pointing on strikes?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by bniu

I know ASA requires hammer for all strikes but I know FED, PONY, LL don't really care so much. Does anyone use the point for strikes in non-ASA ball? I also do baseball, and I prefer the point much more than the hammer and i'll use the hammer for strikes only when I absolutely have to. In non-ASA ball, I compromise a bit and use the hammer for called strikes and point for swinging strikes. I really think that strikes should all be pointed with and the hammer should be reserved for outs and only outs. We all remember the Doug Eddings hammer ambiguity right? and I just point to one side without turning my head...

Who the hell is Doug Eddings?

Baseball mechanics seem to be more about showmanship than practicalities.

The purpose for signals is to inform those at a distance, not to do something which looks "cool". The defense always used is "individuality". And to do that, many little ball umpires make disparaging references about softball umpires and robotics. That only means they don't pay attention.

[NDblue]

I honestly think the "point" looks stupid. I'm always looking over at the home team dugout wondering who the umpire is pointing at. A hammer or any variation of it looks best to me but that's only my opinion.

[MGKBLUE]

I do both baseball and softball and use the hammer for both. To me the pont just looks plain stupid.

[wadeintothem]

Last year at the end of fall ball I blew out my rotator cuff playing coed and I used the point in ASA ball... they wanted me to call left handed.. but I didnt. I pointed because I couldnt raise my arm up. No one noticed or cared. But this is one of them "do as your told" things for softball. Anyway, I suppose I could use it in mens FP but I dont.

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Last year at the end of fall ball I blew out my rotator cuff playing coed and I used the point in ASA ball... they wanted me to call left handed.. but I didnt. I pointed because I couldnt raise my arm up. No one noticed or cared. But this is one of them "do as your told" things for softball. Anyway, I suppose I could use it in mens FP but I dont.

I had a partner (PU) yesterday with a cast on the ring finger of his left hand. He had to show the count on his right hand only. He told the coaches at the plate meeting what he was going to do and did it. He did a good job of it as he vocalized the count as he held up fingers for balls and strikes on his right hand.

Originally Posted by tcblue13

I had a partner (PU) yesterday with a cast on the ring finger of his left hand. He had to show the count on his right hand only. He told the coaches at the plate meeting what he was going to do and did it. He did a good job of it as he vocalized the count as he held up fingers for balls and strikes on his right hand.

Too bad it wasn't his middle finger. That would lead to some hilarious "gesturing".

[bniu]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Who the hell is Doug Eddings?

Baseball mechanics seem to be more about showmanship than practicalities.

The purpose for signals is to inform those at a distance, not to do something which looks "cool". The defense always used is "individuality". And to do that, many little ball umpires make disparaging references about softball umpires and robotics. That only means they don't pay attention.

hmm, i'm kinda curious, now what if the next incarnation of Ron Luciano and Durwood Merrill took over ASA? The two most flamboyant umpires in baseball governing softball, a sport known for its robotic signals...

sometimes i think about "shooting" a runner out just to see what kind of reaction I'll get, though I don't want to risk losing future game assignments for doing it. Maybe I'll try it at my high school's preseason alumni scrimmage next year...since i won't be allowed to umpire their real games anyway due to a conflict of interest....

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by bniu

hmm, i'm kinda curious, now what if the next incarnation of Ron Luciano and Durwood Merrill took over ASA? The two most flamboyant umpires in baseball governing softball, a sport known for its robotic signals...

sometimes i think about "shooting" a runner out just to see what kind of reaction I'll get, though I don't want to risk losing future game assignments for doing it. Maybe I'll try it at my high school's preseason alumni scrimmage next year...since i won't be allowed to umpire their real games anyway due to a conflict of interest....

Ha, we were talking about shooting out a runner Luciano style this weekend..likewise, we didnt have the gonads to do it though

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Ha, we were talking about shooting out a runner Luciano style this weekend..likewise, we didnt have the gonads to do it though

I shoot a runner about twice a month just to do it...so ball up and just do it. (Yes I know I am crazy...)

Also, if we have a Canadian team I will call an out in Canadian eh.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by bkbjones

I shoot a runner about twice a month just to do it...so ball up and just do it. (Yes I know I am crazy...)

Also, if we have a Canadian team I will call an out in Canadian eh.

Maybe mens FP... I dunno about shooting em in JO...

Fun to talk about though

Besides I believe Luciano style would be like outoutoutoutoutoutoutoutout outoutoutoutoutoutotuotuo

You doing that to them canucks?

[bniu]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Maybe mens FP... I dunno about shooting em in JO...

Fun to talk about though

Besides I believe Luciano style would be like outoutoutoutoutoutoutoutout outoutoutoutoutoutotuotuo

You doing that to them canucks?

yeah, it's fun to imagine what would happen if I shot out a runner in a game. How many of you really think I would imitate Luciano on the field in a real game? I may joke around alot about doing goofy stuff on the field but when I'm really on the field, it's the same professional image that any other umpire in my chapter projects.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by bniu

hmm, i'm kinda curious, now what if the next incarnation of Ron Luciano and Durwood Merrill took over ASA? The two most flamboyant umpires in baseball governing softball, a sport known for its robotic signals...

Here we go, another ******* who hasn't got a clue. You are obviously too young to know the real umpires of baseball. AFA flamboyant, Dutch Rennart made those two look like clowns on the field. Durwood wasn't that bad. Luciano thought he was being entertaining while the players laughed "at" him. Luciano would probably think that a line like, "His best shot was his last" would be funny, but he chose cabon monoxide instead.

sometimes i think about "shooting" a runner out just to see what kind of reaction I'll get, though I don't want to risk losing future game assignments for doing it. Maybe I'll try it at my high school's preseason alumni scrimmage next year...since i won't be allowed to umpire their real games anyway due to a conflict of interest....

As previously stated, showmanship, just like P.T. Barnum and Tom Thumb.

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by bniu

hmm, i'm kinda curious, now what if the next incarnation of Ron Luciano and Durwood Merrill took over ASA? The two most flamboyant umpires in baseball governing softball, a sport known for its robotic signals...

sometimes i think about "shooting" a runner out just to see what kind of reaction I'll get, though I don't want to risk losing future game assignments for doing it. Maybe I'll try it at my high school's preseason alumni scrimmage next year...since i won't be allowed to umpire their real games anyway due to a conflict of interest....

Do you really feel the need to be that much a part of the game? The point of being an umpire in both baseball and softball, is to administer the rules and otherwise be as unnoticed as possible. It is the players' game. Not a forum for wanna be vaudevillians to ply their craft.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Not a forum for wanna be vaudevillians to ply their craft.

I'm impressed you could spell vaulde...vaultvill...vaudevilai.......DAMN!

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'm impressed you could spell vaulde...vaultvill...vaudevilai.......DAMN!

All of these years in public education (aka vaudeville) have paid off!!!