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From Mario's fingertips -
1. First and foremost know the rules! That is your main function. Without the rules, you cannot do your job.
2. Get into the correct position. If you can't do this - get off the field!
3. Open your eyes and see to play. See it again in your head. Be confident that you saw it correctly. If you doubt your information, you did something wrong.
4. MAKE A DAMN CALL! That's what you are there for! Your not there to hold conferences with your partner(s). Have some balls and make a call! If you find that you are making more wrong calls that right ones, you need better training or a new hobby!
5. Save your meetings for the locker room! The baseball field is not a meeting house."
Jerry Crawford knows the rules. He was less than 100 feet from the foul ball call he had to make during the Divisional Series. I'm assuming his eyes were open since the cameras showed him looking at the ball. He made the damn call...and he was wrong! The fact that this was a huge game probably meant more to the fans than the crew. The thrid base and home plate umpires both ran up the line and told him what they saw. The huddle took all of ten seconds and Reliford reveresed it.
Stating the obvious, there is a very good reason why those you were talking to are still doing Minor League ball. The mechanic has already trickled down in many Minor League crews and is in fact being scrutinized by Fitz. Our roles are evolving, but one thing has always remained. Our job is to get the call right, not just make the call. If that was the case, any guy from the stands would be doing it. We are paid to be responsible out there. The onus is on the official to be better than what can normally be had.
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