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Hmmmm,
"I remember in the '95 Series involving the Braves and Indians when he was criticized profusely for calling on one knee...and his delay was annoying. Also, on the side angle shots of him behind the plate, he was at least 4-6 feet behind the catcher.
Tonight, during the Braves vs Rockies game, I didn't know it was him until the announcers said his name on a fair-foul call, and I noticed he uses a box now and is almost immediate with his strike calls. He's made a complete mechanical change. I saw no elements of his previous mechanics...all new.
What made him change, I wonder?"
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In order:
Joe was not ctiricize for "calling on one knee" in that series. His work was held suspect because he was working 10' to 12' (that is feet folks) back and behind the catcher.
He also was never criticized for his delay in calling. If you said this about John Schlock there would be agreement among announcers . . . as we know it is simply good timing.
According to authoritive sources NONE of the umpires mentioned work "the box" . . . authorative sources have clearly intoned that there are two stances that get confused:
1- "Heel-to-toe", which is the stance used by a majority of professional umpires. This is the stance that is taught at professional school.
2- "The Box", which is the remnat of when American League umpires worked with the raft protector. The box resembles a wrestler's stance.
The difference in the stances, according to authorative siurces, is that "heel-to-toe" works in the slot and "The Box" works directly over the catcher's head. Durwood Merrill was the last MLB umpire to use "The Box".
Durwood once said to his friend Dale Scott (who works the slot), "Dale, how the heck can you see anything from waaay over there?"
Finally, as we are all aware the scissors stance in no longer accepted above AA professional baseball any longer (i.e. this would relate to new umpires coming up, not veterans at that level). MLB met with all the current roster of MLB umpires and strongly suggested that all umpires forgoe the scissors at first chance.
If anyone has missed the reasoning stated on this page earlier:
70% of all MLB umpire injuries over the past six years have come from umpires using the scissor stance.
The example used at professional umpire clinics is as follows:
"Take a tennis ball in your hand and hold it out at arm's length and count slowly to 180.
"Now take a bowling ball and hold it the same way and count to 180.
"Notice the difference?
"Now imagine your head is the bowling ball when working the scissors.
"See why all umpires should drop that stance?"
So what we are seeing is that it is a health issue based change.
Tee
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