For your viewing enjoyment...

[canadaump6]

I like the heel-instep that you use; I prefer using it to the heel-toe as I find it gives me better balance.

With a right-handed batter at the plate, it probably isn't necessary to hide your right hand behind your thigh; the catcher is already protecting it. Try putting your left hand behind your left thigh, as it is more likely to get hit by a foul ball. Then place your right arm in front of your crotch, or on your right knee, whatever gives you the best protection. Use the opposite steps with a left-handed batter at the dish.

Another thing I'd suggest is to stay down a bit longer after saying "strike". I like to say it verbally, and only once I have said it out loud will I come up out of my stance and make my visual strike mechanic.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

I like to say it verbally,

As opposed to saying it how?

[canadaump6]

I didn't find Mr.Benham's comment to be offensive, although we certainly have come into conflict in the past.

I'll have to change my strike mechanic to combine the verbal and visual parts of it. The reason I didn't do this in the past was because I wanted to do whatever I could to stay down in my stance longer, even if it meant a two-part mechanic. I don't want to fall into the habit of coming up too early and suddenly get fooled by a curveball.

[bobbybanaduck]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Another thing I'd suggest is to stay down a bit longer after saying "strike". I like to say it verbally, and only once I have said it out loud will I come up out of my stance and make my visual strike mechanic.

the two part practice (verbal first, visual second) is a very softball-like mechanic. the verbal and visual strike mechanic should be "married," meaning coming out at the same time.

[bobbybanaduck]

i'm going to try and do this part by part along with the video sections. my girlfriend went nuts with a camera at one of my games this year, so i'm gonna throw a couple of photos in there to illustate a couple of points.

part 1.

point A to to point B and locking in looks good. you do well getting from the rest position (point A) to the set position (point B) quickly and at the appropriate time...not too early, not too late. also, good hustle getting out from behind the catcher and up the line, and good job going to the catcher's left. that is a good practice to be in, clearing him to the left. good work.

part 2.

i'd like to see a crisper "play" mechanic. snap it off and get it so it's pointing straight at the pitcher instead of up in the air. i'd also like to see you in there and ready to go before putting the ball in play instead of moving around. it wasn't too bad, but you never know when the pitcher will snap a throw somewhere immediately after you put it in play.



the strike mechanic.

if you pause it at :27 it almost looks like you are signalling a home run and not a strike. if you are comfortable with your arm in that position that you use, consider switching to the hammer. if you would like to go to the side, work on going more to the side and bringing the mechanic down lower, as was brought up in an earlier post. i also agree with an earlier post that your timing may be a little quick on the strike call. make sure you are using your eyes properly and tracking the ball all the way into the mitt.

the first one is to the side. the second one is acually an out, but it looks the same as when i use the hammer for my strike call.





part 3.

i agree with the earlier post about displaying the count everywhere. straight out in front crisply is best, unless somebody asks you for it, then go ahead and show it to them. be careful with your head height getting too low. looks like you have a monster catcher working in front of you. be aware that sometimes he may set up higher and you may have to adjust (will be evident later.)

part 4.

at :57 you explode out on the infield fly, which is good, except that you actually are moving before the ball is even hit. make sure you stay locked in until something actually happens. on an infield fly, go out in the direction of the ball. i couldn't tell where the ball was hit, other than it wasn't hit to the third baseman, so you shouldn't have been headed toward third. you don't need to go too far, maybe halfway to the mound or a little less, but in the direction of the ball.

i am assuming this is a 2 man game, but i'm not 100% sure (i didn't hear anybody echo the infield fly, so maybe you were alone.) if it is a 2 man game, the BU is responsible for initiaing the infield fly call unless it's toward one of the lines or in the area of, or in front of, the pitcher's mound. good terminology. be careful looking up at the ball. this is one of the few times it is ok to take a quick glance up because you need to determine the apex of the ball and whether or not it is going to be an infield fly. you will see later when it isn't a good time to look up and i'll cover it more there.

part 5.

at 1:14 the catcher makes an adjustment and you don't move. i like that and that's what i teach my guys around here. i teach to set up on the edge of the plate and only make adjustments to your height. it gives you the same look at the outside pitch every time.

your timing on strike three is lightning fast, so much so that you were coming out of your stance while the ball was still in flight. this goes back to proper use of eyes. you had made up your mind on this pitch before it even got to the strike zone. see the pitch all the way in. the verbal mechanic for strike three needs to be more emphatic, and the visual mechanic just looks uncomfortable, almost like you were surprised it happened. watch video of the big leaguers calling third strikes and try to find something that works for you.

part 6.

