gun shy

1bigump · #1 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 02:37pm

I have been getting beat up behind the dish the past 2 weeks. I have good equipment and trust it, but have found myself flinching and bailing out on balls in the dirt. I have been umpiring for quite a while and cannot remember a time that I have been beat up so bad.
By the way these are high school aged kids. Any advice on how to stop the bailing out instinct?

SanDiegoSteve · #2 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 03:34pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigump

I have been getting beat up behind the dish the past 2 weeks. I have good equipment and trust it, but have found myself flinching and bailing out on balls in the dirt. I have been umpiring for quite a while and cannot remember a time that I have been beat up so bad.
By the way these are high school aged kids. Any advice on how to stop the bailing out instinct?

I get beat up quite a bit too, and it can make you a little flinchy for sure.

What I do is tell myself (I get pissed at myself for being a wuss) to just sit there and relax and don't move. I tell myself that if I move, I might miss something important. I tell myself I have the best seat in the house, and there is no sense in moving from it. And I also tell myself that if someone was there evaluating me, I would be getting dinged for moving.

I moved from the scissors position to the heel/toe after a bad injury to my left elbow on a direct 90+ fastball hit. I now do as many MLB umpires do, and that is hide my hands and wrists behind my upper thighs, so the only exposed areas are the insides of the biceps and forearms.

Many people swear by the GD stance for safety too, although I'm not quite sold on it at lower levels where the catchers are a bit iffy.

Hope it helps.

Dave Hensley · #3 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 03:49pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigump

I have been getting beat up behind the dish the past 2 weeks. I have good equipment and trust it, but have found myself flinching and bailing out on balls in the dirt. I have been umpiring for quite a while and cannot remember a time that I have been beat up so bad.
By the way these are high school aged kids. Any advice on how to stop the bailing out instinct?

I use the Gerry Davis stance and find that it does help me stay locked in position on everything except the high inside pitch that looks like it's coming right at my face. Even though 99% of the time the catcher reaches up and snags that pitch and it doesn't hit me, my instinctive reaction to that pitch is to flinch my head away.

To counter that tendency, I've adopted the imperfect solution of .... closing my eyes instead of flinching. The only downside is if the batter makes an offer at the pitch, I won't get a good look at whether he went or not. What I'm not worried about is calling the pitch - if it's up there in my face, in the "flinch-zone" then it's no strike, no way no how.

As discussed in other threads, the GD stance in a good slot position will keep you from getting battered (on flesh) too much. Most foul balls whiz by your ear, and the pitches in the dirt the catcher can't handle usually don't do anything but bounce off your shinguards or plate shoes.

orioles35 · #4 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 03:53pm

Block a few shots on the ice...after that, having baseballs hurled at you won't see so bad...

briancurtin · #5 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 09:42pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigump

I have good equipment and trust it, but have found myself flinching and bailing out on balls in the dirt.

so you trust it, but you dont?

check out the GD system. i rarely flinched beforehand since i was a catcher my whole life and was used to blocking the ball, but now in the GD i have no choice but to stay locked in. i love it.

archangel · #6 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 10:10pm

I have a mantra I use, seems to help me from flinching--I just think to myself every once in a while,--"my equiptment is my friend, my equip...."

1bigump · #7 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 10:16pm

I use the GD stance and have taken 2 in the cup in the past week. Both were balls in the dirt that bounced up and hit me square. That is why I am bailing out.
Did a game tonight and took one right in the mask. Knocked my mask off and rung my bell. Has been a tough couple of weeks.

Dave Hensley · #8 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 10:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigump

I use the GD stance and have taken 2 in the cup in the past week. Both were balls in the dirt that bounced up and hit me square. That is why I am bailing out.
Did a game tonight and took one right in the mask. Knocked my mask off and rung my bell. Has been a tough couple of weeks.

Three suggestions:

1. Move more into the slot, then the cupshots will become shinguard shots.
2. Loosen your mask straps - the mask will absorb more of the shock and the bell won't ring so much.
3. Get better catchers.

briancurtin · #9 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 10:33pm

if getting hit in the mask really did ring your bell, dave's #2 suggestion should work. dont worry if the mask is coming off, worry if you head or neck hurt. you want the mask to take the force, not your neck. if the mask is flying off, thats good. if your head or neck hurts, loosen things up.

of course you need to make sure that your mask is still staying on your head when in a normal situation, but find that point where you can take a mask shot and just reposition your mask and say 'lets play' right away.

SanDiegoSteve · #10 (**permalink**) Sat Jun 24, 2006, 10:41pm

Of course there's not much he can do about Dave's #3 suggestion, unfortunately. That is usually the reason for getting beat up, not foul balls.

nickrego · #11 (**permalink**) Sun Jun 25, 2006, 02:52am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Many people swear by the GD stance for safety too, although I'm not quite sold on it at lower levels where the catchers are a bit iffy.

I use it all the way down to 13 YRO, and have been hit much less, and mostly on my equipment, rather than my arms.

nickrego · #12 (**permalink**) Sun Jun 25, 2006, 02:58am

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigump

I use the GD stance and have taken 2 in the cup in the past week. Both were balls in the dirt that bounced up and hit me square. That is why I am bailing out.
Did a game tonight and took one right in the mask. Knocked my mask off and rung my bell. Has been a tough couple of weeks.

Not much you can do about the cup shots off the ground, no matter where you stand. If they have your name on them, your gonna get hit.

If your tired of getting your Bell Rung, switch to an HSM. Then you will hope you get hit on the cage, rather than anywhere else. Really ! Since switching to an HSM (6 years ago), and getting hit on the button a few times, I no longer flinch at pitches headed for my Head. You just don't worry about it, because it doesn't hurt. And I am talking 90+ mph fastballs, and foul balls.

briancurtin · #13 (**permalink**) Sun Jun 25, 2006, 11:38am

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickrego

If your tired of getting your Bell Rung, switch to an HSM.

or he could do what i said...which is a free solution

LDUB · #14 (**permalink**) Sun Jun 25, 2006, 05:00pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickrego

If your tired of getting your Bell Rung, switch to an HSM. Then you will hope you get hit on the cage, rather than anywhere else. Really ! Since switching to an HSM (6 years ago), and getting hit on the button a few times, I no longer flinch at pitches headed for my Head. You just don't worry about it, because it doesn't hurt. And I am talking 90+ mph fastballs, and foul balls.

You have still yet to produce any proof that a hockey mask protects better than a standard mask.

etn_ump · #15 (**permalink**) Sun Jun 25, 2006, 07:10pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDUB

You have still yet to produce any proof that a hockey mask protects better than a standard mask.

What more proof do you need other than umpires that wear the HSM telling you the truth? I've been wearing one the past 3 years and will NEVER go back to the traditional mask. Try one!