On the mound?
 

Cal Ripken League; In our Minors league we use HS players as umps, however, in our Majors we use 'real umps'. One of the 'real umps' calls the game from the mound. Granted, there is only one ump per game and maybe he feels he has a better field of view there, but I was just interested in your opinions. As an 'oh by the way', he is not the favorite ump because of bad calls at the plate, esp top and bottom of the zone.

There's no such thing as a real umpire that calls balls and strikes from the mound. Absurd.

It's hard enough for most "real umps" to call a good corner from behind the plate, let alone from behind the mound. Anyone with a little bit of hustle can call a game from behind the plate and get a reasonable look at most plays on the diamond.

That's what I thought
 

Thanks for the replies. That was my feeling. I've called a few of the games in the Minors when we had umps that didn't show (When you're the Commish you have to be vertsatile:) and I had a ball... no pun intended. And I've called from the mound in practice... and thought 'this sucks'. I just didn't see how someone could feel confident that they were giving their best from such a disadvantaged position. Thanks much, SD

Not to mention having to call fair/foul on shots down either line. That's even harder to call than balls and strikes from there.

Very good point !

It's not too difficult to call a 60 foot base game from behind the plate. It is much harder on 90 foot bases, but it can be done. Steal of 2B is the hardest to get.

or the catcher snap throw to third. it is almost a guess

If I recall correctly, Carl Childress recommends calling from behind the mound when working solo. He says he's a real umpire.

I have a great respect for Carl's opinion, but I would like to read the entire text where Carl recommends working behind the mound when solo. He may have a very valid reason for this, but until I see it, working from behind the mound presents unreasonable options the umpire has to fall prey to - as was mentioned in the previous posts. I have never and will never ( unless shown beyond any reasonable doubt that it is better than behind the plate ) work from behind the mound. I'll run, move, adjust, lean, and even assume what I have to when working alone from behind the plate and take the greater percentage of correct calls rather than work from the mound area and risk missing what I percieve is too many calls.
Just my humble opinion.

By the way, I do not subscribe to the theory that " no real umpire " works from behind the mound. THIS umpire will not.

[Edited by officialtony on May 7th, 2005 at 09:11 AM]

Well,
 

Several posters in the initial thread long ago mentioned that working behind the mound made a number of calls easier and a very few more difficult.

Ball/strikes are not an issue . . . a corner can be called from behind the mound (obviously the umpire is in a set position and can track the ball as well -- pitchers seem to know the strike zone better than PUs and they have just completed a jerky pitching motion) as well as behind the plate.

Working behind the mound, as I recall the thread from so long ago, places an umpire in great position to cover all bases for safes and outs (including double plays and FPSR).

Working behind the mound also places the umpire more near outfielders for catch/no catch calls.

So what the original thread centered on, if I remember correctly, was that an umpire gives up the fair/foul calls only and gains much more by working behind the mound.

I am sure I have forgotten to mention several details that were in the orginal thread but I think this catches the intent of the "pro" side of working the mound area.

Of course as I have intoned several times:

The best one-man mechanic is go get in your car and go home.

$
 

Are officials paid in this league?

If not, then don't complain.

I so, pay for two officials and you won't have this problem!

For me, it can be 100 degrees, 4 games solo, I'm behind the dish.

Can I get some water Please!

The fair/foul call that you are in better position for if you are behind the plate.

Advantages of being behind the mound:
1. Pickoff at any base.
2. Steal 2nd or third.
3. Catch/No catch for outfield hits.
4. Double play.
5. When you go to dust off the rubber, you don't have to walk as far.

It may look weird, but standing in the infield allows you to guess on fewer calls per game.

Please tell me number 5 is a joke. Please.

I was thinking the same, Rich, but I felt it safer to not assume. Weirder things have been posted.