Home Plate Umpiring Essentials

The short answer: Some calls are made with a hand/arm gesture, some without. Some with a verbal call, some without. Make your calls in a demonstrative and consistent way to make sure players and managers know what your call is.

Take a few extra moments to make your call and make them clearly, loudly and consistently

-  Take a few extra seconds between the time you see a completed pitch or play and the moment you make your call. This is especially important for calls like foul balls and time outs that immediately stop further play (dead ball situations).

-  Make your verbal calls loudly for everyone to hear. Be consistent with how you make your calls physically and verbally to make it easier for the players and managers to follow.

Practice your calls using these video examples

-  Home Plate Umpiring Essentials

• Calling a strike
• Calling a ball
• Calling a foul ball
• Signaling a fair ball
• Calling time
• Bringing the ball into play
• Making a call on a runner at the plate

-  Advanced Home Plate Umpiring Techniques

• Signaling a foul tip

• Positioning options for a play at home plate

Next up: What safety precautions should I take at home plate?