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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 06:05pm
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Hints on plate stance

Yesterday in a 15 year old city league game (basically the last kids cut from JV and select travel teams) I took two untouched fastballs to my left forearm (thus demonstrating why the two catchers did not make their JV team). I can't remember EVER being hit like that in a high school or higher select game.
Short of keeping my hands behind my back is there anything in a stance I can develop for this age group to keep from getting whacked like that?
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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 06:18pm
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Not much you can do. Sometimes the pitch is delivered, the batter misses it, the catcher misses it and the only thing it hits is US!
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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 06:21pm
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Well .....................

Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeErieUmp
Yesterday in a 15 year old city league game (basically the last kids cut from JV and select travel teams) I took two untouched fastballs to my left forearm (thus demonstrating why the two catchers did not make their JV team). I can't remember EVER being hit like that in a high school or higher select game.
Short of keeping my hands behind my back is there anything in a stance I can develop for this age group to keep from getting whacked like that?

You could adopt the box stance looking over the catcher's head. This way, the catcher will (should) absorb most of the hits, and you are likely only to get hit in a protected area.

You will also hurt your chances of advancement as this is not the modern, recommended stance taught by clinicians and approved by evaluators.

Just my $.02 (About all it is worth)




Doug
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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 07:10pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeErieUmp
I can't remember EVER being hit like that in a high school or higher select game.
Short of keeping my hands behind my back is there anything in a stance I can develop for this age group to keep from getting whacked like that?
i would strongly advise against putting your hands behind your back unless you are happy with working this league. chances are you wont move up much higher, and you wont get many more "big" games.

getting hit like that happens here and there at every level. last year in a college game i took an untouched fastball off my bicep after quite a bit of a mixup. 85+ to a locked arm isnt the best feeling ive had in my life.
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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 07:27pm
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You're absolutely right, Brian. No way am I going to work with my hands behind my back. Besides being terrible form it would expose my elbows. I'd rather take a shot off my Popeye-like forearms than the bone of my elbow.
Thanks for all the help. I guess this is the hazard of "moonlighting" during Fed season.
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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 07:27pm
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You could possibly put your hands behind your knees to protect them. Check out the thread somewhere around here that has the umpire getting hit in the cup. Although hilarious, he's doing the stance i'm describing- which can protect your hands / lower forearm.
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Old Sun Apr 30, 2006, 07:31pm
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this is the video he is talking about: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Aefp_Hehzaw&search=umpire
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Old Mon May 01, 2006, 03:05pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by briancurtin
i would strongly advise against putting your hands behind your back unless you are happy with working this league. chances are you wont move up much higher, and you wont get many more "big" games.

getting hit like that happens here and there at every level. last year in a college game i took an untouched fastball off my bicep after quite a bit of a mixup. 85+ to a locked arm isnt the best feeling ive had in my life.
There is nothing wrong with dropping your arms behind your legs when you lock in. I see many MLB guys doing it, and while you still get hit on the arms, you don't get hit on the wrist and hands.

At higher levels, like Varsity HS and higher, I like the scissors, I lock in, and don't care about getting hit as much, because you don't. Anything lower, I am in the heel-toe slot, and my hands go behind my legs.

Brian, 30 years from now when you are my age, and have absorbed as many injuries from the baseball as I have, you may have a different appreciation for keeping your forearms out of the way.
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Old Mon May 01, 2006, 03:28pm
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Steve:

I don't think Brian is saying it's a bad idea to lock-in behind the knees. I've seen many decent umpires use this lock-in mechanism. I think what he's saying is it's poor mechanics to put your hands behind your back without locking in at all. Everytime I watch an umpire do this his head height is extremely inconsistant and they tend to drop lower and lower as the game progresses. Personally, I like to take a small bar stool behind the dish to lock-in with. I would do it more often if the pitchers would quit spilling my beer!


Tim.
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Old Mon May 01, 2006, 03:31pm
MrB MrB is offline
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You could always use this:

http://store.rawlings.com/product/in...entPage=family

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Old Mon May 01, 2006, 03:43pm
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I used one of those on a particularly bad LL Seniors League one time on the advice of my assignor, who lent me his ancient raft protector. I loved the protection it provided, but did not care for running with it. I'll take my chances with an inside model.

To contribute to the Let's Get Steve A New All-Star CPU28 PRO Protector Fund, write to........
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Old Tue May 02, 2006, 09:24am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrB
Don't laugh. One of my three college assignors uses this in his college games! (I sure hope he isn't reading this forum! )
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Old Tue May 02, 2006, 10:29am
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It Has Been Done Before!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigUmp56
Steve:

Personally, I like to take a small bar stool behind the dish to lock-in with. I would do it more often if the pitchers would quit spilling my beer!


Tim.
My son played in a coach-pitch league several years ago. They used one umpire, and he was around 5'10'' and maybe a biscuit shy of 450 lbs. He had a metal stool he sat on at the screen behind the catcher and made all calls from there.
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Old Tue May 02, 2006, 11:32am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue37
My son played in a coach-pitch league several years ago. They used one umpire, and he was around 5'10'' and maybe a biscuit shy of 450 lbs. He had a metal stool he sat on at the screen behind the catcher and made all calls from there.
Now that's just plain sick!
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Old Tue May 02, 2006, 02:03pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue37
My son played in a coach-pitch league several years ago. They used one umpire, and he was around 5'10'' and maybe a biscuit shy of 450 lbs. He had a metal stool he sat on at the screen behind the catcher and made all calls from there.

Let me guess. The kids called him "Jabba-the-Ump?"


Tim.
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