Plan for Success Behind the Plate

Other than a few gifted umpires, most of us must learn and reinforce a solid plan to have success behind the plate. Consistent umpiring is based on following good habits and behavioral patterns.

Here is a solid formula that will lay the foundation for position, stance, and mechanics:

First, start off relaxed. Either stand up or crouch with hands on knees. Either way you should use the time between pitches to breath and pace yourself.

Next, you must develop a sense of positioning. You must know in advance of dropping into your stance where your head will go for the best vantage point. This spot, relative to the slot, must essentially remain the same for your entire career. With practice and experience you will find the location and angle for your head so your eyes can track the ball and finish on the catcher’s mitt.

When the pitcher is on the rubber, you should arrange your feet and body so all you have left to do is drop into your stance and final position. Your stance should keep you safe, comfortable, balanced and mobile. If you are struggling with a stance, work with a high-level veteran umpire to help you get there.

Next, as the pitcher reaches back to deliver, you must drop down into position while locking in with your head in the pre-determined position. Drop down using a “quick snap” motion. This “snap” is the defining lock-in that will keep you from moving; a slow movement into place will never give you a defined lock-in and may lead to occasional moving or drifting – a recipe for inconsistency.

Now the pitch is on its way. There are 4 steps to follow here that will maximize your ability to get it right: tracking, processing, deciding, and rendering. For the steps to work, each must be completed separately before moving on to the next one.

First is tracking. The natural tendency will be to judge the pitch when it is in flight. This will get you in trouble so slow it all down and let it come to you. Your only job when the ball is in flight is to move your eyes (or “track”) the ball to the mitt. With experience and confidence, you will be able to avoid prejudging.

The next step is processing what you saw. Now that the ball is in the mitt, run it back in your mind. Often referred to as “timing”, it is actually the use of that time that counts. Proper processing will automatically give you proper timing.

The next step is the actual decision. After processing the information, make your decision and then render that decision. One of the biggest mistakes an umpire can make is to begin coming up from the stance to render before consciously making a decision. This act can “box” you into a decision that you would not have otherwise made. This is a product of overlapping the steps. If your strike mechanic itself involves multiple steps (such as vocalize first), you are more likely to rush “processing” and “deciding” while jumping to “rendering”, so a compact strike mechanic is helpful. Although there may be a mere second between the ball leaving the mound and the call, the key is to keep the steps separated.

Consistently following this pattern will lead to consistent judgment and plate performance. There’s no magic – just hard work. 

Foul Ground Umpiring...Are You Ready to Shine

Statistics say a three-hour baseball game on average has 292 pitches and the actual playing action is less than 18 total minutes. I realize umpires work the entire game, but if you do the math and break it down, the average play is a little more than seven seconds in length. That is a small amount of time to prepare when having to make decisions on each individual play. Many times umpires are looking for a way to stand out and separate themselves from the pack as “elite” and based on the stats above, they have a short amount of time to do it.

Great umpiring mechanics and proper positioning while the baseball is between the lines can be attributed to the extensive amount of quality repetition for balls hit in fair territory, taking plays at first base, etc. However, often there are missed opportunities to shine when the baseball is on the foul side of the line. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but the most frequent reasons are not getting a good read on the baseball and/or fielder, assuming the baseball is going to into dead ball territory when it ends up in the field of play, or just overall lack of concentration. Establishing and sticking to a formalized progression on plays where the baseball comes off the bat and ends up in foul territory can help you be in the best position to get the play right. An example of this progression is:

1 – Get a good read of the baseball off the bat
2 – Read the catcher/fielder on their initial movement
3 – Read how far/fast the catcher/fielder is going and in what direction
4 – Determine what is being threatened (foul line/fence/backstop/dugout/etc.) 5 – Move in the similar direction as the fielder but building in an angle
6 - Go as far as the play allows

