Quote:
Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve
As to the second, if you WANT to be locked and set with eyes at the top, spreading wider is the best way to adjust to different batter heights. Sitting differently is equally counter-intuitive, and it relies on muscles to stay set and locked, whereas the locked body set of the GD takes the strain OFF the muscles.
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Amen. I switched to the GD stance four years ago, and it has made me a better umpire. In 2008, I went back to school full-time while also working full-time, and quit umpiring for the interim until I graduated in 2012. During that time, I gained about 30 lbs, and sat my a$s to the bone between working and schoolwork.
When I came back to umpiring in 2013, the fatigue I experienced behind the plate was surprising. It affected my timing, and I was poorly locked in. I switched to GD just to survive during a PGF tournament, and immediately noticed the difference. I was able to get my head to the same location for every batter (except really short ones, but that's common to every stance) and keep it there. I quit inadvertently leaning to follow outside pitches as my head could turn on an axis as I tracked the pitch to the glove, and my arms kept my torso locked. As a result, I get hit less too. This might be anecdotal, but I used to eat a pitch/foul ball off the facemask about once a month. Now, since I stay more solidly in the slot through the process of the entire pitch, I notice foul balls flying past my inside ear, missing me, rather than getting whacked in the face or shoulder.
Downsides of GD: It takes just a little longer to pivot around the catcher on a passed ball/high foul pop. If the catcher stands up, you WILL get blocked...whereas with "ASA" heel/toe, you have the torso flexibility to adjust and peek around F2. I also found that it was easier to get TOO low, i.e. chin below the catcher's helmet. That wasn't a problem when I worked heel/toe, as I started higher and set when the pitch started. My arms are slightly more vulnerable on my knees, but so long as I remember to tuck my knuckles behind the top of my shin guards, I'm OK. I unlock my elbows slightly when I go set, so any ball hitting my arms will do so at an angle. The back of my hand between my thumb joint and wrist is the most exposed part. I haven't been hit there yet, but it will eventually happen and it will hurt.
It's not entirely without drawbacks, but the Gerry Davis stance works for me, and I am a big proponent of it for umpires with experience. I also think we should teach new umpires to use heel/toe if possible, to prevent them from developing bad habits such as getting frozen in place, and other things that crop up when we put our hands on our knees.