Turning your head calling strike

[Rich]

Originally posted by Carl Childress

Rich: I appreciate your admitting my superior knowledge about the rules.

You seem to disparage my knowledge of mechanics.

Here's my resume:

Referee Enterprises published:

Behind the Mask (c) 1987
On the Bases (c) 1987
Take Charge (c) 1990

RightSports published:

51 Ways to Ruin a Baseball Game (c) 2000

Gerry Davis Sports Education published:

Working the Plate/Working the Bases (c) 2002

Due out at the end of the summer:

50 MORE Ways to Ruin a Baseball Game (c) 2004

I don't claim I have mechanics knowledge superior to yours; but three separate publishers, in three separate decades, have thought my work sufficiently "plausible" (shall we say) to stake their money on my ideas.

I repeat:

The umpire gains nothing when he turns his head away from the field.

The umpire may lose when he turns his head.

As yet, I have heard nothing other than "cosmetics" (I like to do it!) to support this bad habit.

I'm not disparaging anything, Carl. Your resume speaks well of your WRITING ability -- which has never been in doubt.

Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Michael Moore, and many others have been able to find publishers. People like reading authors with strong opinions and with reputations. Your work at Referee was excellent, however much of your more recent works seem to be written to tilt at windmills rather than to educate and inform. Your "never in position A" writing is a good example of this, Carl.

I don't have the time or inclination to write books or even write articles on umpiring. I'm sure that I could do so if I had the time or the desire. I have neither. I have no offseason. I referee HS and college basketball, am a crew chief in high school football, and umpire HS and college baseball along with a lot of summer ball. I'm working on an MBA and my wife and I are expecting our first child.

But that doesn't mean a darn thing. Neither does a resume. What matters is -- how good are you tonight behind the plate or on the bases or in what you write.

I'm more impressed with your umpiring resume than your resume as an author, BTW.

Turn your head, don't turn your head. I don't care. Teach new umpires not to turn their heads, I agree. But don't make a blanket statement that all umpires benefit from this. I don't -- the ball is either caught or not caught well before I signal a strike. Argue that point. Sure I could signal without turning my head, but I don't feel that I need to. So what? If I screw up because of it, I'll be sure to let everyone know. Hasn't happened yet.

[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

I'm not disparaging anything, Carl. Your resume speaks well of your WRITING ability, of which I will not debate either.

Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Michael Moore, and many others have been able to find publishers. People like reading authors with strong opinions and with reputations. Your work at Referee was excellent, however much of your more recent works seem to be written to tilt at windmills rather than to educate and inform. Your "never in position A" writing is a good example of this, Carl.

I don't have the time or inclination to write books or even write articles on umpiring. I'm sure that I could do so if I had the time or the desire. I have neither. But that doesn't mean a darn thing.

I'm more impressed with your umpiring resume than your resume as an author.

Turn your head, don't turn your head. I don't care. Teach new umpires not to turn their heads, I agree. But don't make a blanket statement that all umpires benefit from this. I don't -- the ball is either caught or not caught well before I signal a strike.

Very interesting: When I offer something new, you disparage it. When I stick with something old, you disparage it. I'm afraid that it's personal with you.

[Rich]

Originally posted by Carl Childress

Very interesting: When I offer something new, you disparage it. When I stick with something old, you disparage it. I'm afraid that it's personal with you.

You mean like when you had me removed as a moderator of this very board just because I told you off in a personal email?

Pot, kettle, black, Carl.

[TBBlue]

Enough...take this cat fight private, please...MEOWWWW....sounds like the women I work with.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by Carl Childress


Wait, I'm misreading. How does preparing to turn your head after you call the pitch help you "slow down"?

From my point of view, it's hard enough to track the ball. I'd never be able to track my head as well.

Oh, I'd also be interested in knowing how you can determine in advance that "nothing else is going to happen."