To elaborate, getting a good read on the baseball means determining which direction did it go (right, left, back, or straight up, “up or down angle”) and at what velocity? That will give you the first indication on how much you might have to move. You should be able to tell this after the ball hits the bat. Secondly, reading the catcher or fielder means reading with your eyes, stand your ground until the catcher/fielder commits to a direction (a path) to try and catch the baseball. Removing your mask or moving too early during this time could cause you to interfere with the fielder, cause the umpire to backpedal (unsafe), and even worse, cause the umpire to be out of position for the play. Once the catcher/fielder starts their path and the umpire has identified what direction they are headed, the umpire can pivot on either foot, open up, and allow them to pass; in umpire training this is called “opening up the gate.” What happens if the baseball is a dribbler down the line? Is there wind that will blow the baseball a different direction thus changing the fielder’s path? With their actions, the catcher/fielder will provide more information if the umpire doesn’t get a good read of the baseball off the bat in step #1. Thirdly, reading the catcher/fielder’s pace of movement, are they full sprint toward the dugout, are they lingering around the plate area? That movement can

transition into #4 and can help an umpire determine where the potential play is going to happen. If the catcher/fielder sprints away in the direction of the dugout, envision a rope tied between the waist of the player and the umpire, pulling the umpire at the pace of the player in the direction of where the play will be made on the baseball. If the catcher stays near the plate, the rope isn’t pulling the umpire away from that area, thus he can simply move back choosing one foul line extended to position himself (the actions of the fielder will determine which foul line extended to choose) so the umpire can judge fair/foul. Next, the umpire should try to build in an angle when moving in the same general direction as the fielder. Lastly, the umpire should move as far as the play will allow, and attempt to get set for the play. The goal is getting to the position that allows the umpire to see first touch of the baseball and/or the open side of the player’s glove. I know it’s easier said than done in some cases and sometimes the umpire may need that extra second to get a better angle, but could the umpire make a quicker decision (process sooner) in one of the previous five areas to give you that extra second in step 6?? A delay in any one of the steps throughout directly impacts your positioning at the end of the play.

Honestly, each play in foul territory is unique and sometimes an umpire’s natural instinct and play recognition gets him through the progression with ease. Occasionally, umpires follow the progression and just get lucky in the way the baseball comes down or how the fielder positions himself. Either way, I was once taught the definition of luck is preparation that meets opportunity. That being said, prior to each pitch think situationally where you are going based on where the baseball is hit. Imagine reading everything perfectly and getting in the proper position to see that pop-up in foul territory near the padded wall next to the fans. The player begins to slide as he reaches toward the wall, potentially trapping the baseball against the wall, but makes a catch, and you the umpire are in perfect position to see it and to make a confident call. That would make you, as well as the entire crew look good, because you didn’t take the play off. You went through the appropriate progression, and were in the best position to get it right.

Here are a series of plays that are examples of umpiring when the baseball ends up in foul territory. Using the progression steps, what was done well? What could be improved on? Don’t focus on the umpire’s judgment or who is in the clip, rather on the positioning and mechanics utilized during each play.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_iK_p67NAHmMGJ6UXRweV9Ca0E/view ?usp=sharing

Hopefully, these progressional steps will help you and your crew shine this season...seven seconds at a time. 

The Law of Perception by Adam Dowdy

Dating back to when I was a student at umpire school in 1995, a comment that continues to resonate with me is, "We need to be athletic umpires on an athletic field." I initially took this literally until I realized I didn't need to train to be an Olympic sprinter or power lifter, as the statement refers to the perceptions people have of us umpires. When asked by fellow crewmembers, "What do you think I need to do to [insert conference and post- season goal here]?" my stock answer is generally to strive for continuous improvement and to look the part by eliminating the checkmarks against you in the

perception categories. Most perception categories for umpires refer to our hustle, appearance, professionalism, and consistency - not necessarily in that order. The great news is we have the ability to control many aspects of all 4.

