consistency on low pitches

[YoungRighty]

I'm now a veteran of a whopping 20 games or so behind the dish. I have made a few adjustments and feel like for the most part I'm seeing the ball pretty well now. I have been told by experienced partners that I'm doing a decent job of keeping my head still and that I don't have any major problems with stance, etc. But I still feel like I'm struggling to be consistent with the low pitch.

Does anyone have any general advice or tips to help me develop more consistency on these? Or do you think I just need to see more pitches?

[mrm21711]

Yeah...good question. I firmly believe in maintaning a firm and consistent stance. I remember Gerry Davis, MLB umpire, saying that people say head height should be at the catchers mask, he said thats the lowest it should be...the focus should be consistency. As far as seeing low pitches, I understand and have been in your shoes, the question is how "low is the pitch?" Knees or ankles or whatever? No matter how good your stance is, a truly low pitch isnt gonna look good...i think anyway. Work on following the ball in with your eyes all the way into the glove, that eliminated all of my problems. I noticed myself giving up on low pitches which were not that bad and second guessing my call, whether i called ball or strike. Followign the ball in all the way, as simple as it sounds, was something I was ignoring and it showed on those close, borderline calls.

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by YoungRighty
Does anyone have any general advice or tips to help me develop more consistency on these? Or do you think I just need to see more pitches?

Try some combination of:

1) Make sure you're watching the ball all the way into the mitt, and not falling back on "tunnel vision."

2) Sneak a peek at the batter's knees just before the delivery -- it will give your eyes a reference to "how far down" is still a strike.

3) Place the lower bar of your mask at the knees. IF the ball goes below that, it's too low. (Doesn't work for all stances, or masks).

4) Use the catcher -- if the mitt turns over, it's too low. (The effectiveness of this depends on the level of ball.)

5) Work a scrimmage (or a game) with a partner you trust. Have him / her give feedback on every low pitch -- it can be as simple as pointing to the ground on pitches that are low.

[johnSandlin]

I agree with Bob on all ther points he made, but especially the ones that he made about sneaking a peak at the batter's knees before the pitch, and also when Bob said using the catcher.

The catcher can help you in most times, but there are those times where the catcher is your enemy and wants no part of helping you out.

What I normally do, is let the batter get set, and then sneak a peak at the batter's knees before the pitch starts coming.

The other thing that I do is I tell every catcher, is "Just give me a look and opportunity." Most catchers will understand what you saying, but you have to explain this statement to some as well. I just tell to give me a good presentation of the pitch and also give me a chance to call the pitch before you throw it back to the pitcher.

[greymule]

Consistency on low pitches is one of the marks of a good umpire. With our eyes at the top of the zone, we have to rely more on depth perception on low pitches, and the catcher is more likely to "steal" low strikes if he sets up well.

I agree with just about all the advice posted.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

I feel the low pitch is the toughest part of the zone to call.

I don't know that I'm different from the other posters but I tend to find the limits of the zone AFTER the pitch. I do lend some credence to where the catcher makes his catch but we all know that pitches break and often the catch of a pitched strike can be made a foot below and a foot outside.

I definitely take stock of batter's stature/size before the pitch but by AFTER, I mean that I see the pitch come over the plate and then I find his knees. I set up at the top of the zone (of course that is different for every batter) but for pitches at the bottom and the outside I tend to make my judgement of those pitches by seeing the pitch come over the plate and then looking at the knees or at the outside edge and finally making a yes (strike) or no (ball) judgement. By the use of the words yes or no I'm also saying that I am looking for strikes. I want the pitch to be a strike. The pitcher and the catcher have got to prove to me that it wasn't a strike because I want to make a strike call and I want to keep the game moving.

Concentration is the key. You've got to make those judgements for every pitch, everytime. As soon as you get tunnel vision and call the pitch without thinking about its location, there will be a pitch of questionable location and you will likely miss it.

[umpyre007]

Originally posted by mrm21711
I remember Gerry Davis, MLB umpire, saying that people say head height should be at the catchers mask, he said thats the lowest it should be...the focus should be consistency.

That's good advice. At my tall height I used to try to get down to the chin/head "approved height" but it was always a struggle, especially with smaller catchers. Then I changed to a consistent lock-in height regardless on the size of the strike zone.

A couple of adjustments that I made after attending an umpire school were:

1. Maintain the height that was comfortable for my knees.

2. Concentrate on keeping the butt down instead of leaning too much into the slot. This saves the back.

3. Body and equipment is toward the pitcher but my head is rotated just slightly "in" towards the plate. The initial pitcher's motion and release of the ball is picked up out of the corner of my eyes and then my eyes are free to float through the zone with the flight of the ball all the way into the catcher's mitt. This keeps my head from moving.

