Quinte Baseball Umpires
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The umpire's right hand signals play, strike, out, fair ball - "the ball's alive", and on the rarest of occasions "infield fly" and hopefully even rarer, an ejection.
The left hand does everything else including awarding bases, controlling the pitcher and holding the indicator and removing and holding the mask.
Remembers that with consistent signals, everyone, coaches, players and fans will be clear about your intentions.
Also remember to take your time. If the pitch is a strike or the runner is out, the call will be the same 3 seconds later. This ensures, that the ball is caught by the catcher or the fielder. This also helps you look like you know what you are doing.
Remember, Read the play, Pause, React to what you see.
The "Play" signal/call is very important for your partner's too! They must know the exact moment the ball becomes alive. If they don't, they will not be able to respond correctly in situations where the pitcher makes a pickoff attempt or drops the ball while standing on the rubber.
On a non-swinging strike, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS VERBALIZE the call and indicate your call with a raised right arm and with a clenched fist. Also indicate the number of the strike. Example "Strike One"
The exception to the NOT VERBALIZING is on a third strike; the plate umpire again raises his right arm and says "Strike Three" firmly but does not "sell the call.
Never say "Strike Three, Your Out" If the catcher drops the ball, the batter is not out until tagged or put out at first base. This is unless first base is occupied and there are less than 2 out.
Never indicate why a pitch was a ball, for example: "High, Ball One"
"Ball Four" is announced clearly. You should NEVER point to first base. Just say "BALL FOUR".
The hand gesture towards first base could be seen as a Strike Call. Professional umpires never point to first.
Umpires learn that there are many moments when time is out, and it has not been called. This is normal in the course of a game as the umpires change their field positions, players repair equipment, clean off the plate, or hundreds of other reasons. It may be the a simple lifting of the hands communication between crew members, or the plate umpire holding the stop hand up.
Both hands extend to shoulder level at the same moment. A full count is always signalled as "three balls, two strikes" and never signalled using clenched fists.
The count is relayed back to the pitcher after every pitch and a verbal report is made usually after the third and fifth pitch.
The count is always read aloud as "two balls, two strikes" and not "two and two" or "twenty-two" or other similar variation.
Signaling, a small discreet "out" means the ball was caught. Pointing to the ground with your right hand can mean the ball was trapped or not caught.
This is crew dependent and should be discussed before the game.
A "selling it" call that occurs when a runner slides under the tag or the tag is high. You can save some grief by indicating a loud "Safe, he missed the tag!" and following it with a tapping motion where the tag was. Everyone will know you saw the tag and most will assume the runner had the bag before it.
The base umpire needs to pay specific attention to a ball hitting the batter in the batter's box. If the batter has not moved the base umpire will immediately call "Dead Ball".
If the batter is in motion the base umpire must delay to see if the plate umpire is going to make a call. Only if the plate umpire is silent, and the base umpire is certain the batter contacted the ball outside of the batter's box would the base umpire signal "Time, that's interference, the batter is out!" otherwise the call is "Dead Ball".
The other side of this is to make no gesture. If you gesture a run scores, then do not or forget to gesture, this will lead to confusion for the defense. If you are going to do it, be consistent.
A request should never be refused. The argument on the refusal will take longer then the appeal.
Step away from the plate, remove your mask. With your left arm point to the base umpire and ask "Did he go?" If the answer is yes the base umpire signals - Strike while saying "Yes, he did!" If the answer is no - a Safe sign with "No, he did not go!"
The plate umpire will update the count, and announce it to all.
The sequence of arriving at that signal is, point at the pitcher, arm at shoulder height, and say "That's a balk" .... now if the pitcher hesitates in his delivery call "Time ... that's a balk" and award the bases "You, second base" etc. Pointing at the pitcher will allow sufficient time to determine a delayed balk call situation.
If a play is being made on the obstructed runner the ball is dead. Immediately signal "Time". This is followed by an awarding of a base or bases either after play has stopped or even while play remains ongoing.
Unless a play was being made on the obstructed runner the ball remains alive.
Juggle hand signal when the fielder is on the base for the force out but not in full possession of the ball.
Some umpires give the safe signal and then point to the ground several times saying "on the ground, on the ground" when the ball is dropped. The terms "Catch" and "No Catch" could be mixed up over the crowd noise.
The verbal call needs only to be given on a trouble ball, for example: a ball caught diving or below the fielder's knees. Routine fly's can be signalled or not signalled depending on umpire. If a ball is on the foul lines first signal whether the ball is fair or foul, then the catch or no-catch status if desired.
Responses
1) The number of outs are relayed by hold the appropriate number of fingers, pointing down, pressed against the right leg or
2) touching the brim of the hat with the appropriate number of fingers (or a clenched fist if no one is out.) A plate umpire often signals the number of outs by touching the side of the mask with a closed fist (0 out), one finger (1 out) or two fingers (2 out) extended.
Response is made by holding the number of balls in the left hand and the number of strikes in the right hand. These are held pressed against the shirt just above the belt. The responding umpire also calls the count aloud.
Another sign flashed around many diamonds is a warning to be alert for a potential "two-out" time play situation. The plate umpire simply taps the back of his wrist where he would normally wear a watch.