Hustle

Hustle directly refers to the physical effort to put you in the proper position to get the best perspective of every play. You don't have to be a teenager to hustle. In my years of teaching umpire school, I will attest some of the best examples of hustle came from the efforts of men in their 50's and 60's - well beyond their prime. It wasn't a matter of speed, but rather it was a matter of pride for these men to get set in the best position possible to see the play. We can all control our level of physical effort, which can positively impact the perception others have of our hustle.

Appearance

For umpires, appearance refers to our physical stature and, more importantly, the magnitude we are perceived as being physically fit. This doesn't mean we need to strive to attain 6% body fat and have the latest gear and uniforms in order to get the call for post-season assignments, but rather it should be a way of life in which we properly take care of ourselves and look the part. There are countless reasons why we should take our health and nutrition seriously, with my top 3 being: 1. Maintaining a high quality of life; 2. Being around to have an impact on the lives of my future great-grandchildren; and 3. Being able to umpire at a high level for many years. I would encourage you to take your annual physicals seriously, as this is an opportunity to make adjustments based on the results of your blood work. Diets don't work, but constant focus on fueling our bodies with proper nutrition will ensure we are moving towards being healthy, fit and, when it comes to umpiring, hopefully reflecting in a positive perception of our appearance. Keep in mind your image not only impacts you, but the entire crew. There are ways we can control the perception of our appearance; if you're not sure what to do, just ask!

Professionalism

Professionalism encompasses many aspects of our collective body of work: on and off- field demeanor, field presence, handling of non-routine situations, effective communication, as well as the confidence and competence to perform the many tasks required of our job as umpires. One of my mentors told me, "Being professional means you have the guts to make the unpopular call and handle the aftermath with calm confidence." We are expected to be levelheaded representatives of the conferences and the NCAA on the field, yet some coaches act as if every pitch will dictate the outcome of the 7th game of the World Series. Whether we agree or not, as long as we embrace the mindset that every pitch, every play, and every game is important, we will be making strides toward impacting others' perception of our professionalism.

Consistency

Merriam-Webster defines consistent as "showing steady conformity..." For our practical purposes, being consistent refers to how exact we are from one pitch to the next, from the first to the last. When it comes to plate umpires, there are 3 separators of good versus great: 1. Setting the tone early, which entails being mentally prepared well in advance of the first pitch of the game and knowing the next pitch could be that borderline difference maker that dictates whether your job is easier or more difficult for the rest of the game, depending on how you call it; 2. Working hard to get the best view possible on every pitch. Even when both the batter and catcher crowd our view, it is still our job to render a decision; and 3. Attempting to minimize the number of pitches we call incorrectly. We are all human, so the common denominator across these 3 is continued focus. When you break a game down, outside of the obvious "balls" and "strikes," most plate umpires have fewer than 40 pitches that require a decision. Based on the perceptions, the fewer we miss, the better we are. We may have 3 different plate stances for left-handed pitchers throwing to left-handed batters, but they are all for naught if our calls are incorrect. Some would say its due to a lack of judgment, but I believe we all can be strong behind the plate, so I would argue it is more likely attributed to a lack of focus. Watch your crew chief on the first game of a series and take mental note of how he is calling the pitch just below the knee, at the top of the belt, and on the corners. If he is doing his job well, he is setting the tone for his crew to follow his lead for the series, which is a deeper diver into consistency as a crew. If any part of your post- game feedback revolves around a lack of consistency, you can improve this perception by reverting back to the fundamentals and doing everything possible to improve your mental focus throughout the game.

While there is much that goes into becoming an improved overall umpire, this article should allow you to laser-focus on some points of emphasis our respective conference supervisors and NCAA executives consider when deciding how many games we receive each year and whether we are ready for the next level. Umpiring can be a thankless job, but it has been one of my overwhelming passions, as there are countless similarities between baseball and life. Whether we like it or not, we live and work under a theme that perception is reality. My advice: either spend your time wishing the job to be easier, or embrace the opportunities to make yourself better. It is my sincere hope that everyone finds renewed health this off-season... At least the perception of improved health! I wish you all the best this holiday season.