This happened yesterday in my son's Legion state tournament game:

My son was catching, full count on batter. Good pitch, looks like it catches the plate, batter takes, umpire makes the motion like he's going to ring him up, and says "Ball!" Batter runs to first.

We chirp up in the stands a bit, not so much because it looked like a strike, but because the umpire looked like he was ringing the kid up.

It didn't matter, because the next batter popped out for the third out. But after the inning my son motions to me, wants to tell me something.

I go down to the dugout, he tells me that after the call the umpire said to him: " *&%#, I meant to say STRIKE!"

I assume this happens more than we know, but it is probably rare for the ump to admit it to the catcher. But here's my question:

Do umpires ever just reverse themselves when this happens, or would that result in losing credibility?

Well, it reminds of one of those ole umpire stories, don't recall who, but some famous base stealer slides into 2nd on a close play, the runner is out by an inch, blue says "OUT" while gyrating in a massive safe signal. As the runner and SS stare at him in wonderment, blue tells the runner "stay there your safe". Runner says "but you called me out". Blue says; "yeah but 60 million people just saw me call you safe."
Hopefully, he's working on his timing.

quote:

Do umpires ever just reverse themselves when this happens, or would that result in losing credibility?

Generally it's best for the ump to just swallow the mistake, take his lumps and move on.

When an ump registers strike three the brain sets some body things in motion. On occasion, for some inexplicable reason, the brain misinforms the mouth. I'm guessing that what you saw was part of the body movement that goes with the "punch out" but the umps mouth said "ball". This normally occurs due to a lack of focus or bad timing by the ump. This is commonly referred to as a "brain ****".

It has happened to all of us at some point in time. As Pilsner said it's either timing or lack of focus for that moment.

Ahh yes... not proud of it, but been there...done that.....took my lumps.....


I do not change the call.....

As the previous ump said, I also have been there and done that. What can I say? I do about 125 games each year, and this will happen. The important thing is to NOT do a "make up call" on the next close pitch. Re-focus on the next pitch and call it straight up like it should be and put the mistake behind you. That is the best advise I can give.

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:
Ahh yes... not proud of it, but been there...done that.....took my lumps.....


I do not change the call.....

ditto! It is frustrating when this happens, but I have found that every time I have done something like this it is an idication that my timing is too fast. For me when I call a strike I stand up and hammer, but I call a ball while still in my crouch and what happens to me is when I am working too fast and I'll get an off speed pitch that I mis-read as a fastball and my body reacts with the fastball timing and I will have a little twitch that is the very first movement of standing up to call the strike, but as that motion is just starting I will see the pitch tumble out of the strike zone and I will call it a ball, verbally while forcing my body to stay down. I have had good partners and coaches who have caught it, but usually I am the only one who knows, but I'm usually pretty upset with myself when it happens. At least I know the cause and the way to correct it.