteemed. I, for one, "esteem" you. ;)
Thanks for the info and the filing tip.
Interesting as usual.
Now, what the heck do you need the innnings for when you have an "official scorekeeper" at every game?
mick

Re: Yeah you are.
 

mick,

I am far more proficient at my job when I always know exactly how many outs I have left before I get to swill some brew.

Re: Re: Yeah you are.
 

Jim,
If I look at the innings, sometimes it is like watching the minute hand in the third grade. It just never moves <i>(yawn!) </i>
mick

I've also switched to the +POS indicator but don't throw that old indicator away. I keep the old one in my pants pocket for 2 reasons.
1 - as a backup
2 - To keep track of the innings. I use the inning portion
of the indicator to still keep track of the innings. I put it in my left pocket for top half of an inning, right pocket for the bottom. Depending on the model, you can also use it for other things such as trips to the mound, runs scored that inning, etc..

I did little league 9-10 Sat. nite that your
counter would have had the devil of a time
keeping up with 31-26. 4hrs-12minues, Sunday
morning almost got us. Now I remember why I
stopped doing 9-10 little league.

Now....
 

whiskers_ump
Dr.C only counts an inning at a time.
But you noticed that....:)
mick

---------------------

They read backwards simply because they are made in China. I couldn't resist. G.

Re: Now....
 

..............................
mick,
I was refering to his using it to count runs. The
wheel on that counter would have been free spinning>:)

Papasmurff - you needed a calculator for that game. I didn't say my method was foolproof! It works most of the time. I guess you could have used the strikes for the tens digits in runs and the balls for the right digit in runs. I like to have seen the scorebook for that game. They probably needed 2 pages. You gotta love/have TIME LIMITS !!!

Thankyou all for your responses - I've ordered the Honigs "+POS"

By the way.....
31 to 26 ??
It's a shame they didn't score that last touchdown. :-)