Weird or maddening "mechanics"

[BretMan]

Lately I've had a rash of "inform the new pitcher" partners. It's bad enough that they want to interject themselves to tell the pitcher the number of outs and how many runners are on base. A lot of guys need to point at each baserunner as they announce them to the pitcher. Just in case the pitcher doesn't know where first, second or third bases are, I guess?

This happened again yesterday. All I could think was, "This pitcher has at least four coaches in the dugout and her own set of eyeballs. Why does the umpire need to tell her the situation?".

I'm seeing a lot of strange stuff on the field this year:

- Last week I worked with a guy who verbally announced called strikes, but didn't use any sort of arm signal! He only made a hammer/arm signal on swinging strikes.

- Was partnered up with two different guys in the past week who didn't wear a chest protector or shin guards. One was in 12U, the other was in 18U. This is just a snapped collar bone or shattered knee cap waiting to happen.

- Was working a game with our associations UIC earlier this year, a guy who has been around forever. He would give the foul tip signal on ALL "fouled straight back to the screen" foul balls!

- My partner yesterday was wearing a blank, non-logo'd hat in our ASA sanctioned event. And it was a beanie!

- Then there was the guy who worked behind the plate with NO hat.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by BretMan

who didn't wear a chest protector or shin guards.

I know an ump who I think shares them with the catcher.

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Lately I've had a rash of "inform the new pitcher" partners. It's bad enough that they want to interject themselves to tell the pitcher the number of outs and how many runners are on base. A lot of guys need to point at each baserunner as they announce them to the pitcher. Just in case the pitcher doesn't know where first, second or third bases are, I guess?

This happened again yesterday. All I could think was, "This pitcher has at least four coaches in the dugout and her own set of eyeballs. Why does the umpire need to tell her the situation?".

I'm seeing a lot of strange stuff on the field this year:

- Last week I worked with a guy who verbally announced called strikes, but didn't use any sort of arm signal! He only made a hammer/arm signal on swinging strikes.

- Was partnered up with two different guys in the past week who didn't wear a chest protector or shin guards. One was in 12U, the other was in 18U. This is just a snapped collar bone or shattered knee cap waiting to happen.

- Was working a game with our associations UIC earlier this year, a guy who has been around forever. He would give the foul tip signal on ALL "fouled straight back to the screen" foul balls!

- My partner yesterday was wearing a blank, non-logo'd hat in our ASA sanctioned event. And it was a beanie!

- Then there was the guy who worked behind the plate with NO hat.

And you still have your sanity???

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by KJUmp

And you still have your sanity???

That is debatable...

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Plenty more strangeness on the field this season! I could write a book...

[GoRedSox]

[QUOTE=BretMan;936113]

- Was working a game with our associations UIC earlier this year, a guy who has been around forever. He would give the foul tip signal on ALL "fouled straight back to the screen" foul balls!

I was assessed the other night by my association President and he said ASA requires a foul signal call on ALL four balls and he was saying not calling it is an NCAA mechanic. I recall at last year’s ASA National Clinic not to signal fouls that are straight forward. Thoughts?

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by GoRedSox

I was assessed the other night by my association President and he said ASA requires a foul signal call on ALL four balls and he was saying not calling it is an NCAA mechanic. I recall at last year’s ASA National Clinic not to signal fouls that are straight forward. Thoughts?

I agree that ASA wants us to signal all foul balls.

I never used to signal the obvious ones, like into the bleachers. Last year several guys that had been to national tournaments posted that they were instructed to signal all fouls. Even on the obvious ones, where no verbal call is needed, we are still supposed to raise our hands.

Personally, I don't recall having been told that by either my local association or at the national schools I've attended. Then again, my last NUS was four years ago. Maybe it's a new directive or emphasis?

The UIC I posed about was giving the foul tip signal (brushing hands together) on all uncaught balls that got nicked and went straight back to the screen. That's just a bad, bad rookie mistake, except it was coming from a guy who's been umpiring for forty years and is the head umpire of our association.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Personally, I don't recall having been told that by either my local association or at the national schools I've attended. Then again, my last NUS was four years ago. Maybe it's a new directive or emphasis?

That's what JJ instructed us to do at last year's 18 GOLD National. All fouls are signaled.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by Manny A

That's what JJ instructed us to do at last year's 18 GOLD National. All fouls are signaled.

Just to follow up on this thought, if all fouls are signaled, does every next pitch need a "beckoning motion" to the pitcher?

I've tried to make sure I do this with runners on base at a minimum. With no runners, if batter is in the BB and pitcher and catcher are ready, off we go.

[charliej47]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

Just to follow up on this thought, if all fouls are signaled, does every next pitch need a "beckoning motion" to the pitcher?

I've tried to make sure I do this with runners on base at a minimum. With no runners, if batter is in the BB and pitcher and catcher are ready, off we go.

Thew last National I attended, I was informed that "We WILL always put the ball back in play after a dead ball. Such as a foul or a stoppage.".

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by charliej47

Thew last National I attended, I was informed that "We WILL always put the ball back in play after a dead ball. Such as a foul or a stoppage.".

But beckoning to the pitcher is incorrect, just say "play".

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Manny A

That's what JJ instructed us to do at last year's 18 GOLD National. All fouls are signaled.

I guess that fits with my being instructed to signal non-catches; regardless of prior teaching.