Go to this site and let me know if I am doing the GD stance correctly. I found this by accident. Any suggestions or comments? BTW, I love this stance, and I highly recommend it.

http://www.illinoishighschoolsports....c;f=7;t=002947

Looks pretty good to me. Question though. Do you always walk around with that bat growing out of your head?

BP

The bat-in-my-head thing is a long story. It don't hurt so much anymore, and it's a great conversation starter! Better that having it where some coahes would probably like to put it.

gd stance
 

the first pic looks good, however if you look at the other pics your hands are in a diff. position making it so your not locked in the same postion on every pitch.
just a thought.

Did anyone else notice on the second picture that the pitcher was throwing soo hard he s**t himself?

Actually, the second picture is not me. The game was a Varsity/JV DH. I worked the plate the Varsity game and the bases the JV game. However, I too, noticed that my artner had a differrent placement of his hands. This umpire is a first year HS umpire that worked alot of LL for me when I wqas UIC of the local LL. He does a nice job, and is only 19.

my bad, if i would have looked closer i would have seen the diff in hair color. sorry first pic looks great. this is my second year using the gd stance, havnt had a gross miss since, even converted about five other varsity guys to use it also. of course there will be the real old timers that would never think of changing, too bad for them.

I have been checking games on TV hoping to catch Gerry Davis umpire a game. Are there any other MLB umpires who use the GD stance?

saw one the other night in the Atl-houston game, but cannot remember his name, sorry.

Illini_Ref

I would suggest keeping your hands off your thighs. If a ball hits your hands whil,e locked into that position you have a greater chance of suffering broken bones. The picture where your hands are dangling is much safer.

Michael

Tonight's Red Sox Blue Jays game. Mark Carllson was using the GD stance.

I have tried the stance and it seems to me to be one that is less stressful on the body parts, until you get hit by a pitch. It may be great in MLB where the catchers are going to catch, or at least stop a pitch, but in HS and below it is a bit risky. I like keeping my hands flexible in front me, so that if I am hit, there is some give.

Jim Reynolds (MLB #77) also uses the GD stance along with Mark Carlson (#48 i think). I cannot think of anybody else who uses the GD stance though besides GD himself.

That defeats the whole purpose of the GD stance.

Exactly. The hands on the legs provide the lock point and provide consistency. Without the hands, there's nothing to stop you from moving up and down during the pitch or setting differently for each pitch.

There's a lot of fear of getting hit with a baseball showing up on the boards lately. I'm not sure what's up with that, but it's always been a part of umpiring and is part of the tradeoff for not using a balloon protector and getting a superior view from the slot. Buy good equipment, trust your equipment and realize that you're going to get hit once in a while -- being afraid or flinching isn't going to make you more or less likely to get hit. If you are uncomfortable working a stance (like the GD stance), work the standard heel-to-toe stance or work the scissors. Or go Carl's route and buy forearm protectors, but be aware that Carl can get away with such things, being Carl. A newer umpire may find this to be a career limiting move because of the perception of wearing such things -- you may be viewed in the same way as an umpire that puts his hands behind his back to call balls and strikes -- afraid of getting hit and a lesser umpire because of it.

I've been smashed in the left hand this season by an untouched fastball in a HS game and I don't work the GD stance. Happens once in a while -- at all levels.

--Rich

[Edited by Rich Fronheiser on May 14th, 2004 at 09:54 AM]