Sell the call?!

[jumpmaster]

Situation:
Babe Ruth 13 year old league. Bases loaded, no outs, ground ball to F6. F6 throws home for the force out, I am set up in the 1st base extended position. Throw is high, F2 jumps and catches it, but when he comes down his feet are straddling the plate. As he attempts to make the tag on R3, the ball pops loose and drops to the ground. I call safe. From the location of the ball on the ground, I think that the only people that could see it were myself and the 3rd base coach.

After the game my partner tells me that he thinks I blew the call, the kid looked out by a mile. I told him what I had seen, and he backed off and changed his tune. He said that I need to "sell the call...call 'safe, he dropped the ball', that way every one knows why you called the kid safe". My partner has a reputation of talking TOO much. He has been pigeonholed into calling lower level ball because players, fans and coaches complain about his non-stop talking. I don't have a problem with selling the call on a "ringer" but IMO, there is no need to go explaining a close call. If the coach has an issue, he can come talk to me. I am also aware and understand the "expected call" theory. (I learned this one the hard way during FED ball) )

So, what is the proper way to "sell a call"?

[GarthB]

You have explained the need to sell this call already:

"From the location of the ball on the ground, I think that the only people that could see it were myself and the 3rd base coach."

Esepcially when you have to go against the "expected" call, sell, sell, sell.

GB

[spillguy]

I had a similar sit last month. As the stands are going crazy about the safe call the coach, from the 1B dug out, calmly asks his catcher if he dropped the ball. F2 meekly nods his head. I look over to the dug out and nod to the coach who nods back.

One guy behind the screen has been video tapeing the game and is out of his mind "I GOT INSTANT REPLAY, BLUE!" over and over.

I let things cool down for the next pitch. This guy starts up again, right behind me. I call time and calmly walk over the the dugout "Coach if you don't control that guy, you are gone." Coach handles it.

Case closed (LL majors BTW)

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by jumpmaster


After the game my partner tells me that he thinks I blew the call, the kid looked out by a mile. I told him what I had seen, and he backed off and changed his tune. He said that I need to "sell the call...call 'safe, he dropped the ball', that way every one knows why you called the kid safe".

I don't have a problem with selling the call on a "ringer" but IMO, there is no need to go explaining a close call. If the coach has an issue, he can come talk to me. I am also aware and understand the "expected call" theory. (I learned this one the hard way during FED ball) )

So, what is the proper way to "sell a call"?

I agree with Garth. If it appears to everyone that a player was out / safe by a mile and you rule that which is unexpected then you should sell the call.

This is why we are taught to give that sweeping motion with our hands when a player's foot is off the bag at first. The more information we can give about a call that goes against the grain the better.

In your example if you had signalled and verbalized SAFE! BALL IS ON THE GROUND!, there's no need for the coach to come out and question you. It also speeds up the game, because you do not have to take time and explain it to the coach.

Anytime you rule something which is unexpected it's best to sell it or at least verbalize what you saw.

Pete Booth

[Bfair]

Originally posted by spillguy
I had a similar sit last month. As the stands are going crazy about the safe call the coach, from the 1B dug out, calmly asks his catcher if he dropped the ball. F2 meekly nods his head. I look over to the dug out and nod to the coach who nods back.

One guy behind the screen has been video tapeing the game and is out of his mind "I GOT INSTANT REPLAY, BLUE!" over and over.

I let things cool down for the next pitch. This guy starts up again, right behind me. I call time and calmly walk over the the dugout "Coach if you don't control that guy, you are gone." Coach handles it.

Case closed (LL majors BTW)

So, I only hope you are attempting to say what I think.

If you had called safe and yelled "ball is on the ground", then there would likely have been little incident. You would not have had to listen to the crapola from the stands, and would not have had to request assistance from the coach.

If so, I agree............SELL THE CALLS that need selling.

Dont' sell calls that don't need selling.
That is like crying wolf, and is not needed.


Just my opinion,

Freix

[brandda]

If a ball pops out, point at it, and yell "Ball's Out, He's Safe". By pointing you will draw more people's eyes to the salient part of the play increasing the likelihood that someone else will see it. A lot of grumbling can subside when someone else in the stands quietly says to the guy next to him that you were right.

[spillguy]

So, I only hope you are attempting to say what I think.

If you had called safe and yelled "ball is on the ground", then there would likely have been little incident. You would not have had to listen to the crapola from the stands, and would not have had to request assistance from the coach.

If so, I agree............SELL THE CALLS that need selling.

Dont' sell calls that don't need selling.
That is like crying wolf, and is not needed.


Just my opinion,

Freix [/B][/QUOTE]


Agree!

In this case the guy in question has been trolling around behind the plate all season. This was a prime opportunity to shut him up and have the coach put him in his place.

I sold the call very hard without make the "ball's out" statement. Others in the stands understood the sit as well.

Good advice though, I will use that in the future.

Thanks

Spillguy