Sending a "message"

[Cub42]

So whats your key to controlling that situation?

[kylejt]

Look, if I have to resort to miscalling ball/strike, safe/out to manage a situation in a game, I'm not doing my job. A FYC is just that. And those are followed by the FYP, and someone (us) gets hurt.

Why even start down that road?

[kylejt]

If you are uncomfortabel using it that's fine but do not say that any official who uses this technique is dis-honoring the game.

Pete Booth[/QUOTE]

How about this? I am very uncomfortable with being unethical.

And I don't buy into the notion that just because it's been done in the past, somehow it justifies me doing it in the future.

In a previous example, a catcher is whining about the strikezone. The umpire warns him about continuing. That doesn't work. The umpire calls a strike down the middle a ball, to send a message.

Now you've cheated the pitcher out of a strike, and given an advantage to the offense. Plus, nearly all the observers now think you're incompetent. (including the batter, who doesn't know WTF you're doing now). All because you can't handle your business.

Instead, you call time, dust off the plate, go mask to mask with the catcher, and have a quiet come-to-Jesus conversation with him.

How hard is it to do things the right way?