Partner Not Willing To Take Care of Business

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by JJ

Or the plate guy can just point to 3rd. Remember why hand signals are given - they are to remind your partner AND yourself what the situation is. Even if I know the situation, and know that my partner knows the situation, I'll still give a hand signal ahead of the first pitch to the next batter. I also will hollar when things actually happen, but if it's a noisy crowd my partner may not hear me...a hand sign ahead of time keeps the crew "in the game".

JJ

I was told by a recent pro school grad and longtime D1 umpire that the schools are now teaching both umpires to signal their respective coverages. He said that the PU in this case should signal the outs with the right hand, and simultaneously point to 3rd with the left, signifying that he has R1 at third on a hit to the outfield. The BU should signal the outs with the right hand and point to 1st to signify that he has the BR on the play.

He corrected me after our game and said that by my using the old-school signal of waggling both the left and right index fingers for 1st and 3rd, I was telling him I had both 1st and 3rd. I said that I know where I'm supposed to be and where the PU is supposed to be, so what's the big deal. He said that whenever I work with him he wants it done that way