touching a catcher's back

[briancurtin]

"Whoever told umpires that touching the catcher was a good thing?" - SanDiegoSteve

i know this has come up several times, but how would this be a bad thing? im not starting up a poll on whether or not you do it

ive seen several MLB umpires do this. ive seen several MiLB umpires do this. ive seen several college umpires do this, and ive had hands on my back as i caught at that level. ive seen several high school umpires do this, and ive also had hands on my back at that level. prior to that, i dont remember.

i dont personally do it, but what about it would actually be bad? i know the answers, im just looking for others' prospectives.

[SanDiegoSteve]

There was a big discussion about this subject on another website, and the majority of former catchers said they did not like the umpires putting their hands on their backs. One even said it always "creeped him out" to have the umpire always touching him. I am only going by what these catchers said. I have never done it, except when I've had a "dodger" who kept letting me get hit. Then I grabbed his CP strap and used him as a human shield.

[TussAgee11]

From a former catcher, it's bad.

What other sport does an official touch a participant?

[bobbybanaduck]

boxing....

[SanDiegoSteve]

And UFC....

[umpduck11]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

And UFC....

That's a sport ?

[kylejt]

Hockey.


Well, after the eighteenth blow that is.


Oh, and never, ever take your umpire lessons by watching those guys on TV. Jezz, if all my students came in next week looking like Joe West I'd flunk 'em all.

"We're looking for ninety degrees kid, not growing roots!"

[nickrego]

Have someone stand behind you during an entire game, and touch your back. Make sure it is someone you don't know, and (most likely) don't like.

See if you like it ?

[tiger49]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

From a former catcher, it's bad.

What other sport does an official touch a participant?

Hockey. Linesman touch players all the time.

[ozzy6900]

I never agreed with umpires putting their hands on F2. I try to break rookies to our association of this habit because I have been told by many F2's that they really don't like this.

Now I've heard everything from "I use it to figure out where I set up." to "I want to make sure where the catcher is going." You should be able to tell where you set up without touching F2. I usually tell my students that if you need to reach out and touch F2 to set up, it's time to get a seeing eye dog! As far as "knowing where the catcher is going" just step back and keep your eye on F2. He usually moves to the right but by dropping back that step, you can adjust for any move that F2 makes.