New pitcher - do you tell her the sitch?

[KJUmp]

I don't. For all the reasons already posted. The exception would be unless specifically directed to by the tournament UIC or director, or the rule code we're playing under.
If she came in with a count on the batter, I give it from behind the plate, just prior to indicating and verbalizing "Play" to make the ball live.
I do not give outs unless asked.
Like most of you who have replied, I have partners who do it when they have the plate. Drives me nuts. and the only thing I need my BU to be responsible for during a pitching change is counting the 5 warmup pitches if I'm occupied with a coach on substitution/lineup changes.
Besides, most of these teams, (esp. the TB teams), seem to have all these coaches who make it a career of watching every move the opposing team and the umpires make, surely one of them is more than capable of handling this particular detail.

[Bandit]

I agree with the "dead ball" verbal and then "foul ball". It does give you that extra scecond of thought. I also agree 100% that the BU should NEVER say "foul ball" The BU should simply say "dead ball". That stops everything and allows the home plate umpire to make the call or possible come to the personal decision of asking for help.

Now to vent....TWICE this summer....I have had the same HP umpire on a daughters game. HP indicates "foul ball"...Only to have the BU...who was BOTH times behind the shortstop with runners on second....and different individuals..... declare the batter out for being hit outside of the batters box. Somebody tell me how an umpire can make this decision after several inning of play and the lines gone, and after the HP umpire has declared foul, and from a distance of at least 70 feet? Who the heck is teaching this mechanic???

[BretMan]

One of my pet peeves is the umpire advising the new pitcher "there are two outs and you have a runner on first and third", or whatever. I would be curious to know: 1) Why exactly the umpire feels it necessary to interject himself here, when the pitcher has a coach to instruct her and, I presume, functioning eyeballs, and; 2) Where are they are getting the idea that this is the correct "mechanic"- if you can call something that's not in the umpire manual "a mechanic".

Had a couple of partners do this last weekend and I'm thinking, "This team has FOUR adult coaches in the dugout. Surely one of them is capable of telling his own pitcher how many outs there are".

I've had guys that make a big show of this, pointing at each runner as he reels of which base they're on. It's bad enough that he has to tell the pitcher which bases are occupied. Does he also have to point out which base is first, second or third?

Had one partner who REFUSED to get back behind the plate and continue the game until I informed the pitcher of the situation. He just stood there looking at me, and I just stood there looking at him. Finally, he motions to me, then the pitcher, and says, "Go tell her". So I took a couple of steps toward the pitcher and mumbled something like, "Are you ready? Okay, here we go" and he then got back behind the plate.

I've worked with a few that make a big production of announcing the number of outs after each one is recorded, too. Had one guy who raised both hands overhead, held up, say, two fingers on each hand and loudly bellowed, "Two outs!", then dropped both arms parallel to the ground, holding out two fingers and holding that position for several seconds.

And then there are those base umpires that make a big deal of flashing the count on every pitch, sometimes with hands high overhead and sometimes contorting their arms and hands into strange and uncomfortable looking positions while doing it.

Personally, I don't do any of these.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

If she is standing stock still in the box, DEAD BALL.....subtle point to her, and a non sell 'foul'.

If she is moving out of the box, and it is close, but she is still in, sell 'DEAD BALL!', and sell 'FOUL!' , with a strong point to where she was when it hit her.

If she is out of the box, but its close, again a sell DEAD BALL and a BIG sell 'OUT!' with what I like to call a combination hard point/out signal, so everyone, especially the coaches, know exactly where you saw where she was when it hit her, and that she was definitely OUT.

This all works for me, because I am very good at not overselling the small stuff, so that when I DO have something close, it wakes everyone up to the idea I might actually have the call right.

[Skahtboi]

Answering the OP: No!

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by BretMan

One of my pet peeves is the umpire advising the new pitcher "there are two outs and you have a runner on first and third", or whatever. I would be curious to know: 1) Why exactly the umpire feels it necessary to interject himself here, when the pitcher has a coach to instruct her and, I presume, functioning eyeballs, and; 2) Where are they are getting the idea that this is the correct "mechanic"- if you can call something that's not in the umpire manual "a mechanic".

Had a couple of partners do this last weekend and I'm thinking, "This team has FOUR adult coaches in the dugout. Surely one of them is capable of telling his own pitcher how many outs there are".

I've had guys that make a big show of this, pointing at each runner as he reels of which base they're on. It's bad enough that he has to tell the pitcher which bases are occupied. Does he also have to point out which base is first, second or third?

Had one partner who REFUSED to get back behind the plate and continue the game until I informed the pitcher of the situation. He just stood there looking at me, and I just stood there looking at him. Finally, he motions to me, then the pitcher, and says, "Go tell her". So I took a couple of steps toward the pitcher and mumbled something like, "Are you ready? Okay, here we go" and he then got back behind the plate.

I've worked with a few that make a big production of announcing the number of outs after each one is recorded, too. Had one guy who raised both hands overhead, held up, say, two fingers on each hand and loudly bellowed, "Two outs!", then dropped both arms parallel to the ground, holding out two fingers and holding that position for several seconds.

And then there are those base umpires that make a big deal of flashing the count on every pitch, sometimes with hands high overhead and sometimes contorting their arms and hands into strange and uncomfortable looking positions while doing it.

Personally, I don't do any of these.

Bret:
I'm nowhere near Ohio but I think I've worked with some of those same guys.

