call balls and strikes

English

Verb

call balls and strikes (third-person singular simple present calls balls and strikes, present participle calling balls and strikes, simple past and past participle called balls and strikes) (US)

1. (baseball) To act as a home plate umpire.
   • 2015 August 10, Alex Shultz, “Rise of the machines? Baseball weighs use of automated strike zone”, in LA Times‎^[1]:

     The San Rafael Pacifics and Vallejo Admirals, two independent (not major league-affiliated) minor league teams, recently played two games using a computer system, rather than the home plate umpire, to call balls and strikes.

2. (by extension) To act impartially.
   • 2019 May 13, Fran Spielman, “Watchdog should stay, call ‘balls and strikes’ despite our friendship: Lightfoot”, in Chicago Sun-Times‎^[2]:

     Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot said Thursday she wants and expects Inspector General Joe Ferguson to “call balls and strikes” during her administration and sees no reason their friendship would conflict with his role as a city watchdog.