dropped 3rd strike

[UmpJM]

MikeStrybel,

The problem with the visual/physical mechanic only regarding your judgement of whether or not the catcher legally caught the pitch is that the two people with the most urgent need to know, the batter (-runner) and catcher, can't see your mechanic.

I use what Bob J. and Jim Evans suggest, both a physical and verbal mechanic:

If the catcher does not legally catch the ball, the umpire should signal the strike and then indicate physically and verbally tha the ball was not legally secured. By pointing to the ground and verbally stating "Ball's on the ground!" or "No catch!", the umpire is giving the batter a fair chance to advance and, also, informing the catcher that he may have other obligations to fulfill in order to retire the batter. - Jim Evans, Maximizing the Two_Umpire System

Were a coach come out to complain about my mechanics, I'd laugh in his f... I mean, thank him for his input and send him back to the dugout.

The catcher may know whether or not he caught the pitch, but he has no idea whether you JUDGED he caught it unless you let him know.

JM