Safe Sign

[O.T.Hill]

When signaling "safe"...palms down or fists ?

[UmpJM]

"Open hands", palms facing down.

JM

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by O.T.Hill

When signaling "safe"...palms down or fists ?

I dont' think i've ever seen fists anywhere before while giving the safe sign...


palms down 100%

I have never seen in a mechanics definition where it said either way. Mostly, the arm motion is discussed.

Originally Posted by PWL

Dollars to donuts that is what they teach at pro clinics/schools. I don't think they would come up with it on their own.

I have been to a few clinics taught by ex-Evans instructors. Never have I heard "palms down".

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by rei

I have been to a few clinics taught by ex-Evans instructors. Never have I heard "palms down".

Perhaps the instructors took for granted that the class knew one of the most basic signals an umpire uses.


Tim.

[ozzy6900]

I've seen it done both ways in MiLB and MLB. But from NCAA and down, if you don't do it correctly (palms open and down), you are not going to get good marks from your observers.

Alas, if you are LL, it doesn't matter anyway!

[Rcichon]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

........

Alas, if you are LL, it doesn't matter anyway!

Huh? Since when?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Rcichon

Huh? Since when?

LL is pretty far down on Ozzy's list of favorite things.

[Durham]

OTH,

Many officials use one or the other and some use both. Contrary to what some will tell you as fact, I feel that it is a style thing and is for the most part not addressed by UIC’s, Crew Chiefs, Observers, Group Leaders, or Coordinators. The emphasis is and should be on did you get it right versus, were your hands open or closed.

I for one use both and did so many times last night. Personally, my subconscious automatically opens my palms on hard safe sells, and closes them on more routine calls, such as check swings, pickoffs, plays on the bases, and balls near DBT.

I have never had anyone tell me that they were marking me down for hand mechanics.

Furthermore, the schools do an excellent job of mass teaching, so they teach standing very tall with arms fully extended and palms open. It is almost military precision, but if you were to watch, I will be bold enough to say every instructor from every school, not one of them uses this type of safe call on a number of their plays. It is more stylistic, and I feel it should be.

[GoodwillRef]

I use fists, just like the way it looks I don't have a problem with either fists or palms down, just get the call right.

Originally Posted by PWL

More than likely you are right in what you have heard. Don't they demonstrate the technique with palms down and arms going as wide apart as possible as their emphasis?

The arms as wide apart as possible, yes. But never has anybody mentioned anything about the hands.

Truthfully, I have never noticed what people do. I have never heard it mentioned in an evaluation. Never read "palms down" in any mechanics book.

I don't think it really matters. People are looking for your arm motion!

[505 ump]

NFHS umpire manual 2007/2008- page 36 shows palms/hands open and facing down.
On page 35, note (17) says " palms parallel to the ground"

[SanDiegoSteve]

Like Durham, I use both palms down and closed fists, depending on the situation.

On bangers, I use a crisp, parallel signal with open hands facing down.

On pickoffs that are not close enough to sell, but are close enough to warrant a basic safe signal, I use a casual safe signal with closed fists. The same goes for routine checked swing calls, to convey to everyone that it really wasn't close to anything resembling a swing.

Originally Posted by 505 ump

NFHS umpire manual 2007/2008- page 36 shows palms/hands open and facing down.
On page 35, note (17) says " palms parallel to the ground"

So, that at least makes it official if you are using NFHS mechanics (Oregon does not).

Somebody must have the MLB umpire mechanics manual around eh?