swinging third strike

[Rich]

Nitpicking a signal like this? I don't get the point. It doesn't change a damned thing.

(And I'm not talking about the safe sign versus the extended right arm. I really don't care which signal is used there.)

[DG]

The original question was whether PU made the right call, which would be inclusive of whether it was signaled correctly so all would know, thus the question about the mechanic.

It is not nit-picking, it is seeing something different than what has been conventional and wondering...

[Rich]

You think it's not nitpicking.

I think it is.

Was the right call made? Yes.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rich

You think it's not nitpicking.

I think it is.

Nitpick or not, I find it fascinating, and somewhat disconcerting, that nobody can get on the same sheet when it comes to this common occurence. Why can't we just have a one-size-fits-all mechanic for all sanctioning bodies when it comes to U3Ks?? I thought after the whole Doug Eddings fiasco, the Safe sign and verbal "No Catch" would be the standard. But almost ten years later, it's still not.

I don't do much baseball, having opted to umpire fast-pitch softball the last few years. And "over there", there is no accepted standard. I believe NCAA requires the Safe/No Catch mechanic. But ASA wants umpires to give no verbal or signal; just signal the strike (verbal if it's a called third), and let the players figure out if the ball was caught or not. I think FED softball is the same as ASA.

Now it appears that MLB is using a completely unique mechanic. I don't get it....

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Now it appears that MLB is using a completely unique mechanic. I don't get it....

I think you're ascribing more to "MLB" than you should from one umpire's mechanic on one play.

And since we don't knopw what he said, it might have been perfectly clear to all the participants in that game what was going on.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I think you're ascribing more to "MLB" than you should from one umpire's mechanic on one play.

And since we don't knopw what he said, it might have been perfectly clear to all the participants in that game what was going on.

Unless it's the same umpire, plays 1 and 3 on the video show both PUs extending the right arm out on the call. I really haven't given it much thought, but maybe I need to watch a few MLB games more closely and see if it's the new mechanic, or just two umpires ironically doing the same strange signal.

[Dave Reed]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Unless it's the same umpire, plays 1 and 3 on the video show both PUs extending the right arm out on the call. I really haven't given it much thought, but maybe I need to watch a few MLB games more closely and see if it's the new mechanic, or just two umpires ironically doing the same strange signal.

#1 is Lincecum's no-hitter on 6/25/14 against San Diego.
#3 is Wainright (St. Louis) against Cincinnati on 5/25/14

In both cases the umpire is Adam Hamari.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Unless it's the same umpire, plays 1 and 3 on the video show both PUs extending the right arm out on the call. I really haven't given it much thought, but maybe I need to watch a few MLB games more closely and see if it's the new mechanic, or just two umpires ironically doing the same strange signal.

I was at the Single A Fort Wayne Tincaps over the weekend and the plate umpire there used the same mechanic on the video for all of the uncaught third strikes.

Surely that indicates training rather than a rogue signal by an umpire.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Rich

And I'm not talking about the safe sign versus the extended right arm.

I was. And I wasn't nitpicking the PU. I'm sure his mechanics were by the book. I was nitpicking the book.