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....

[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 ?

[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.

[umpduck11]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

And UFC....

That's a sport ?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by umpduck11

That's a sport ?

Why would you say otherwise? Just as much a sport as boxing, and unlike pro wrestling, it's real.

[JJ]

I've never put my hand on the catcher, and I've never understood why umpires do it. Jeepers, he's right in front of you - you don't have to touch him to know when he moves or shifts.
Oops - I DO occasionally touch a catcher - if he's done a good job and we haven't "exchanged words" during the game, in the last inning I'll slap him on the shoulder and say, "You've done a nice job today". I figure they don't hear it enough, and everyone deserves a compliment now and then.

JJ

[BigTex]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Why would you say otherwise? Just as much a sport as boxing, and unlike pro wrestling, it's real.

UFC--not a sport
Boxing--not a sport
Wrestling--not a sport
Poker--not a sport

and the big one:

NASCAR is not a sport

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by BigTex

UFC--not a sport
Boxing--not a sport
Wrestling--not a sport
Poker--not a sport

and the big one:

NASCAR is not a sport

Boxing not a sport? Uh, yes it is. If it weren't, it would not be a Summer Olympic sport.

Poker, pro wrestling, not sports...I agree. No athleticism required to play cards, and pro wrestling has a fixed outcome, and includes a great deal of acting, which disqualifies it from "sport" status.

NASCAR, and other auto or motorcycle racing, while not traditional sports, require a high degree of athleticism. They all take tremendous physical training and talent, and the outcome of the event is not pre-determined. If racing were not a sport, they would not carry it on ESPN, or Wide World Of Sports, for that matter.

Ultimate Fighting requires so much athleticism that only the most physically fit can participate. It is very much a sport. Try it sometime if you don't believe that it is.

A ball or puck is not required to qualify as a sport.

[tibear]

The whole discussion about what is and what isn't a sport is interesting.

Lawn bowling for instance was part of Commonwealth Games for many, many years.(Not sure if it still is.) Have you seen some of those lawn bowlers? Granted it takes skill, but athleticism???

How about darts or billiards(pool)?? Again a great deal of skill but wouldn't really call them sports.

As well, things such as lumberjack competitions, caber tossing, or even some construction jobs. All of these require a great deal of atheticism but are these really sports???

[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.