[Gre144]

"1.) When you work the bases, try to call every pitch. Notice how the batters/pitchers/coaches react to called pitches. Notice how different each PU's strike zone can be.
Notice how easy to call pitches when you do not have the "pressure" to be right."
Quote from Pete
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I think that we have to be real careful not to always react to what a coach is saying. I use to always listen to the coach and as I became more experienced, I realized that he was just trying to throw me off. I have coaches that make the call before the ball even hits the catchers glove. This can get you into real if you echo his call. I usually try to block out what the coaches say unless I think that he may have a legitimate gripe after I have pondered my call for a few seconds. Listening to the coach/bench while you are the field umpire can get you into real trouble on a close play. One time I called a guy out just because I heard the coach call him out. I figured he must have seen something that I didn't. The opposing coach came out and said that that was the worse call that he has ever seen. It was his opinion that the runner was safe.

My point is this: You can take suggestions from the sideline but ultimately you must make the call on what you saw and not on what everyone else is saying.

[Edited by Gre144 on Jun 15th, 2001 at 12:44 AM]