Volunteer Umpire Tip of the Month –
October 2005
Here are two tips that, properly followed, help to convince the
teams and fans that the umpire is “on the ball.”
Signaling the Count
It is not necessary to signal the count after every pitch, but it’s
a good idea to do it verbally because it cements the count in your
mind, thus preventing the embarrassment of an enthusiastic
third-strike call when in fact the pitch was strike two.
Regardless of the count, strikes are always indicated on the right
hand, and balls are indicated on the left hand. A full count should
be indicated by extending three fingers on the left hand and two on
the right.
When using the hands to signal the count, give it verbally too. The
batter and catcher can’t see your hands and need to know the count
as well.
Finding the Ball
Slide plays often produce a great deal of dust, obscuring your view
of the ball. In those cases, you must find it before making a call.
If the runner has beaten the tag, it doesn’t matter whether or not
the defensive player has the ball and the runner should be called
safe. If, however, you’re certain the tag was made first but the
ball cannot be seen, point to the defensive player and say, “Show me
the ball!”
If the defensive player has the ball in his/her possession, sell the
out with an enthusiastic pump of the arm and a loud “OUT!” call.
If, as the dirt clears or the defensive player shows you an empty
mitt, a confident and demonstrative safe call is appropriate.
Do not ask the defensive player to see the ball if you’re already
sure the runner is safe. That conveys lack of confidence in your
decision. You should only ask to see the ball if the tag was
properly applied but you cannot see it in the defensive player’s
glove.
Earlier this year, Andy Konyar (Little League International
Umpire Consultant) was on the hot seat for “Ask Little League,” a
new way for volunteers, fans and others to communicate with Little
League officials and friends. Andy was able to answer inquiries from
more than 160 people in 36 states and 10 other countries!
The
full transcript of the session is here.
Remember, umpires can get rule updates, interpretations, useful
tips like these and much more, by signing up for the Little League
Umpire Registry.
Click here
for more details.
Resources
For more information contact Little League International
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