verbalizing the count

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

In all seriousness, I've always been taught to never tell a batter he has "no balls, two strikes."

And, that used to be the ASA standard as taught by the old NUS. But the new ASA NUS had a different direction.

More recently, that has been revised, and was the subject of an approved, restated, and required mechanic; I believe in 2006 (?). We were directed that a) that prior standard was never put in writing, and therefore was not a standard, and that b) the manual direction to "give the count" meant to give the full count in all cases. Since we verbalize one ball, two balls, three balls, no strikes, one strike, and two strikes, in any and all combinations, we were directed to also verbalize no balls; without regard to the possibility that it was the set up line for any number of jokes or issues.

Since then, and to minimize issues, I say "Our count is no balls, two strikes", and that has effectively eliminated any discussion that I either insulted the batter, or set myself up for "Did you say you have no balls??", et al.