OK, I worked the GD for a 14-15 YRO BR game today.

Both teams had monster size catchers. Just what I have been looking for to give this system a final test.

95% of the time, I could see the plate just fine, no problem.

5% of the time, the catchers would set up high and inside and the plate would completely disappear ! The funny thing was, I didn’t care. I new exactly were the plate was and I had no trouble calling the pitches. After a couple of pitches where I was blocked, I learned to make a slight height adjustment so I could see the two front corners of the plate through the gap between the catcher’s helmet and his shoulders. I don’t know if this was the correct way to compensate, but it worked and I had zero complaints on my pitch calling. I only felt like I missed one high pitch on a tall batter that should have been a strike.

Well, there was one pitch that was belt high and inside that I called a ball. The defensive coach shouts “Oh god, how could you call that a ball ?” The catcher stands up, looks at me and says, “How could you not call it a ball, it almost hit the batter ?” We just laughed and continued on. Sometimes I really love working with these kids.

So, I think I am going to stick with it. I had 7 ½ successful years working the slot, but I think the GD system is better. You just can’t beat the view. I don't know my position assignments for my HS playoff games yet, but if I draw a plate, it's the GD for sure.

My understanding is that that when uses the Davis stance one positions one's self in the slot. If that's true the above sentence makes no sense. If that's not true, I misread Carl's articles.

You stand 3 – 4 feet behind the catcher with your nose lined up on the inside edge of the plate.

I have been blocked out in the slot many times. Solution, step back and raise up. Dang, that sounds simmilar to the GD position.

Nick: There are two stances: the slot (where the umpire works off center of the plate) and the box (where he's dead center). GD is a slot, as are the knee, the scissors, heel-toe, or wrestler's balanced.

The salient points of the GD system are: (1) resting your weight on the skeletal structure; (2) putting your nose on the corner; (3) standing one long step bahind the catcher; and (4) coming set well before the pitcher begins his preliminary movements.

There's one other advantage of GD that I haven't dwelled on: It's darn simple to teach!

Give me five minutes, and I can get an absolute rookie (someone who's never called the plate!) in proper position to call balls and strikes. Give me an hour to teach him how to incorporate an artificial delay in vocalizing strikes and balls; and when he goes onto the field, he'll look and sound like a veteran.

My rookie umpires start in B on the bases, use the Gerry Davis stance behind the plate, and get picked by UISc for local tournaments one month into the season.

Nick, that IS the slot.

So in essence you've been saying "I used to use the slot, but now I use the slot." A trifle confusing.

Come on guys, you know what I mean.

When I say I used to work the “Slot”, I mean the “Traditional” slot.

Heal – Toe, in tight on the catcher, chin down at the catchers head, moving all over the place with the catcher, looking across the plate at an angle, looking down on the pitch, blah, blah, blah…

The GD is not just a stance in the traditional slot. It is a system where you use a particular ‘stance’ in a specific ‘position’. One is not independent of the other, you must combine them both for the system to work.

Try using the GD stance tight in on the catcher, now your looking down on the pitch again.

Try using the traditional Heal – Toe stance 3 – 4 feet behind the catcher, can you even see a pitcher out there ?

I see the GD as a System, not just a stance.

Okay, I see the problem. You are confusing the "slot."

The slot is a postion...a location, not a stance. The slot is that area between the catcher and the batter. It has nothing to do with "heal/toe...blah blah blah"", as you put it. You have confused a stance with a location of that stance.

Normally, as Carl has said in his explantation of the GD stance, one centers one's nose on the inside corner of the plate. Back farther...up closer...no effect on the slot.

You were working in the slot. You are still working in the slot. You are using a new stance in the same old slot.

I agree…

I am using a new Stance, in a new Position, in the Same Old Slot.

When I first started umpiring, it was for a very well organized LL group. They had a real umpire association, all volunteer, and held many very well organized, documented and run, umpire clinics. I was taught the Slot from the very first time I dawned the gear. But I was not taught to line my nose up on the inside edge of the plate. We were taught to set up based on where the catcher was at, and then make slight adjustments to a position that allowed us to see the pitcher’s Release Point and the Low-Outside pitch. Very different from this very consistent, nose on the inside edge location I am using now.

This was a great point for you to raise and help me clear up. I see similar questions being asked on other boards.

Moving all over the place with the cathcer is (or shouldn't have been) traditional.

I was always locked in -- just not in as comfortable and repeatable way.

And, I switched to the stance (hands above knees, etc) but kept the same positioning -- heel-toe, up tight on the catcher before I discovered the benefits of moving back. Better than before, but not as good as today.

And, even today, I'm heel-toe (but about 9' behind the corner of the plate, rather than basing the distance on the catcher). I think it gives a better view of the plate. YMMV.

bob,
I understand there will be variation, but could you approximate a range of measurement, for me, of the height distance between your chin/eyes to top of catchers' helmet, or is it all about the plate?
Thanks,
mick

I've been taught the slot is the slot. Keep the position in the slot as consistent as possible. I use heal-toe, but don't move out with catcher. I do step back and up when crowded on inside by batter and catcher. That is the extent of my movement within the slot, and it is usually for one particular batter within a game.

In order to take advantage of the GD’s ability to let you lock in before the pitchers preliminary movements, I think you MUST base your distance on the plate, rather than the catcher. If you lock in prior to the pitcher coming set, as the system is taught, you have no idea where the catcher is going to end up. Sitting here thinking about it, I am probably 6 – 7 feet behind the plate in my GD. Bob’s 9 feet sounds really far back. I might have to try that on a couple of pitches just to see what I see.

Being positioned in the same place for every pitch makes more sense to me. But moving with the catcher was what I was taught, and I saw, and still see, the MLB guys doing. But I like one spot better. And if the catcher moves way outside, I get an even better view of the game. Am I going to get hit, you bet…I took a high inside fast ball foul dead center on my cage (thank god) on Thursday. Only a matter of time before one tags me on the arm.

<b>Being positioned in the same place for every pitch makes more sense to me. But moving with the catcher was what I was taught, and I saw, and still see, the MLB guys doing.
</b>

I don't know where you were taught, but I don't believe any proschool, pro ump or serious clinician ever taught this. The only time one moves because of the catcher is if he takes the slot away. If he moves outside, you stay right where you are.

Do some MLB umpires move? Probably. Do physicians with 20 years experience still do everything the way they learned in med school? I haven't finished med school yet, nor am I an MLB umpire. My evaluator still expect me to do it right.

The GD stance, as I understand Carl's description, is partly based off the distance from the catcher. This seems to be a logical and essential element. I don't understand how one can make such a serious alteration in a "system" without affecting the "system".

Actually, the thing that surprises me the most about the "Gerry Davis" stance, is that it is called the "Gerry Davis" stance.

Our FED clinician, Terry Baughman, has been using this stance for over 25 years.

But then again, it's "America" and not "Eriksonland", isn't it?

Yo GarthB,

I USED to move when I worked a tight Slot.

Now that I have switched to the GDS, I do it exactly as it is described in Carl’s articles and these posts.

And as you can read in my post on May 21, 11:47 PM, I have never been to a Pro school / Clinic. I sure would like to someday. But right now, all my vacation time (and money) is spent with my family.