On a fly ball in the outfield or a trapped ball in the infield should I yell 'no catch' or remain silent.

Glen G

ASA states that <b>The voice is used
only on FOUL BALLS and OUT CALLS, or a caught fly ball
over fair territory.</b> Guess they figure you, the
umpire, might be giving the base runners an advantage
by yelling, "no catch". Maybe base coacher was sleeping.

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/Gif/couch.gif

[Edited by whiskers_ump on Apr 28th, 2004 at 09:59 PM]

Trap..Give the "safe" sign. No verbalization.

Where is the voice use referenced in ASA literature, so I can refer to it with other Umps. I personally don't like infield traps to be just signaled. Why are traps in the outfield verbalized and in the infield not ?. Unless your now going to state traps in the outfield should also only be signaled & not voiced.

I don't call "no catch" for the same reason I don't call "fair ball".

Even though I may say "no catch", a player may only hear "catch"!

I will however give an emphatic "safe" signal on a trapped ball. One thing that I have done as PU when there is a fly ball to the outfield and my partner does not see it as they are coming inside, I will say something like "the ball is on the ground" to let him/her know that we do not have a caught fly ball.

chuck,

It is in the umpires section under Fair and Foul Balls
page 215 2004 book.

Andy,

I used the same procedure. I also let them know when possible,
that I have their back in case of quick throw to 1B and I have <u>no</u>
other runner responsiblities at that time.
unlined, reason for update.


[Edited by whiskers_ump on Apr 29th, 2004 at 10:32 PM]

Speaking NCAA.....Signal Safe only.

Never verbalize a fair or no catch. If you make your out and foul calls so the players can hear you, than when they hear nothing they should know it was fair or not a catch.

Believe me, when a ball goes foul by a few inches, or is caught on a diving catch, they know it.

One of my buddies claims that when he calls a foul ball, they stop play three fields over! :D

wrt "Believe me, when a ball goes foul by a few inches, or is caught on a diving catch, they know it. "

And the more baserunners there are, the louder I get.


Ditto to these comments:

Never verbalize a fair or no catch. If you make your out and foul calls so the players can hear you, than when they hear nothing they should know it was fair or not a catch.


Signal Safe only.