GD Question(s)
 

Due to knee soreness developed in the college season I have been using the summer to try the GD stance. OK, but not in love with it yet. A question and a comment:
With my feet wide, I get the good head height etc., but (not like I'm athletic anyway) don't get out of the stance and to where I'm going on a hit ball like I used to. My old box stance, as we say in football, gave me an explosive first step. The wide stance doesn't. Am I doing something wrong?
Even with the very wide stance I am looking down on the high strike (I'm already 3' behind the catcher, I back up more I lose the plate). From the box stance my high strike was set, it feels hard now to get both high and low strikes effectively. More experience, adjustments?
Thanks.
Edit: really two questions.

from what i've noticed, this just takes time to get used to. what i do is as soon as the ball is hit, i take a step inward towards my body with my right foot and then go from there. it shortens up how wide you are and then you just take off. im not sure what others do, and im not sure if there is a prescribed way to do this, but to me i just found that if i quickly shorten up im able to take off and get where i need to be pretty quickly.

its a different view than what you were getting previously, so it could just take more games of experience to get you used to it. i dont personally know anything to do on this one, but im sure theres someone who knows. ive never had that problem, but i would kind of say to try setting up a bit lower. not much lower, just see if it gets you a better view.

I do exactly what Brian says about getting out of the wide stance -- bring the right foot in to normal width and take off from there.

As for the comfort level in seeing the zone from that perspective -- it will come in time if you're working the stance correctly. When I switched to GD three years ago, it took about two or three games to really feel comfortable with seeing the zone from that view/perspective.

Hmmm,
 

Since I am a five yet vet of the stance:

I had the same problem. I have written about the issue extensively.

I find a way to get my feet clsoer together as soon as I can . . .

The bottom line:

I NEVER get as far down the first base line on a ground ball to the infield as I did when working "heal-to-toe" . . .

I am leaving the "Davis System" at the start of 2007. I am going back to basics.

Regards,

Thanks for the responses. I'll give them a go.
T, were your writings on this side or the other side?
Thanks.

Going back to the balloon?

Tim,

Why are you going back to basics ?



Doug

The view from GD on an uncaught thrid strike is no different than other stances. Each has it's own advantages & disadvantages - go with what works best for you. I prefer GD because I call better game. If that means POSSIBLY having an issue on an uncaught 3rd strike so be it.

Not paying attention & poor mechanics caused the Eddings issue.

You'll have to read "Strikes and Outs" for the answer ;)

In 20 plus years of umpiring, I have seen a few norms come and go. One that I will be glad to see go is the GD stance! There are other great solutions to "staying stable" that don't require you to be 3' behind the catcher!!!

So what? No one says that you have to use the GD! I'll tell you what, since I went to the GD, I have a much better game and no where near as tired as before. And I too have over 20 years at the "dish".

Well,
 

The "challenge" in people working the "Gerry Davis Stance System" is that few have real training.

We often see a ba$tardization of the stance and someone comments: "I work the GD."

They don't.

I see problems with working the stance when you are not a "top dog" (make that an MLB umpire) in that it is so far different than other stances it gives the "cheap seats" much fodder to use on you.

Being 3' or 4' back of the catcher is really not the problem. All of us that have used the stance for a number of years and have been trained know what we gain.

I am sure there were MLB umpirs that didn't want to give up the raft (hell, Durwood Merrill, a 'box' guy, gave Dale Scott crap about Dale working the slot -- "hey Dale, how can you see the outside corner from WAAAAAY over there?")

Times change and so do systems . . .

I am going back to basics mostly to eliminate the problem I have of getting out from behind the plate after a ball is hit AND to help eliminate perceptions that may hold my career back.

Regards,

Nope, nobody says I have to use the GD. I don't! :D

BBS's are for voicing opinions. Get over it.

I'm going to have to respectfully argue with you here. I have experiemented with GD and find I call a better game heel toe from the slot.

But I don't think your second reason for not using GD is faulty. I don't care what perceptions I may have that may hold my career as an umpire back. I'm not in it for ME. I'm in it for the players. I want to make the best calls I can and put myself in the best position to make those calls.

If GD looks lazy, but it helped me call a better game, I'd do it in a heartbeat. And the head hanchos wouldn probably not move me up, but so be it. I can live knowing I did what was best for the games I umpired.

If I'm off base or misread your comments Tim C, I apologize.

No hard feelings :)

And,
 

No offense taken . . .

As I have stated several times over the years on many umpire internet sites:

I am in umpiring for the power and the money.

"For the kids" doesn't move my meter . . .

As Toby Keith says: "Let's talk about me, I, me, me, me . . ."