D3K Mechanic

[Forest Ump]

Looks like this board needs a mechanic question asked as I have seen alot of non umpire stuff on here lately. So here it is:

I was at the A's / Angels game on Saturday and observed the PU do the following mechanic on a D3K. He cleared the catcher by going right on to the foul side and maybe 7 steps up the line all while giving a constant safe sign. It looked very professional to me the way he executed it. I couldn’t tell if he had received a signal from the other umpire as to weather the ball was caught or in the dirt. He was however 100% confident it was in the dirt which was evident from his mechanic.

So I ask, Is this the mechanic being taught today?

[TussAgee11]

I do exactly this while verbalizing no catch. If the catcher comes up and quickly tags the runner I don't even have to do this because by the time I've started it, the batter/runner is already out, so I just hammer.

Its a good mechanic IMO, but I'm not sure if the pro schools are teaching it. There really should be no problem with just your swinging strike mechanic while verbalizing "no catch", but with today's moronic crybaby youngsters and parents, it will be our fault no matter what we do.

[SanDiegoSteve]

The non-umpire stuff is far more entertaining and interesting than this all-too-often asked question. There are several recent threads devoted to this subject.

And that's all I have to say about that.

[ManInBlue]

I tend to agree with Tuss. I'm not sure that it's taught, but it seems like a good mechanic. I have even gone to the point (once) of saying "that's a catch" when K3 (swinging) was close to the dirt.

What I have been told is to answer any question before it can be asked. If everyone at the field doesn't know the answer, then answer the question - in this case signal "no catch" and verbalize it just to be sure.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Looks like this board needs a mechanic question asked as I have seen alot of non umpire stuff on here lately. So here it is:

I was at the A's / Angels game on Saturday and observed the PU do the following mechanic on a D3K. He cleared the catcher by going right on to the foul side and maybe 7 steps up the line all while giving a constant safe sign. It looked very professional to me the way he executed it. I couldn’t tell if he had received a signal from the other umpire as to weather the ball was caught or in the dirt. He was however 100% confident it was in the dirt which was evident from his mechanic.

So I ask, Is this the mechanic being taught today? What would the mechanic be if it was caught?

The approved mechanic and what is currently being taught is to give a strike signal to the side (no hammer, even if the hammer is used for strikes one and two) and then give the safe sign and say "No catch."

The hammer for the strike call is avoided so that it is not confused with an out call.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

The non-umpire stuff is far more entertaining and interesting than this all-too-often asked question.

I don't visit every day, and when I'm away for awhile, upon my return the first threads I seek are those with a little padlock next to them. Of course, the deleted posts are usually the best; I never know what I've missed sometimes.

I've never spent a dime on officiating.com's offerings, but I'd buy a copy of "Deleted Baseball Posts: The Best of the Official Forum".

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Publius

I don't visit every day, and when I'm away for awhile, upon my return the first threads I seek are those with a little padlock next to them. Of course, the deleted posts are usually the best; I never know what I've missed sometimes.

I've never spent a dime on officiating.com's offerings, but I'd buy a copy of "Deleted Baseball Posts: The Best of the Official Forum".

You have to get up pretty early in the morning to catch the deleted stuff.