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Old Fri Mar 03, 2006, 10:29pm
AtlUmpSteve AtlUmpSteve is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Woodstock, GA; Atlanta area
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Quote:
Originally posted by BretMan
First, I generally line up with my nose on the inside edge of the plate. I try to repeat that alignment on every pitch, but will adjust slightly for any extreme movement by the catcher.

That illustration seems like the umpire is a bit too far inside, with his nose at about the inside line of the batters box.
The actual preferred stance of ASA NUS is that you put your inside ear on the inside corner; that keeps your entire head outside the frame of the strike zone, looking in. With a 4" wide ball, that pretty much defines the inner edge of the strike zone.

The other change I would note is that the "good clearance from the catcher" is actually just a bit excessive. The closer you can get, the better you can see past the catcher to the outside corner, and the less the catcher can block your vision. The recommended distance is only about 6". Further, it is recommended that you turn the foot behind the catcher about 45 degrees; that means that when you bend, your knee turns out away from the catcher, not forward into the catcher.
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