plate mechanic

[Bainer]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

One final caveat - I'm talking ONLY verbals. I would never, ever, editorialize a ball with a hand motion. That looks ridiculous.

Few years back- tourney meeting. Getting some of the last-minute questions out of some of the new guys. One of the newest, youngest guys asks "is it okay to tell them where the ball is? like, ball, high, or outside?" Guys tell him "that's up to you, but don't use your hands to indicate it", crazy old grizzled ump adds "I'll tell you what, you can always do what I do- I call ball, and then let him know where it was by motioning my head in that direction"!
So we grabbed the kid and got him out of that conversation!
Incidently, to keep him from spreading that gem around, we threw the old guy a surprise retirement party the next season!


Bainer

[DG]

If a coach asks where it was after I call BALL I ignore him, or I might give him a look over. If a catcher asks I tell him. If he say's "was that outside?" I tell him yes since he already knows. If it barely missed I probably say so, for catcher reference. I will work with a catcher.

Any border pitch that the catcher snatches back to the zone is a BALL.

[briancurtin]

i only call 'ball' or 'strike'. if a pitcher misses inside a few times, or is hitting just below the knee, ill tell the catcher "thats a bit down" or "bring it in a bit" but i dont say it for the whole world to hear.