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by KJUmp

Bret:
I'm nowhere near Ohio but I think I've worked with some of those same guys.

I think those guys have made Pennsylvania part of their tour, too.

[shipwreck]

Working a College game a few years back. When a defensive coach would come out for a conference, when he was walking back to the dugout I would let him know it was a charged conference. After the game, a senior umpire chewed me out for doing that. He said we are dealing with adult coaches and by me telling him it was a charged conference, that it was redundant, that he knew the obvious. he said the coach should know he gets one conference before he has to change pitchers. Just kind of shrugged my shoulders and went on.
I always thought we were supposed to let them know. Dave

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by shipwreck

Working a College game a few years back. When a defensive coach would come out for a conference, when he was walking back to the dugout I would let him know it was a charged conference. After the game, a senior umpire chewed me out for doing that. He said we are dealing with adult coaches and by me telling him it was a charged conference, that it was redundant, that he knew the obvious. he said the coach should know he gets one conference before he has to change pitchers. Just kind of shrugged my shoulders and went on.
I always thought we were supposed to let them know. Dave

I shall respectfully disagree. I don't point, or raise a finger to indicate "one", as that can be misconstrued as an aggressive action, but I make every effort to catch the coach's eye and indicate it is charged.

There are times when a conference is not a charged conference; when the other team initiates it and this coach breaks his up immediately, when the conversation was an injury or health concern, when you as an umpire have held up play (say, to walk off being dinged by a pitch or foul ball).

So, if every conference isn't a charged conference, how does the coach KNOW you charged THAT one? Does the coach "assume", or do you tell him? Sure, it is most often obvious; but you certainly minimize the need to eject a coach or player for multiple conferences if you communicate all the time, every time. And, I will ABSOLUTELY tell an opposing coache when an apparent conference is NOT being charged.

[CelticNHBlue]

Never talk to the new pitcher, she has coaches

I do only call foul when hit in the batter's box. I've heard from bigs in both ASA and NCAA both ways, neither is the preferred mechanic. I like the direct foul call because it is a single call, and when it may be questionable, I think it looks a little stronger to not have the two calls, JMO.

I don't even acknowledge college coaches when they have conferences, it's one per inning, it gets recorded and that is it. However, in ASA I make a point to VERBALLY inform the coach by taking a position up the foul line on his/her side of the field so that it is quiet and between us only. I deem this required because of the number of visits they are allowed and when; so tracking them over multiple innings is far more likely to result in an issue.

[BuggBob]

Wow, are we drifting more than usual? One topic got taken over by a beer review, this one by a totally different call and mechanic. Back to the original post.

I do not tell the pitcher the game situation (I did, but now I don’t), why? Because of great advice, I received on this forum several years ago.

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by shipwreck

Working a College game a few years back. When a defensive coach would come out for a conference, when he was walking back to the dugout I would let him know it was a charged conference. After the game, a senior umpire chewed me out for doing that. He said we are dealing with adult coaches and by me telling him it was a charged conference, that it was redundant, that he knew the obvious. he said the coach should know he gets one conference before he has to change pitchers. Just kind of shrugged my shoulders and went on.
I always thought we were supposed to let them know. Dave

Dave,
AtlUmpsSteve's reply covers it all.
Just to add to it, quoting the NCAA SUIP manual:
"....advise the coach from your position behind the plate that the conference was charged, or, if you have had to break up the conference, when you are at the pitching circle. In a normal voice say: ' That's a conference.' Or 'That's charged.' The coach does not need to acknowledge you. (And as Steve pointed out) Do not use any signal such as holding up one finger. No one likes a finger waggled at them."

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by KJUmp

Dave,
AtlUmpsSteve's reply covers it all.
Just to add to it, quoting the NCAA SUIP manual:
"....advise the coach from your position behind the plate that the conference was charged, or, if you have had to break up the conference, when you are at the pitching circle. In a normal voice say: ' That's a conference.' Or 'That's charged.' The coach does not need to acknowledge you. (And as Steve pointed out) Do not us any signal such as holding up one finger. No one likes a finger waggled at them."

I agree - and follow that same path.

[3afan]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

OK - I've never been one to go talk to the pitcher after a change and remind them that there's a runner on 2nd, 1 out, 2-0 count. I thought it was bush league. Truly, it seems juvenile to me to tell the pitcher where the runners are standing - can she not see this?

2 weeks ago, I didn't do this. Partner seemed peeved that he, as PU, HAD to do it because I didn't.

Last week, I started to do this and was waived off and told by partner later that was a huge faux pas, and not to do it. 2 games later, after a change, PU is obviously waiting for me to do it, even pointing at me, then the pitcher.

So ... does ASA have a standard here? And if not - how do you guys feel about it - is it expected? Is it bush? Do you not care?

The ONLY thing I do differently for a new pitcher is as PU, and even then, only on a new pitcher entering in the middle of an at bat --- after the warmups, I'm beside the catcher, get PU's attention, and tell her specifically what the count is, perhaps a little louder than I would have normally.

NO, you don't coach the players

[txtrooper]

I don't remember who told me to tell the pitcher the game situation on a pitching change, but I have done it historically. I suppose now would be a good time to quite telling them. I have worked with a good bit of umpires and most of them ask the base umpire to tell the pitcher the game situation at the end of her warm up pitches.

On the Dead Ball/Foul Ball situation, I call Dead Ball when there is contact between the batter and the ball. In the event that she is not in the box, the Dead Ball is followed up with a verbal indication of Batter’s out.