[jkumpire]

Men,

I do not claim to have the reputation to critique an MLB crew, but I had for the first time in my life the ability to see up close an MLB crew, and how they worked. I just thought I'd pass along a few words. I was at the Jake for the afternoon White Sox-Indians game. I sat 20-25 rows from the field, about 1/3 to 1/2 the distance up the 3B line. For the names of the crew, see MLB.com.

1. I love the way these guys work smooth as glass. I knew where everyone would be, what they would be doing, and I really saw U2 hustle for angles even on basic singles to the OF. More comments below, but in short it was a professional job by professional umpires.
2. All their rotations were simple by the book stuff. They had no special rotations, no funky stuff, but there were not a lot of tough plays or wierd stuff in the game either. they only had 2 signals that I saw, but I never looked for INF with R!/R2,, or R1/R2/R3.
3. I noticed two things I questioned about the crew as a whole.
A. The PU used the time play signal of two fingers out on each hand, arms spread wide apart. I dislike that type of signaling for a time play. At school we were taught to just point at the plate with a time play situation, quiet, unobtrusive. Frankly, I'm not sure MLB guys need to give the signal, but if they do, IMO it needs to be more reserved.
B. Several times Tim Chetah, at 3B, would tap the top of his hat with an open palm at the start of a half inning. I believe it was some signal, but the 2B umpire had the stop watch to time things between innings, any idea why?

Most of comments dela with plate work, since the only call with any controversey was dealt with in another thread, and it was not a close play at all.

The PU had a great game, to the extent that Chicago's F2 gave him a nice job signal and word at the end of the game. But he did a few things I didn't like mechanically. First, on about half the pitches in the game, he lowered his head as the pitch came in. I was very surprised at this. His head height was perfect, then sometimes he lowered it. I don't know why, or if it is just a habit, but it didn't look good, and he might have trouble later.

Second, he actually used two different plate stances in the game. For RH batters, he was heel/toe as perfect as any newbie from Evans or Wendelstedt. For LH hitters (every one), he squared up his feet and shoulders, and actually put both hands on F2's back, on either side of F2's backbone. It looked like he was working over the shoulder of F2, and both F2's were bigger than he was. I wish I could ask him why he did this, there was no reason to use two stances.

Third, twice during the game he made it a point to talk to F1. Once, as the Indians came off the field he roamed up the 3B line past his normal postion betweeen innings and intercepted the Cleveland F1. They talked for about 30 seconds. Why, I wonder? Later in the game, after a Cleveland 2B, he walked out to the mound, inspected the ball, threw it out and handed the Sox F1 a new ball. There was no reason for him to go out, nobody asked him to inspect F1. Strange thing he did.

Fourth it was interesting to see his strike call, he used four different ones during the game. Most swinging strikes were a fist and extended arm at waist level forward. To RH batters, he would use a hammer, or he would use a point to his right. To LH batters, his strike call was right hand pointing across his body to his left, turning his head and shoulders. I wonder why he did this.

After every pitch, he put his hands behind his back, until he got set for the next pitch, and the only time he gave a count was 3-2. I really liked his foul tip call, he took two big steps back from F2, rubbed his RH across his L arm twice, then made a hammer. Looked really good. It is not how I was taught to do it, but I am going to try it.

I also liked where he went on infield plays. At pro school we were taught to go straight up the 1B line, following the BR, or the 3B line when required. The PU today was about 5 steps inside the line running parallel to it. Obviously, U1 had any overthrow resposibilities, and balls in front of the plate he can't do it. But in a 2 man crew this is a great place to be if you decide that on 1B overthrows the PU covers the BR. Also, some fields are crowned or the baseline is a pain to deal with, running inside is a good idea. The PU also did this when he had to rotate to 3B when U3 went out or rotated to 2B. I'm going to try this.

The only other thing I wasn't sure about mechanically was what U2 did on ground balls. His gig was to find a perfect angle to see the 2B play. He did find that angle, but he turned his back away from the throw, every time there was a force play at 2B started by F5 or F6. Nice if you can get away with it, but even MLB guys throw balls inside the baseline badly, and he would get drilled and never see it coming. But, he got his angle.

I loved U2's hustle on every fly ball. He did get almost too close to F4 or F6 on a great catch by Cleveland's F6 on a blooper in shrot center. But it was
instructive how he always wanted a 90 deg. angle on all OF throws/plays at 2B he had. And he always got there.

It was also instructive for our s******s, that the only time in the game any of the four guys met between innings was when U1 and U2 met the ground crew guy who brought them water in the mid 8th inning. That is not a lot a lot fo talk, even for MLB crews. Talk only when you need to.

Just a few thoiughts, any reactions?