Never seen this before

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by harmbu

I was at a district championship game last night and saw something I though was interesting. FED rules. In the top of the sixth inning, B1 attempted to check his swing on an 0-1 pitch. PU pointed and said he swung. The visiting coach asked the count and was informed that it was 0-2. He called time and approached the PU. I was sitting right behind the backstop and heard the following exchange.

PU: Before you start, we are not going to discuss balls and strikes.

Coach: Okay. I just wanted to know if you called that a swing or the pitch was a strike.

PU: I called it a swing.

Coach: Can I just ask that you get help.

PU: I will if I am not sure about a swing.

Coach: I mean on that pitch. Can you appeal.

PU: Sure.

At this point I am fully expecting the BU to confirm that it was a swing. PU points and BU give the safe signal. PU immediately shows the count as 1-1 and the game resumes. Don't know if this was the proper procedure, but I am sure it is as the PU was our local rules interpreter.

Here is how the conversation should have gone:

PU: Before you start, we are not going to discuss balls and strikes.

Coach: Okay. I just wanted to know if you called that a swing or the pitch was a strike.

PU: I called it a swing.

Coach: Can I just ask that you get help.

PU: Coach, I called the swing, not the pitch. It's a strike and there is no appeal on a strike call.

You never, never allow an appeal of a strike call, no matter what rule set, how old the players or how polite the coach is. A strike is a strike and that is all there is to that!

Oh and the PU was an idiot for asking and the BU was a a$$hole for even responding at all!