4. For very small batters I was taught to then tip my head very slightly "down" to better see the lower pitches on these players.

These tips improved my zone consistency dramatically.

The other resourse of a good strike zone is a catcher that is doing his job. At the very beginning of each game I have a quick friendly chat with the catcher(s) reminding them to reach out on the lower strikes. This keeps the pitch at the knees and doesn't give the impression that it was too low as in when a catcher allows the pitch to come all the way to him. I do the same thing with pitches on the corners. I ask the catcher(s) to hold that pitch just a split second longer so it looks good.

Strike zones are all perception. In higher levels of play rarely will a coach squawk about the low pitches as long as you are consistent for both teams. They are constantly reminding their pitchers to "keep the ball down" since they know if the pitcher is up a lot there will be a lot of hard hits, even over the fence.

U007

[Rich]

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown
I feel the low pitch is the toughest part of the zone to call.

I don't know that I'm different from the other posters but I tend to find the limits of the zone AFTER the pitch. I do lend some credence to where the catcher makes his catch but we all know that pitches break and often the catch of a pitched strike can be made a foot below and a foot outside.

On the big diamond, this is virtually impossible. A pitch in the dirt or far outside is a ball, no matter how the pitch "crosses" the plate.

While building up the techniques that Bob pointed out, work on timing and calling the zone based on where the catcher catches the ball.

--Rich

[David B]

Originally posted by YoungRighty
I'm now a veteran of a whopping 20 games or so behind the dish. I have made a few adjustments and feel like for the most part I'm seeing the ball pretty well now. I have been told by experienced partners that I'm doing a decent job of keeping my head still and that I don't have any major problems with stance, etc. But I still feel like I'm struggling to be consistent with the low pitch.

Does anyone have any general advice or tips to help me develop more consistency on these? Or do you think I just need to see more pitches?

In helping young umpires call the low strike I stress take your time as Bob said and follow the ball all the way to the mitt with your eyes.

Also, its easier to call the low strike by moving the head a little higher and also to move into the slot a little more. That helps to follow the ball across the plate and to the mitt.

If you are in your stance and cannot see the mitt then you need to change your stance.

The umpires worse enemy is the F2 who lets the ball come all the way to him and doesn't frame the low strike because it makes it look lower than it was.

Also remember, the low zone changes by batter. The guy who is 6'4" look at his knees before the pitch. I look in relation to the catcher's shin guards.

Then the guy who is 5'3" and who squats, look at his knee again in relation to the chin guards of F2. That helps me establish a focal point for the ball crossing the plate.

And lastly, its a game by game struggle. Some games you might starts a little low, ask your partner how's the low zone look. You can still change it a little early in the game. Then as the game goes on, you'll get the best compliment, "well, he's been calling it there all night."

Good luck
Thanks
David

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

On the big diamond, this is virtually impossible. A pitch in the dirt or far outside is a ball, no matter how the pitch "crosses" the plate.

While building up the techniques that Bob pointed out, work on timing and calling the zone based on where the catcher catches the ball.

--Rich

Not sure what "on the big diamond" means... perhaps that is some poke at me ( I work the biggest games available to me around here - HS and some junior college and they don't play on a 60 foot diamond). Not sure what "virtually impossible" means... balls definitely do break. And with a catcher reaching for a breaking pitch that goes through the zone, he can make it look like the ball was a foot outside and a foot below the knees - definitely possible. Happens quite often.

There is one thing that makes a strike a strike and that is the umpire calling it a strike. If an umpire calls strikes when the catcher makes the pitches look bad, the umpire is going to catch some crap and cut himself short on the level of games assigned and that he will get to work - independent of where it crossed the batter/plate.

If that is what you are saying Rich, we are in agreement. If not, then you are going to have to explain more.

I definitely do not "just" rely upon where the catcher catches the ball. Because the same breaking pitch could miss the zone and yet be caught in a position, that if it were a fastball, would surely have been a strike.

[DG]

The bottom of the strike zone is the knee, the bottom of the knee included. The ball is over 2 inches wide and any part of the ball passing through the strike zone is a strike. So call the low strike when you see it. The pitchers are trained to "keep it down" so don't squeeze the down part of the zone. The pitchers are trying to throw it so call it. If consistently called, no one will argue they will just adjust. It does not matter the level of play, just the height of the players.

