Slow Pitch Umps

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

Unless a pitched ball is illegal for another reason one that simply fails to get over the plate is a ball and is dead, unless there is stealing.

Page 225 refers to games with stealing and the prescribed mechanic has no meaning in games where there is no stealing, i.e almost all slow pitch softball games.

Excuse me for being a smart ***, but no ****! There had to be something put in place to accommodate the players and BU in the situation prescribed. That doesn't mean you just ignore it's value.

The umpire is under no obligation to explain, visually or verbally, why a ball is a ball,,,,,but the universal pounding of the fists is clear to all players,including the "umpires" at shortstop and in the outfield, that the ball did not cross the plate.

Whoever invented it should get royalties.

Actually, the indication is that the ball hit the plate. Many lazy or intimated umpires point to the ground and say "short" when the ball hits in front of the plate.

Nonetheless, since you are on page 225 of the umpire manual, maybe you should check paragraph 11 on the opposite page.