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Awareness
JJ,
Interesting that you would mention "Awareness."
I am going to attempt to add "Awareness" to my games next year.
I was talking to a AA umpire last year after one of his games and we were talking about a particular at bat. He mentioned -
1) The game situation - inning, score, outs, runners, etc.;
2) What this batter had done in his previous at bat;
3) Specific pitches that the pitcher had thrown to this
batter in the previous at bat (inside, outside, low, high, etc.) and what he, the umpire, had called them (strike or ball);
4) The on-deck batter and what he had done in a previous at bat;
5) Previous at bats during this series of both the batter and the on-deck batter;
6) The pitcher's tendencies; and
6) Both benches tendencies to make comments about pitches (only close pitches, only crucial pitches, hardly ever, etc.)
I was amazed. I am usually just trying to get the pitch right and don't even know who the batter is, let alone who is on deck. That's when I decided to see what I could do in 2006.
So when I get the line-ups and mark my A's B's and C's on the substitutes (I used to do it when the sub was used - now I am going to try T's method of marking them before the first at bat), I am going to try to keep track of the line-up in my head.
It will be an interesting experiment - especially since I am starting to work a new league - where I don't know anybody.
Walt
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