quote:Originally posted by Pirate Fan:
Tex -
You sound like a rules jockey. You know the rules, you know the interps, but you do not now or pactice the mechanics.
Real situation (HS,U-14 & above, American Legion,etc) - Catcher sets up on the inside corner, the pitcher throw the ball on the outside corner. For arguement sakes, lets say it is "within the strike zone". What is the call?
BY THE BOOK you would call it a strike.
A good ump will call it a ball. Here is the real world situation. Everyone in the park saw the catcher have to reach across his body to back hand the pitch. If he had to back hand the pitch it had to be outside. No one is going to question your call.
If you CALL IT BY THE BOOK, you are going to have the offensive coach out-of the dugout, agruring the pitch was outside. "Didn't you see him reach for the ball?" You are going to have spectators question your zone, you are going to create a situation that could have been avoided. Don't go there regarding you shouldn't let the spectators bother you, it more than that. You are starting to create a "game situation" that can snowball. GAME MANAGEMENT - that comes from practice. Not from reading it.
Read the rules, read the interps all you want. But this is the way it is.
Too late, Bubba. I've gone there. And you don't want to go there because you know it can't be justified and it doesn't make your position look good.
So you base your calls based on what a coach or the fan is gonna say????? My gosh, man. Just take a Gallup poll of all who are present. Have them all turn thumbs up or down after every pitch. Then you can be completely relieved of making a call that someone would squawk on.
You're gonna let the coach on offense or the fans ("everyone in the park") influence your calls? Man, as a coach that would be great. Just squawk & the calls will go your way. AMAZING!!! But not unusual.
And I have talked with guys who ump AA (pro minors) games about these exact issues. And some of those guys do not agree with you. But then maybe you ump at those levels yourself?