To call or not to call foul ball

[DaveASA/FED]

When do you verbally call foul ball? I had a situation a couple of nights ago when I was coaching (last year to play both sides then I will be all blue!). Umpire called everything a foul tip, motioned with hands then to strike. His mechanics were poor, anyway we had high pitch that was swung at tipped the catchers glove and went to the fence, from 1st coaches box I could not tell if she touched it and his mechanic looked to me like a standard strike, my R1 at 3rd ran home so did F1 and R1 slid safe at the plate, then got up and ran off field to mother as she rebroke her arm (X-rays showed later) on the slide into the plate. After she was off the field PU tells me it was a foul ball and she needed to come back to 3rd. So now I am thinking my short stop just broke her arm sliding on a foul ball?? Anyway to the question at hand. I have been told at ASA clinics to be sparing when calling foul balls, meaning if they are obvious then don't call anything. I have always called foul when ever there is a runner still trying to advance to avoid the situation that I described above. I was just wondering what you all did about calling foul balls. What is your guide to whether you need to throw the hands up or just watch the ball?

[kellerumps]

Obvious foul balls I don't call. In this case though, I would have yelled(and signaled) "Foul Ball" since runners were advancing on the play.

I normally work slow-pitch, so you can ignore my answer if you want. I call foul on every foul ball hit. It saves me from having grumpy adults who lose their breath going from base to base, then back.

[FUBLUE]

I agree with KellerUmps. Only call foul ball on close ones or if runner is going. Had a guy work for me a couple of weeks ago who screamed on every ball that was foul, even the ones that left the complex.

Your situation, if runners are moving, I'll call foul ball if it was foul. Especially if it was barely tipped (as your description hints).

Everyone in Indiana enjoy the state games this weekend. I'll be thinking of you as I drive to Colorado, and back.

[Dakota]

I know you guys have said this, but just to reinforce -- runners, if they are doing what they are supposed to be doing, don't see the "obvious" foul balls. Verbalizing (loudly) is for the benefit of the runners, including the BR.

[FUBLUE]

And if coaches are doing what they should be doing, they'll let runners know it's a foul ball.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by FUBLUE
And if coaches are doing what they should be doing, they'll let runners know it's a foul ball.

True, but I get annoyed at coaches who prematurely yell FOUL to their runners. It needs to be after I make the call.

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by Dakota

True, but I get annoyed at coaches who prematurely yell FOUL to their runners. It needs to be after I make the call.

I agree 100%.

[Dakota]

How about when you are BU? Do you echo your partner's FOUL call for runners who are advancing?

[DaveASA/FED]

Tom,
Yes as BU I do echo my PU calling a foul.

And as you guessed FU it was barely even tipped, I pay pretty close attention to things when I am coaching and I didn't think it was fouled. Good news is they don't think they are going to have to have surgery on the arm again, just a cast.

[CecilOne]

In some other topic, about a batted ball hitting a batter I think, I said I YELL loudly "DEAD BALL, DEAD BALL, FOOOUUULLL BALL" repeated until everyone gets it when there are runners. The same applies here.

But a low volume when obvious and no runners. Just to make it official.

[FUBLUE]

Same concept as barely calling a pitch a ball when it is 5 feet outside of zone, rolls to plate, is 15 feet high, etc. OR not screaming out/safe on way obvious calls. The closer the call, the louder the call. "Routine" calls need routine verbals.