"DEEP"

[BretMan]

Since I got stuck doing all the pitching for my team this year (no one else would do it- I wanted to play SS!) the calls of "deep" and "short", combined with the hands- and foot!- antics indicating the pitch location just about drove me bonkers.

Another frequent signal I see is the one indicating that a pitch has hit the plate. It's the one where the umpire hits two fists together, end-to-end, so that when the fists touch they are roughly in the position they would be in if you were gripping a bat. It is often accomanied by the verbal call of "plate".

Is this signal used in other parts of the country?

Is this a standard signal described in any rule book or umpire manual for any association?