Carl, it helps me. If you cannot understand it, that is not my problem. You claimed it was a bad habit, when I have never missed a single play as a result of doing this. I know when to turn my head and I know when not to. It is not that hard. Baseball is one of the easiest sports to officiate and guys like you make it much harder by requiring all these personal feelings to get in the way of it. I call the pitch, then as I am getting up, I make a signal. Never had a problem with this. And it really does not cause me any problems. And when you played baseball for years, you kind of have a good idea when things are going to happen. You know what the runners are doing and usually you are hardly ever surprised. Maybe I just have good instincts, but I seem to know when a pick off attempt is going to be made and I can always see a runner taking off for the next base. Not sure the problem. But unlike you, I am not trying to convince anyone that what I do is the best or one size fits all. I am just telling you what works for me and why I do it.

Peace

[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by TBBlue
Enough...take this cat fight private, please...MEOWWWW....sounds like the women I work with.

Name calling and sexism -- all in one post of 15 words. If you're not interested, don't read the messages. Simple as that.

[oatmealqueen]

Originally posted by TBBlue
Enough...take this cat fight private, please...MEOWWWW....sounds like the women I work with.

Well... actually.., sounds like the men that I work with.

[DG]

I think drawing a line in the sand got more pages...what fun we had with that one.

[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by oatmealqueen

Well... actually.., sounds like the men that I work with.

LOL!!

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by oatmealqueen

Well... actually.., sounds like the men that I work with.

Wimmen!

Can't live with 'em. Against the law to shoot 'em (in some states).

[LDUB]

Originally posted by tchaap
I'm and ASA ump just reading some of these baseball posts. Curious to know if there is a strike signal outlined in your rules book as it seems there are different techniques discussed in this thread? We have a specific strike signal in ASA.

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
This is why all the ASA umpires look robotic. There's room for some individuality in officiating.

Originally posted by scottk_61
There is nothing robotic about ASA mechanics, if you think that then you are sadly mistaken.

Originally posted by LDUB
Today I was watching the women's college world series. Looking at the plate umpire, he had the most boreing, generic strike call that I have ever seen. Later I was watching one of the other games. Plate umpire has the exact same boreing strike call as the other umpire (I assume that the same guy did not work the plate in 2 different games). Now I had not been reading this discussion about the strike calls, I noticed on my own. I don't know if those are ASA mechanics, or some other kind, but whatever they are, I agree with Rich that they robotic.

Originally posted by LMan (FROM THE SOFTBALL BOARD)
question for Mike Rowe or other authorities.... Im not a softball ump (obviously), but as I watch closely on TV (picking up thoses umping tips, yes!) all the umps seem to have the EXACT same mechanics (strike, out, etc). If I didnt know better, Id say the EXACT same person was PU every single game! Are they instructed to match their mechanics for purposes of the tournament, or are SB umps always like this? Just wondering...

Originally posted by mikeref (FROM SOFTBALL BOARD)
there are specific mechanics associated with the NCAA. Uniformity is essential!! All umpires work with the same mechanics as closely as possible. Did you notice that all the umps even look alike...their uniforms are exact....no individualism there. One of the edicts is not to stand out or be different than your fellow umps.

To changae the topic a little, looks like you were wrong Scott. I know that you were talking ASA, but at least we have determined that NCAA mechanics are robotic, I can bet that ASA is not that far off NCAA. I don't know if you have been watching the women's college world series, but if you have, how can you not agree that the mechanics are robotic. I serioulsy thought that the same guy was working the plate in every game that I saw. That is how robotic the mechanics are. Has anyone else noticed how boreing these umpires look?

[scottk_61]

Originally posted by LDUB
[QUOTE

To changae the topic a little, looks like you were wrong Scott. I know that you were talking ASA, but at least we have determined that NCAA mechanics are robotic, I can bet that ASA is not that far off NCAA. I don't know if you have been watching the women's college world series, but if you have, how can you not agree that the mechanics are robotic. I serioulsy thought that the same guy was working the plate in every game that I saw. That is how robotic the mechanics are. Has anyone else noticed how boreing these umpires look?

