3rd Strike "Call"

Its a good idea not to say "batters out" on strike three just in case you dont see the catcher drop the ball....

With a third strike not caught the batter of course is not yet out and the call of "strike 3 batters out" might cause the batter not to run....

if he doesnt run because of your inadertent call, the offensive manager is going to have a beef with you......and he will be right....

Agree with PIAA.

Remember, it's not the third strike that makes the batter out. In fact, the batter becomes a runner on strike three, if even momentarily. It's the catcher catching strike three that completes the out.

The "batter's out" mechanic that many learn come from working closed bases where there is no D3K. Once you get to levels that the D3K makes a difference then drop the batter's out.

I've also found it curious that there is no verbal call of "batter's out" to accompany the punch out of the batter in the case where the PU sees the clean catch. The out is signaled but not called.

quote:

Originally posted by Kumi:
I've also found it curious that there is no verbal call of "batter's out" to accompany the punch out of the batter in the case where the PU sees the clean catch. The out is signaled but not called.

The "punch out" signals strike three, it does not signal an out. It is common to "punch out" a batter on a called strike three, followed immediately by a safe signal with a "no catch" verbal. The batter is still punched out even though the pitch was not caught.

One more comment:

Last summer I was PU at a "community league" game for 13-14 year olds.

One out. 1st and 2nd occupied. I called "Strike 3" on a swing, but for some reason, I didn't call "batter out". Ball caught clean by catcher. Batter took off for 1st. Upon seeing the batter going to 1st, the runners on 1st and 2nd took off too.

I let everyone run and do their thing. Runners probably couldn't have heard me if I yelled or said anything anyhow as coaches/managers/parents were all yelling something or other. When the action was over, big brouhaha. I sent the batter to the bench (2nd out on the strikeout) and stated that the batter was out no matter what because 1st was occupied. Runners were not required to advance, but did so at their own risk. Result: 2nd out and 2 stolen bases.

This would never have been an issue if I had called "batter out" as I usually did, and the batter PROBABLY would have not attempted to go to 1st.

In any case, I will not call "batter out" anymore, as this is not the correct mechanic.

In this second situation, the mechanic is not universal. Remember, it isn't the strike that put him out, so it's still proper not to say, "Strike three, batter's out."

HOWEVER, some association train their umpires to call the batter out if he heads for first when he is not "eligible" to do so. This they do to avoid the issues you ended up with.

Other associations, (mine included) do not train their umpires to call the batter out because some teams, usually in the lower levels, use this as a legitimate strategy for the possibility that the catcher will make a bad throw and the other runners can advance. Under this thinking, you would be aiding the defense and taking a play away from the offense if you called the batter out.

Couldn't prove the trivia if I had too, but I read some baseball story (may have been Kn Prob. of Baseball?) but it was a long time ago. Said, umpire signals were devised for the hearing impaired, wanna say, some famous deaf player.

The crowd/teams, you had seems to have met that category.
You'd a had to pull out your bull horn to get em to stop.

Signalaling the strike and an emphatic out signal on the catch or occupied base, should be perfectly sufficient.

Don't worry, it does get better, it might just be playing into a good defenses hands, the ones that get you outs. The good catchers know the count and situation, know they caught it, flash you the glove, pump fake to 1st, then, nail one a the bone head BR's.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:
In this second situation, the mechanic is not universal. Remember, it isn't the strike that put him out, so it's still proper not to say, "Strike three, batter's out."

HOWEVER, some association train their umpires to call the batter out if he heads for first when he is not "eligible" to do so. This they do to avoid the issues you ended up with.

Other associations, (mine included) do not train their umpires to call the batter out because some teams, usually in the lower levels, use this as a legitimate strategy for the possibility that the catcher will make a bad throw and the other runners can advance. Under this thinking, you would be aiding the defense and taking a play away from the offense if you called the batter out.

Jimmy hits the nail on the head......some associations teach their lower level umpires (read youth ball) to use "preventitive umpiring" in those situations to avoid the "circus comes to town" event as in the above post....

In higher levels, we are taught and teach that the teams are responsible for knowing the game situation and no aid should be given to any one side.......