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Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve
That said, he (BP) was an exceptional clinician, he just didn't toe the line in the "one size fits all when we teach 50,000 umpires" philosophy. I can say without hesitation I learned a great deal from him, among others (some more generally accepted, some less). BP wasn't ashamed to talk about advanced mechanics for advanced umpires, when that was considered an unacceptable heresy.
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BP often stated that the ASA shouldn't have an Advance Umpire School, but a School for Advanced Umpiring. While that is ideal, HP has also been correct in that there needs to be a standard for all umpires, from top to bottom. And IMO that is a logical stance.
We have all witnessed how umpires, like players, will take a stance on certain mechanics and use them regardless of the ability of the crew which s/he is a member. Once heard an umpire tell his novice partner for an JO game that he would be using his NCAA mechanics for the game because he believed moving back to ASA mechanics would throw off those used for college ball. Boys and girls, that just does not always work out well.
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And, as I recall, he had both hip and knee issues, and was dedicated to adopting mechanics with less physical demands. We endorse the EA suggestion that all mechanics are trade-offs, yet some mechanics aren't accepted when they benefit certain groups.
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Seems to me the mechanics should be adopted to the game, not the umpires' ease in performance. That was a major point of the highly debated issue when ASA announced the move o the BU off the line in the SP game.
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Originally Posted by ASA/NYSSOBLUE
That's what we were told...
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Did you buy that claim? Seems to me to have such an advantage, the BU would have to be right up the middle on the pitching arm's side.