Nope, I am not wrong but you aren't right either.
If you go to any reputable camp for baseball, mechanics are taught to standardize your game with other officials for a reason.
Softball is no different from baseball is no different from basketball is no different for soccer is no different from football.
Failure to follow the standard mechanics is what sets you apart.
I guess it is good to be "different" in todays multicultural world.

You can always find a reason to justify what you do at any time, just cause you can doesn't mean it is the best.

You stick with what you do, and you will always be sup-par.
If you want to move up and get that "bigger" game, you will have to adapt and follow the proper mechanics.

[DG]

Originally posted by LDUB

To changae the topic a little, looks like you were wrong Scott. I know that you were talking ASA, but at least we have determined that NCAA mechanics are robotic, I can bet that ASA is not that far off NCAA. I don't know if you have been watching the women's college world series, but if you have, how can you not agree that the mechanics are robotic. I serioulsy thought that the same guy was working the plate in every game that I saw. That is how robotic the mechanics are. Has anyone else noticed how boreing these umpires look?

I have seen a number of the women's CWS. I only casually watched the umpires. I enjoyed watching the games more.

[scottk_61]

LDUB

Hmm, are you out there to umpire the game or to put on a show?

The best official is one that doesn't draw attention to themself.
Sounds like you like to be the center of attention.

How long did you say you have been working games?
At what level?
Camps?

Sounds like you have local big dog-itis.

Move beyond what you normally do, expand your officiating horizon and reach for a better way to do what we do.
There are a whole bunch of people out there that do nothing more than try to find a better way for us to do the best job we can.
Change is part of the game for us.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by scottk_61
LDUB

Hmm, are you out there to umpire the game or to put on a show?

The best official is one that doesn't draw attention to themself.
Sounds like you like to be the center of attention.

You mean I'm not out there to draw attention to myself? Then why did I spend all that money to get "IMCOOL" embroidered on my hat? I wish someone would have told me this sooner, I mean you think having numbers sewn on to your shirts/coats is expensive, think about how much I paid to have my last name put on the back of my plate coat.

Originally posted by scottk_61
LDUB

How long did you say you have been working games?
At what level?
Camps?

Sounds like you have local big dog-itis.

Darn it you caught me, I was hoping to keep this a secret, but, well, I have never been to professional umpire school (gasp)!!! I have not had the honor of Harry Wendelstadt teaching me why it is important to look robotic, generic, and boreing.

Originally posted by LDUB
To changae the topic a little, looks like you were wrong Scott. I know that you were talking ASA, but at least we have determined that NCAA mechanics are robotic, I can bet that ASA is not that far off NCAA. I don't know if you have been watching the women's college world series, but if you have, how can you not agree that the mechanics are robotic. I serioulsy thought that the same guy was working the plate in every game that I saw. That is how robotic the mechanics are. Has anyone else noticed how boreing these umpires look?

Originally posted by scottk_61
Nope, I am not wrong but you aren't right either.
If you go to any reputable camp for baseball, mechanics are taught to standardize your game with other officials for a reason.
Softball is no different from baseball is no different from basketball is no different for soccer is no different from football.
Failure to follow the standard mechanics is what sets you apart.
I guess it is good to be "different" in todays multicultural world.

You can always find a reason to justify what you do at any time, just cause you can doesn't mean it is the best.

You stick with what you do, and you will always be sup-par.
If you want to move up and get that "bigger" game, you will have to adapt and follow the proper mechanics.

First off I would like to state that I do use the hammer strike call that it shows in the FED rule book.

There is a difference between using the correct signals, and having each umpire put his arm in the exact same spot, and hold it there for the exact same ammount of time. When I watch games, and I can't tell one umpire from the next, that is getting pretty robotic. I'm not critizing the umpires for being so alike in every possible way, but I am critizing the NCAA for requiring the umpires to become robot-like creatures when it comes to signaling strikes/outs.