When a catcher calls for an appeal, what does he say?

[CC]

Is there a phrase catchers are required to say when they ask for an appeal on a checked swing? Do they have to say “appeal” or something? Or do they just have to point to the ump?

[Moriarty]

@CC

Is there a phrase catchers are required to say when they ask for an appeal on a checked swing? Do they have to say “appeal” or something? Or do they just have to point to the ump?

The home plate umpire is the one was actually requests assistance after the catcher or manager asks. A quick look at the rules doesn’t seem to define “appeal.” So I think the person just has to ask the home plate ump to check with the first or third base ump. Pointing seems to effectively convey the request.

From the comment of Rule 8.02(a)

The manager or the catcher may request the plate umpire to ask his partner for help on a half swing when the plate umpire calls the pitch a ball, but not when the pitch is called a strike. The manager may not complain that the umpire made an improper call, but only that he did not ask his partner for help. Field umpires must be alerted to the request from the plate umpire and quickly respond. Managers may not protest the call of a ball or strike on the pretense they are asking for information about a half swing.
Appeals on a half swing may be made only on the call of ball and when asked to appeal, the home plate umpire must refer to a base umpire for his judgment on the half swing. Should the base umpire call the pitch a strike, the strike call shall prevail. Appeals on a half swing must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the half swing occurs during a play which ends a half-inning, the appeal must be made before all infielders of the defensive team leave fair territory.
Baserunners must be alert to the possibility that the base umpire on appeal from the plate umpire may reverse the call of a ball to the call of a strike, in which event the runner is in jeopardy of being out by the catcher’s throw. Also, a catcher must be alert in a base stealing situation if a ball call is reversed to a strike by the base umpire upon appeal from the plate umpire.
The ball is in play on appeal on a half swing.
On a half swing, if the manager comes out to argue with first or third base umpire and if after being warned he persists in argu- ing, he can be ejected as he is now arguing over a called ball or strike.

http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/0/8/0/268272080/2018_Official_Baseball_Rules.pdf

[Gus_Gusterson]

This is one of those things where a request has been boiled down to a gesture. Another is the batter putting his hand back toward the plate umpire to request time out while he’s getting situated in the batter’s box. The umpire is under no obligation to grant the time-out request but they almost always do. It’s a pointless dance since the pitcher won’t quick pitch the batter unless he wants to be punched in the face.