[Rich]

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown

Not sure what "on the big diamond" means... perhaps that is some poke at me ( I work the biggest games available to me around here - HS and some junior college and they don't play on a 60 foot diamond). Not sure what "virtually impossible" means... balls definitely do break. And with a catcher reaching for a breaking pitch that goes through the zone, he can make it look like the ball was a foot outside and a foot below the knees - definitely possible. Happens quite often.

There is one thing that makes a strike a strike and that is the umpire calling it a strike. If an umpire calls strikes when the catcher makes the pitches look bad, the umpire is going to catch some crap and cut himself short on the level of games assigned and that he will get to work - independent of where it crossed the batter/plate.

If that is what you are saying Rich, we are in agreement. If not, then you are going to have to explain more.

I definitely do not "just" rely upon where the catcher catches the ball. Because the same breaking pitch could miss the zone and yet be caught in a position, that if it were a fastball, would surely have been a strike.

What I mean is that at the levels I work, the ball cannot cross the plate as a strike and end up in the dirt or a foot outside.

I've seen pitches be more accepted on the small diamond that behave like this -- I wasn't even directing that comment at anyone.

Certainly you cannot rely solely on where the catcher catches the ball. A curveball caught at the top of the zone is frequently too high. But where the catcher catches the ball is one of the pieces an umpire can use to help himself out.

My list is this:

(1) Good solid stance with good head height
(2) Good timing
(3) Following the ball all the way in with the eyes
(4) Did I mention good timing? Timing doesn't mean waiting a second before announcing the pitch. It means allowing the pitch to come all the way to the glove and process whatever information you can until the ball is caught.

--Rich

[Carl Childress]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by David B

Originally posted by YoungRighty
I'm now a veteran of a whopping 20 games or so behind the dish. I have made a few adjustments and feel like for the most part I'm seeing the ball pretty well now. I have been told by experienced partners that I'm doing a decent job of keeping my head still and that I don't have any major problems with stance, etc. But I still feel like I'm struggling to be consistent with the low pitch.

In helping young umpires call the low strike I stress take your time as Bob said and follow the ball all the way to the mitt with your eyes.

Also, its easier to call the low strike by moving the head a little higher and also to move into the slot a little more. That helps to follow the ball across the plate and to the mitt.

David: At the January meeting of TASO, the subject of how to "call the low strike" arose during the mechanics session. The "professional" position was espoused by minor league umpire Jason Millsap.

Like me, he says the best way to gain consistency is to move back from the catcher. If you ordinarily work 18 inches behind him, move to 36 (one full step). That allows you to see the ball in relation to the batter's knee without having to move your eyes up/down. You'll track the ball through the strike zone much better.

Of course, I use the Gerry Davis stance, so I work deeply anyway. On those one or two occasions when someone had the termerity to claim I missed a low pitch (grin), I moved back, stayed back, and everybody shut up.

David, check out the illustrated articles on the Gerry Davis stance at Officiating.com. Try it. You'll like it.

EVERY UMPIRE IN MY ASSOCIATION (over 100) who has tried the stance now uses it. I'd say that's 90% or so. I'll do a survey at our next meeting and report back.

[Edited by Carl Childress on Mar 29th, 2004 at 11:29 AM]

[Tim C]

In the strongest way possible I want to support Carl's position.

I also have switched to the Davis stance and (on another website) will posting my review of the my first year using the stance.

I work a full 3' back from the catcher . . . I have even moved back a little more under some sequence of events . . . I also work "higher" than many of my partners BUT my head height is the same every time.

As Bob and Rich said:

Follow the ball,
Have good timing (not FAKE timing),
Gain information from as many sources as possible,
And have a consistent head height,

And as Carl said:

Work deeper and let it happen!

Tee

[David B]

I agree with Carl and I see Tim echoed that very well.

I switched to the Gerry Davis stance three years ago after 20 years on the knee and I absolutely love it.

I like to stay in the slot a little so I think its called the balanced stance but you work in the slot.

I saw a couple of the ML umpires using the stance, it looked comfortable and they had very good strike zones in the games I watched.

I found the info Carl suggested and it has worked very well for me.

Its funny because I'm so far back from the F2 that sometimes I hear the fans on the close pitch they want called their way echo "if you'd get up to the plate you could see it better"

Of course I usually just move back another step and then I can see fine.

So that is my tried and true confession in favor of that philosophy.

And as you note in the stance, the head stays high above that of F2. I've seen some guys in trying the stance move their head too low and it can cause some inconsistency.

thanks
David

[Edited by David B on Mar 29th, 2004 at 12:57 PM]