Strike/out signal

[bniu]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

Rita,

To each their own, but teaching the hammer won't help his head going away from where it should be. I am growing to dislike the hammer for strikes, esp. since SB has decreed that it is the only way to call a strike. Sometimes it will take getting burned on a play before people learn the proper way to see the game.

I am getting old I guess...

you may want to try this, i find it works really really well and i wish softball would get off their high pedestal and take a look at it too:

For called strikes 1 and 2 as well as check swing strikes, continue to hammer as usual (i use this as a "sell" strike signal)
called strike 3, whatever fancy thing you can come up with.

for swinging strikes 1 and 2, point to the side, right side for right handed batters, left side for lefty hitters. make sure nothing's happening on the bases when you turn.

in either case, if there's a runner stealing, just extend your right arm to the side while facing the pitcher so you can get into position wherever you need to be.

for swinging strike 3, if you have a D3K, yell out 'no catch' and give the safe signal while things go down. Otherwise, i like to pause for a while, let the batter leave the circle, and casually hammer to signal the out.

a lot of MLB umps have gone to the hammer for called strikes but still retain the point for swinging strikes. I like it too since I find turning to the side on called strikes to be a P.I.T.A. whereas i'm way more relaxed on swinging strikes and can more easily turn to the side there...


and btw, can someone explain why you never see any baseball umpire manual that says to point to the side for a strike? I think in the old days, all strikes were hammers as well and umps made calls really really fast until Doug Harvey came around and got them all to slow down their calls...

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bniu

you may want to try this, i find it works really really well and i wish softball would get off their high pedestal and take a look at it too:

For called strikes 1 and 2 as well as check swing strikes, continue to hammer as usual (i use this as a "sell" strike signal)
called strike 3, whatever fancy thing you can come up with.

for swinging strikes 1 and 2, point to the side, right side for right handed batters, left side for lefty hitters. make sure nothing's happening on the bases when you turn.

in either case, if there's a runner stealing, just extend your right arm to the side while facing the pitcher so you can get into position wherever you need to be.

for swinging strike 3, if you have a D3K, yell out 'no catch' and give the safe signal while things go down. Otherwise, i like to pause for a while, let the batter leave the circle, and casually hammer to signal the out.

a lot of MLB umps have gone to the hammer for called strikes but still retain the point for swinging strikes. I like it too since I find turning to the side on called strikes to be a P.I.T.A. whereas i'm way more relaxed on swinging strikes and can more easily turn to the side there...


and btw, can someone explain why you never see any baseball umpire manual that says to point to the side for a strike? I think in the old days, all strikes were hammers as well and umps made calls really really fast until Doug Harvey came around and got them all to slow down their calls...

I don't think it matters an iota how you call strikes, provided your timing is good enough to know that something odd isn't going to happen when you turn your head to the side.

For most young umpires, this is a problem. I find it useful to teach the hammer to young umpires for this reason. As they get experience and develop solid timing and awareness, then they can feel free to do whatever they want.

[bniu]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I don't think it matters an iota how you call strikes, provided your timing is good enough to know that something odd isn't going to happen when you turn your head to the side.

For most young umpires, this is a problem. I find it useful to teach the hammer to young umpires for this reason. As they get experience and develop solid timing and awareness, then they can feel free to do whatever they want.

this is one of the beauties of baseball that i like, no one cares how you make your call as long as you can still be aware of what's going on and not be too much of the next ron luciano. i guess softball likes the hammer since the field is smaller and plays happen quicker, but most softball umpires make calls way too fast for my taste, and yet, the 60 foot version of baseball sees many umpires calling it the same style as the 90 foot game...slow and relaxed on routine calls, makes your sell outs more effective...

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by bniu

this is one of the beauties of baseball that i like, no one cares how you make your call as long as you can still be aware of what's going on and not be too much of the next ron luciano. i guess softball likes the hammer since the field is smaller and plays happen quicker, but most softball umpires make calls way too fast for my taste, and yet, the 60 foot version of baseball sees many umpires calling it the same style as the 90 foot game...slow and relaxed on routine calls, makes your sell outs more effective...

Really?? Just how in the heck did you come to that conclusion? You've never seen or worked with a baseball umpire with poor timing who makes their calls too quick? And I guess that if you happen to be an umpire who does both baseball and softball, your timing disappears when you step on a softball field.

[Forest Ump]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I don't think it matters an iota how you call strikes, provided your timing is good enough to know that something odd isn't going to happen when you turn your head to the side.

+1. Exactly. If your timing is right, you want miss anything. Just don't turn your head with runners on. It's easy to do if your head is in the game.

[pastordoug]

IMO the only problem I might possible see for someone who does the hammer for strikes and outs (which I have been doing for 6 years) is a 3rd stike foul tip... But even then your first signal is the FT followed by , in my case, the hammer for the out...

Otherwise the hammer strike is used with the verbal called "strike" which is clearly different from the called "third stike out" (or should be). Although I seem to remember a MLB Ump who had the same signal for all 3 strikes?

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Mxyzptlk

It's inconsequential in a world of officiating that has so many, more important issues.

The only inconsequential thing in this thread is your post. Begone, Troll!