Sending a "message"

[TheSlav]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

As kylejt has pointed out, that's not an FYC and not what we are talking about.

We are talking about calling a pitch right down the middle, jock high, a ball, to send a message to someone. We are talking about knowingly and purposefully calling a pitch or a play, that you would otherwise call as you had the entire game, incorrectly to send a message.

We are not talking about "your" strike zone, or the neighborhood play or anything else you vary at different levels of play. We are talking about lying about a specfic pitch or play to a specific player or coach to "teach them a lesson."

Do you really believe the best way to send a message about sportsmanship is to falsify a call?

Tell me, when you call a dead-on strike a ball, what do you tell the skipper when he asks where that was? Do you continue the lie, or do you admit you lied as the MiLB in that video did?

If you go back and read my responses on the topic, what I tell the coach that is that clueless enough to come out and ask is "He can't act like that" whether it's the pitcher or the hitter demonstrating. Therefore, IMO there is no lying to the coach/player involved and I sleep very well at night thank you. Further, I don't have to worry about lying to or fooling myself, which is more important.

Look, only the most clueless of coaches would question it under the circumstances, and only the most boneheaded would not support it. But if that happens at least I know where the kids get it from.

Nobody I know calls one right down the middle a ball to penalize the pitcher or one that hits the backstop a strike to penalize the catcher. NOBODY. That would be a pretty bad time to introduce the FYC.

Nobody I know makes the call and then lies to anyone about it. NOBODY. That defeats the purpose of sending a message.

The YouTube video and your examples are extremist and don't bolster your case that much IMO. That umpire in the video was not only making an FYC he reinforced it with an FY explanation to the coach and the circumstances surrounding the call are not presented in the video. Maybe he should have tossed the player, who knows?

I've think I've answered your questions regarding the knowingly and purposefully angle as it relates to the FYC. How about addressing my questions?

Sorry, but the general principles are the same. Why would one case be cheating and the other(s) acceptable baseball practice. Tell me where line is drawn? Why wouldn't pitch off the the black be even a greater lie in that it occurs much more frequently. The FYC happens at best, as has been discussed maybe once or twice a season, how often does the pitch on the black occur? At least once or twice an inning.

Is "knowingly and purposefully" not in play here on pitches in the black? Don't try to sell that one, I'm not buying.