Thank-you all. I will pass this information along... as well as the following:
Every situation is slightly different. Sometimes it is the catcher that is blocking you and sometimes it is the batter... and sometimes both. The large catcher that likes to put his head squarely on the inside edge of the plate is the worse of the two. Both leaves you very little option.
Rarely do I switch to the outside (half-dozen pitches per season). I only do this when it is absolutely impossible to see anything between the two (catcher and batter) and then my outside edge of the plate is the inside edge for the batter. I can now see up and down good, but have to estimate the "in" on the batter. This generally works okay.
My objective is to see as much of the flight of the ball as I possibly can - preferably the entire flight. I want to see the course of the ball and not just the last hundredth of a second when it appears from behind the batter and disappears into the catcher's mitt.
If I am working the proper edge of the plate in the slot, I will square up with my feet straddling the inside edge of the plate and stand relatively tall to see the pitcher begin his motion and watch the impending release. As the delivery motion is being made I will lower my head towards my final set position where I make the call.
If the batter is crowding, I tend to lower my head in a line close to the center of the plate (maybe 6 inches away from the inside edge) and around the batter's hands... coming into my set position at the inside edge before the ball arrives. This requires some amount of horizontal movement as I come set.
If the catcher is crowding (and refuses to cooperate - some of them just ain't to bright), I tend to lower my head in a line even with the inside the edge of the plate and then come set in a position a couple of inches toward the batter.
Both of these techniques require the umpire to watch the flight of the ball, make a timing judgement upon when the ball arrives the plate, and then compare the ball's position at that time to the plate (in/out) and to the batter's strike zone (up/down). It has little to do with my head position. (A technique used by most beginning umpires is to resolutely place their head with eyes at the top and inside edge of the zone. Strikes are then judged based upon the ball's position relative to the umpire's head ==> below the eyes and away from the batter over the plate is a strike; above the eyes or toward the batter inside the plate is a ball. This still leaves to the umpire's judgement the outside edge and the bottom of the zone but it is dependent upon the umpire being able to place his head at the top inside edge of the zone. And as being discussed here, that placement is not always available - even if it is available before the pitch is delivered, it doesn't always remain available as the catcher and batter settle into their receiving positions.)
This technique of horizontally sliding into a set position and making every effort to see the maximum amount of the ball's flight works well for me. Being able to horizontally slide my head with the ball allows me to see that flight and also allows me to get a better view of the OUTSIDE edge. As the catcher reaches for the outside pitch, his head moves in that direction and I can slide toward the outside a couple inches and make a better judgement of the ball's location.
This may seem contrary for many (moving as the pitch arrives) but as I say, it works very well for me and generally garners me compliments for my consistent strike zone.
The ability to do this is dependent upon using a relatively wide stance, bending at the knees (not your back), and horizontally sliding your knees and butt (again not twisting and reaching from your back). I have some local rookies that refuse to bend at the knees. When they come set their back is nearly horizontal and their head is cocked back touching between their shoulder blades (their strike zone sucks). This technique won't work well for them - as they bend from the waist and twist to the left or right as the pitch arrives, the angle of their head moves in an arc. Bending at the knees is a much more sound ergonomic stance.
Hope this helps some of you.
