New pitcher - do you tell her the sitch?

[vcblue]

Yep this is old school. Worked with a partner this year that came back from 5 years off, and he taught me this way, but I stopped doing it after working higher level ball.

Here is one for you all. What do you do when a batter is hit by a batted ball in the box. Personally I state "foul ball" and if it was not obvious I will point to the batter in the box and say "Hit her in the box". 99.9% of the coaches and players know what I mean.

However, last year I was told by a rookie blue from a different district that I was doing it wrong. That I must call "Dead Ball"-Point and say, "Hit her in the box"-Then follow up with "Foul Ball". To me this seems redundant.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by vcblue

Yep this is old school. Worked with a partner this year that came back from 5 years off, and he taught me this way, but I stopped doing it after working higher level ball.

Here is one for you all. What do you do when a batter is hit by a batted ball in the box. Personally I state "foul ball" and if it was not obvious I will point to the batter in the box and say "Hit her in the box". 99.9% of the coaches and players know what I mean.

However, last year I was told by a rookie blue from a different district that I was doing it wrong. That I must call "Dead Ball"-Point and say, "Hit her in the box"-Then follow up with "Foul Ball". To me this seems redundant.

I just holler a quick "Foul ball!" If I'm asked for a reason, I just tell them the ball hit her foot/leg/whatever.

Most of the time, when you're killing it this quickly, they already know why.

[vcblue]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

I just holler a quick "Foul ball!" If I'm asked for a reason, I just tell them the ball hit her foot/leg/whatever.

Most of the time, when you're killing it this quickly, they already know why.

Exactly!

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by vcblue

... I was told by a rookie blue from a different district that I was doing it wrong...

When PU, I call Foul Ball.

When BU, I call Dead Ball... and let the PU decide whether it hit the batter in or out of the batter's box.

Of course I think "the last district" always has a better way of doing it, just like "the umpire last night" always allow the teams to do it. (Whatever it might have been.)

[AtlUmpSteve]

To the original post:

It is an absolute no-no in NCAA, and highly discouraged in ASA to advise a new pitcher anything beyond what is reasonably required (outs if the board is wrong, count if any) unless asked. In the simplest terms, all pitching changes are made by a defensive coach, right? Well, if that coach doesn't think the new pitcher needs additional information, why do you?

When a batter is hit by the batted ball, the mechanic strongly urged is to first kill the play with "Dead ball!!". That allows you an added second or two to replay in your head what you just saw, and confirm in your mind what you will rule. Then, you can declare the batter out, OR still add "Foul ball" in addition to the dead ball; perhaps redundant, but not contradictory, and it serves a purpose (slow down, think about it, get it right, all while not seeming to take too long).

I no longer say "Hit her in the box"; instead, I point to a spot and say "Right there". True story, it did happen to me. Working an ASA Women's A National, and said "Hit her in the box". The batter looks up at me, and says matter-of-factly "No, it hit my leg." After biting my tongue, and swallowing it twice, I worked on keeping a straight face, and answered "So it did." And vowed to never put myself in that position again. But, that's just me.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by SC Ump

When BU, I call Dead Ball... and let the PU decide whether it hit the batter in or out of the batter's box.

One of my general disagreements with NCAA mechanics tied in here.

NCAA SUIP says the base ump should wait and NOT call batter touching batted ball, until it is clear the plate umpire didn't see it and won't call it. Now that we have hesitated, the plate umpire has no clue where the batter was when hit (compared to the base umpire killing it immediately). Yet, the plate umpire that didn't see the contact must rule where it happened; and really isn't even supposed to consult with the base umpire unless a coach really insists.

Just have a difficult time wrapping myself around how that is a better mechanic, and an effort to get the call right.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[pob14]

Originally Posted by vcblue

Personally I state "foul ball" and if it was not obvious I will point to the batter in the box and say "Hit her in the box". 99.9% of the coaches and players know what I mean.

However, last year I was told by a rookie blue from a different district that I was doing it wrong. That I must call "Dead Ball"-Point and say, "Hit her in the box"-Then follow up with "Foul Ball". To me this seems redundant.

Old umpire story:

PU: Foul! Hit her in the box!
Batter: No, Blue, it hit me in the foot.

Don't know if it's true or not, but it kept me from ever saying "in the box." :-)