PBUC/MiLB Mechanics

[UmpJM]

mattmets,

Though I have no ties to MiLB, I did attend the Desert Classic last year.

For the mechanics part of the Classic, they taught from the PBUC "Red Book".

1. We were quite specifically and emphatically taught to keep facing forward, eyes on the ball while giving a strike mechanic. During the cagework drills, they had all students use the "hammer". On the last day of class, they allowed "personalization" of the mechanic and either a point or hammer was fine - as long as you kept facing forward, eyes on the ball.

2. For the out mechanic, we were taught to raise our upper arm to the point that it was parallel to the ground, and give a crisp hammering motion, like a knock on a door.

Sounds like what you saw was what we were taught.

JM

[mattmets]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

mattmets,

Though I have no ties to MiLB, I did attend the Desert Classic last year.

For the mechanics part of the Classic, they taught from the PBUC "Red Book".

1. We were quite specifically and emphatically taught to keep facing forward, eyes on the ball while giving a strike mechanic. During the cagework drills, they had all students use the "hammer". On the last day of class, they allowed "personalization" of the mechanic and either a point or hammer was fine - as long as you kept facing forward, eyes on the ball.

2. For the out mechanic, we were taught to raise our upper arm to the point that it was parallel to the ground, and give a crisp hammering motion, like a knock on a door.

Sounds like what you saw was what we were taught.

JM

That's exactly what I was asking....and if you got it from the "Red Book" I can't really ask for more. Everything I saw just seemed odd because it was so robotic more than personalized. Oh well, when in Rome....

[socalblue1]

Remember too that these guys are just a couple weeks into their 1st professional season. PBUC stresses adherence to the red book mechanics and wants them done in a particular manner.

Think of your first few games ....

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by mattmets

Everything I saw just seemed odd because it was so robotic more than personalized.

Where you see "robotic," PBUC evaluators see "uniform." MiLB, in its wisdom, has determined that it wants umpires that function correctly, not umpires with style. And so PBUC tweaks its mechanics in order to position 2 or 3 umpires optimally for the majority of calls. The umpires with the greatest conformity to the PBUC standard and game management skills (they're all expected to be 100% on the rules) are the ones who move up.

MLB is, naturally, another story.