Check Swing Appeal...Unrequested?

[His High Holiness]

Originally posted by Bainer
What do you guys think of this one?

Can a plate umpire appeal to his partner on a check swing without ever being asked to check?

This question arises because I did it.

With a 3-2 count and the bases loaded, BR swings(?) at pitch in the dirt. BR takes off for first. I called "Ball, no he didn't go". Catcher drops it, bobbles it, etc. No one has any idea why BR is running to first- myself included. To clarify, I fire out from behind the plate, amd SELL the appeal. Partner says no, everyone moves up- no problems.

After the game, another supervisor tells me that I can't do that.
I tell him that I did it for EVERYONE'S benefit.
He says NO.

What do you think??


Bainer.

Bainer;

I check without being asked all the time at the highest levels of NCAA ball. (See my article on this of three weeks ago on the paid part of this site.)

One thing, I never do is say "no he did not go." That is now verboten in good baseball. The correct call when the ball is not in the strike zone and you don't think that the batter swung is "Ball." Don't add anything else. That is the way that top level umpires north of the equator call the game.

Peter