Potato potAHto. That's all this thread is.

Personally, I never say ball 4 or strike 3 (unless the 3 is a looking, or its in the dirt, I say Strike 3 for no catch purposes, but let's not start that thread here).

Me thinks you didn't hear the full explanation in the cages.

It's along the lines of "This is what we want you to do here...you won't do this when you leave."

It is all part of the Academy thing...having every student work exactly the same way so they can be judged against a standard and so individualized mechanics aren't taken in the mix.

Yes, but some umpires really took their training to heart, and still do it to this very day in professional baseball, and back home in their local associations. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it in real life, as well as in school.

I think b!tc*ing about those who say or don't say Ball 4 is like looking for mucous hanging off someone's nose.

Methinks you didn't read my entire post (why are we talking like this?:p ).

I addressed a poster who seemed serious about never announcing "ball 4," back when this thread had a serious strand in it.

One reason I don't call pitches with "Academy mechanics" is just as you say.

They also don't allow "the point" for calling strikes, or even "the chainsaw" for called strike 3. I was certainly aware that this uniformity was for the sake of focusing on what's truly important and challenging about calling pitches: tracking the pitch all the way to the glove, making the call, and ONLY THEN signalling or verbalizing it.

But then, I'm a student of the finer points of pedagogy, and Evans is, as you know, an excellent teacher as well as trainer.

I am more conviced now than ever that I will verbalize ball four. Some people in the post read a litte/lot into situations. How does the verbalizing ball four make me a bottom of the food chain umpire...it doesn't!

It's better if you point at the pitcher and yell, "YOU LOST HIM!" before motioning the batter to 1B.

Don't forget to yell "TIME!!" first!

No, no, no. "DEAD BALL!!!" :D

Well, as you'll see this coming season, I also announce "BALL 4." It's why I am also at the bottom of the food chain :)

I say BALL only.