Old Stance may be back?

[SAump]

Was wondering if anyone saw the Braves/Nationals game tonight. The PU stood directly behind the plate and over the catcher's left shoulder. When the catcher moved inside, PU was left on the outside looking in. Once PU set, he didn't move although the catcher frequently moved out or in. I thought I saw the old AL stance making a comeback in a NL game. Is it coming back?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by SAump

Was wondering if anyone saw the Braves/Nationals game tonight. The PU stood directly behind the plate and over the catcher's left shoulder. When the catcher moved inside, PU was left on the outside looking in. Once PU set, he didn't move although the catcher frequently moved out or in. I thought I saw the old AL stance making a comeback in a NL game. Is it coming back?

I didn't see the game, but it was Mike Winters working the plate, and that doesn't sound like him, unless he's experimenting with a new stance. Mike works the scissors and normally sets up in the slot.

[briancurtin]

along with this PU, i never move. where i lock in is...well, where im locked in.

[Old Time Ump]

The reference to "Old Stance" probably should have read "One of the Older Stances". The favored position in the Olde Days was to stand directly in line with the parallel sides of the plate with no relation to the catcher's position. Sometimes we looked over his head, sometimes a shoulder and sometimes at his back. The later positions which became popular followed the National League's discarding the baloon protector. It was argued that the body protector would give the Plate more 'mobility' and also permit positioning which might give a better view of pitches on the inside. The actual stances adopted (including the 'Dascoli Knee) were either idiosnyncratic or forced by the umpire's stature or physical condition. Vinnie Smith, the old catcher, had such bad knees that he simply couldn't bend in his last years as an umpire. He and Burkhart stood straight as a bean pole. Smith later got relief when his crew agreed for him to skip the Plate in their rotation.

[bluezebra]

Old Stance may be back?

Good to hear. Ol' Stance and me wurked in the ol' One-eye League back in the urly-urlies. Heck of a partner. He always bought the sarsparilla after our games.

Bob

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by bluezebra

Old Stance may be back?

Good to hear. Ol' Stance and me wurked in the ol' One-eye League back in the urly-urlies. Heck of a partner. He always bought the sarsparilla after our games.

Bob

POTW!

[Bassman]

Originally Posted by SAump

This umpire never set up between the plate and the batter. He was always directly behind the plate most often looking over the catcher's left shoulder. There were times when he would rise and look directly over the catcher's head. At first, I just thought he was hiding behind the catcher. But when the catcher moved inside, the PU was left set up in a very dangerous position. He didn't move. I was amazed when he stood his ground on the outside part of the plate looking in. You don't see that very much at the MLB level.

That sounds like Terry Craft.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Thanks for reviving this dead horse thread. I just got a laugh out of bluezebra's post now for the second time!

[UMP25]

Heard on WSCR Sports Radio several weeks ago after one of the usual White Sox losses this year...

Caller to post-game WSCR host:

I don't understand why these umpires can't learn how to position themselves properly behind the plate. They're all out of position. They can't see the pitches, which is why so many of them are so bad. They need to get right behind the catcher and look over the catcher's head. They keep getting inbetween the catcher and batter. No one can see the strike zone that way!

I almost ran my car off the road laughing my @ss off while at the same time wishing a painful death upon this caller.

[nickrego]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

along with this PU, i never move. where i lock in is...well, where im locked in.

Yes, yes, yes.

I want the exact same look at the strike zone for every pitch. Really helps with consistency.