I agree with you. (Except that I'd say more than half of the foul balls don't leave the field, so we don't need to bring that new ball into play!) I don't call most fouls foul - most of them call themselves. Screamer over the bag, or an outfield pop that lands JUST foul, or perhaps a dribbler that stops very close to the line in foul ground - I'll call those foul. Most of the rest call themselves foul - everyone knows already.

I know MLB is a totally different animal, but they have UNRUNG the bell on fair/foul. It was a couple of years ago, ball hit down the first base line, runner on second, ball was ruled foul by first base ump. Manager came out to argue, the crew got together, changed it to a fair ball, awarded the batter second base and scored the run.

I posted about this play when it happened and no one really seemed to care or comment on it.

I'll put a new one in play while the on deck hitter chases the fouled off ball. And if it hits fence or something similar, I'm checking it before it goes back into play.

If memory serves, this was equivalent to the homerun exception mentioned above, as the ball bounced near the line, and then into DBT along the foulline.

On straight foul "tips", as in balls back to the screen, not actual foul tips, I do nothing but get a ball to the pitcher.

On little squibbers and stuff, its just my right hand that comes up pretty close to my body, and my other hand holding the mask by my waste. Thats for obvious fouls. I also say foul rather softly.

For the real close ones, well, Ace can tell you what I do for those (one time I waved it off like a basketball ref at a shot at the buzzer). But those its just either a huge point towards fair, or both hands up, a SCREAM of FOUL! Then, a point towards Foul, sometimes with both arms swiping across the body.

I don't make a show of it unless I have to, in otherwards.