plate mechanic

[SanDiegoSteve]

I've used those as well, but this guy was just pissing me off big time, and the game really sucked, and I was not a happy camper when he started lying to his coach. I am surprised the pitcher got any strikes, because the catcher pulled everything, even corners that I gave him. He thought I was some rube who was buying his little act, and I just got a bit frustrated with his antics. I think the problem was that his coach thought the pitches were where he was holding the ball, like he couldn't see him pulling them.

This is notoriously our worst league, and is pure ghetto ball all the way. Dirt infield, holes for each batter, the catcher, and the umpire, and only given two baseballs to last the whole game, by order of the league president. They are ruined after about 3 innings.

More venting, I digress.

[TussAgee11]

Sometimes on the close outside pitch or inside pitch, I have the habit of calling ball and moving my head left or right, so everyone knows, if they are paying close enough attention, where I thought it was (as opposed to high or low). Lots of MLB umps do this.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Sometimes on the close outside pitch or inside pitch, I have the habit of calling ball and moving my head left or right, so everyone knows, if they are paying close enough attention, where I thought it was (as opposed to high or low). Lots of MLB umps do this.

Contrary to what Bainer posted about ol' Smitty, ol' Smitty was right. There is nothing wrong with this, and you are right, many MLB umpires, as well as MiLB, D-1, 2, 3, JUCO, HS, and Adult Baseball umpires do as well, at least in this country. They only do it on in and out, not up and down. The rats can see up and down from their cages.

It is by far preferable to announcing verbally where a pitch is. It should not be an exaggerated thing, just a slight movement, well after (about a 2 count) you have called "Ball." If you do it too soon, it looks as if you tracked the pitch with your head instead of your eyes.

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

many...D-1, 2, 3, JUCO, HS, and Adult Baseball umpires do as well, at least in this country.

I think you are mistaken about this as it relates to your geography. I have only seen one umpire working at any of those levels engage in this practice and that was Saturday night (American Legion). In fact I didn't understand what he was doing until I read this thread.

So the point is this, the country is a big place and I know of no college umpires who engage in this practice. In fact, I have never heard or seen it taught.

(Caveat, I do not work JUCO or Adult Baseball. Generally the pool of umpires is the same, however.)