at 1:40 the catcher sets up high. pause it and look at your head height. you are looking at the back of his head. again, make sure you are aware of what the catcher is doing and adjust your head height accordingly. when the ball is hit you immediately look straight up. you know the ball went up, you don't need to find it. let the catcher take you to the ball. your first movement should be to get out of your stance by taking a step or two backwards, opening up your gate by drop stepping (with your right foot in this specific situation) then distancing yourself from the catcher by moving under control sideways allowing him to take you to the ball. you quickly backpedalled, which is dangerous and is generally not a good idea to do anywhere on the field because you can't see behind you. also, this was dangerously close to needing a fair/foul decsion. make sure you are aware of this and be ready to get on the proper line to make the call. you were off the screen, so you may well have been in good position, i'm just making a point.

part 7.

at 2:00 good job once again busting out from behind the plate, and much better job going in the direction of the ball. you looked up again, which is unneccessary as you already know the ball is in the air, and you already know which drection it is going in. good job staying on the line for the fair/foul call. you don't need to be hands on knees set for this play, in fact, it is detrimental as you may hurt your view of the play by angling your eyes downward. the play is happening off the ground. stay standing for this play. you have multiple responsibilities with the fair/foul and catch/no catch. good job keeping your distance from the play, allowing yourself to see everything that happens.

if you are on the line (at any time, not just on this play) then you need to give a fair/foul mechanic. when the catch is routine as it was in this play, there is no need to give an out mechanic. if it is obvious to everyone there that it was caught, you do not need to give the mechanic on a routine caught fly ball. instead, only give the fair/foul mechanic and do not give an out mechainc.

hope you find something in here that helps. feel free to ask questions either by PM or on here.

edited for spelling after review.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

the strike mechanic.

if you pause it at :27 it almost looks like you are signalling a home run and not a strike. if you are comfortable with your arm in that position that you use, consider switching to the hammer. if you would like to go to the side, work on going more to the side and bringing the mechanic down lower, as was brought up in an earlier post. i also agree with an earlier post that your timing may be a little quick on the strike call. make sure you are using your eyes properly and tracking the ball all the way into the mitt.

the first one is to the side. the second one is acually an out, but it looks the same as when i use the hammer for my strike call.

Whoa there Banana, why are you looking to the sidelines? F2 has already returned te ball to F1 and your looking way from the field entirely. Showboating?

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by msavakinas

or good timing? I think so...

You can tell good timing from a still shot with no field view? Congrats. I see bad habits.

[fitump56]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitump56
You can tell good timing from a still shot with no field view? Congrats. I see bad habits.

Originally Posted by msavakinas

yes i can. whoever is in the picture has good timing because they waited a second obviously before coming out of the stance and giving a firm strike call with a verbal (you can tell he just said it) simultaneously, Which is what is wanted in the hierarchy of baseball nowadays.

I sooooooo care about the hierarchy of baseball. Bananaduck ought to know the game is on the field not showboating for the camera (which appears to be anything but a happenstance btw). I mean if you can see that there are (not) runners, that Mr.Bananaduck is (not) paying attention to, the intelligence agencies have several million to pay over for your remote viewing and photo-vision peripheral skills.

[TussAgee11]

Don't have much to add other than your shirt tail is coming out, JM. Invest in a flexbelt.

Trying to get a video of me on youtube in the coming weeks... so you all can have at me then

[piaa_ump]

Ill let the others give you the detail, but I liked the hustle...........

good read off of the catcher on the pop up.............

[JJ]

A supervisor once told me that when I point out that strike I should keep my eyes forward. He said if I do it with no runners on base it will become a habit that will continue when there ARE runners on base, and that's the time looking away COULD be a problem (batter's interference, for example). He suggested pointing not toward the dugout but up the first baseline. I know of an NCAA CWS umpire who does it that way - I opted to just keep my eyes forward while still pointing out to the side.
I will agree with posters who said to "marry" the verbal and signal for the strike call. And yes, that is a hard habit to get into. And no, I still don't do it that way. Something about "old dog, new trick..."

JJ

[DG]

bobbybanaduck

When do you point to the side on a strike vs. hammer out front?

[bobbybanaduck]

there were some days that i honestly didn't think about which i was going to use. if the first called strike of the game i happened to go out to the side, then i'd go to the side that day. if i happened to come up with a hammer, then it was the hammer for the day. as i said earlier, if i do happen upon any one man games i'll probably use the hammer so there are always eyes on the field.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

the two part practice (verbal first, visual second) is a very softball-like mechanic. the verbal and visual strike mechanic should be "married," meaning coming out at the same time.

Yt you see it constantly at the MLB level. So, not worth commenting on.

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

the two part practice (verbal first, visual second) is a very softball-like mechanic.

Not only is it "softball-like", it is softball mandated! That is precisely how it's supposed to be done, by the book, for the major softball sanctioning bodies.

It took me awhile to get the hang of the "bifurcated" (two-part) call after coming from a baseball background of giving the simultaneous verbal and visual signal.

I've finally separated the two styles to the point that I can effectively use the correct method for the correct sport. But during the season, if I find myself switching back and forth alot between baseball and softball, every once in awhile I'll catch myself slipping up and doing one the "opposite" way!