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[fitump56]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

Just a couple of things, John. There looked to be several times where you started coming up out of your stance to call the pitch before the ball made it to the catchers mitt.

Whew, Tim, I thought you had died. I never saw anywhere he did that, not even close. Several? There were only a few B-S calls in the whole video.

The other thing I saw that I didn't particularly care for is you giving the count to the third base coach and rotating it around to the opposite foul line. It's best to just signal the count to the pitcher. This is especially important when you're working solo so you don't take your eyes off of the ball while you're looking at the coaches box.
Tim.

Then signal the count but don't look away. Turn the torso, hands, eyes forward. On 90' basepaths, no scoreboard, it's a different game, Tim.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by fitump56

Whew, Tim, I thought you had died.

I can't tell you how nice it is to have the time to post again and see you're still here, Donovan. Nope, haven't died yet, just been busy.......

Originally Posted by fitump56

Then signal the count but don't look away. Turn the torso, hands, eyes forward. On 90' basepaths, no scoreboard, it's a different game, Tim.

Sorry, Donovan, but I don't think it's our responsibility to constantly update the base coaches on the current count. If they aren't paying attention that's their problem. 90', 70', or 60' basepaths. Scoreboard or not............


Tim.

[gordon30307]

You looked good back there. If I were a spectator or on the bench I would beleive your calls this is perhaps the most important aspect when you officiate a game. Hustled down to first on the ground ball. Pointed in the air on the infield fly and verbalised it. Your timing on balls and strikes was fine. I'd be honored to be your partner.

Don't let the nit picking on style points bother you.

[bobbybanaduck]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

You looked good back there. If I were a spectator or on the bench I would beleive your calls this is perhaps the most important aspect when you officiate a game. Hustled down to first on the ground ball. Pointed in the air on the infield fly and verbalised it. Your timing on balls and strikes was fine. I'd be honored to be your partner.

Don't let the nit picking on style points bother you.

he did do a pretty decent job, and i assume he knows he does a pretty decent job otherwise he probably wouldn't have posted the video. with that in mind, i think he posted looking for the nit picking. umpiring is never perfect and can always be worked on and tweaked to be better. when you become satisfied with your work, it's time to hang em up. and, if you are satisfied with the timing on some of the pitches and employ the same when you work, i guarantee you are missing ball/strike calls. it is physically impossible to have seen the ball all the way into the mitt if you call the pitch before it reaches the mitt.

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by bobbybanaduck

he did do a pretty decent job, and i assume he knows he does a pretty decent job otherwise he probably wouldn't have posted the video. with that in mind, i think he posted looking for the nit picking. umpiring is never perfect and can always be worked on and tweaked to be better. when you become satisfied with your work, it's time to hang em up. and, if you are satisfied with the timing on some of the pitches and employ the same when you work, i guarantee you are missing ball/strike calls. it is physically impossible to have seen the ball all the way into the mitt if you call the pitch before it reaches the mitt.

Ball hit the mit and he made his call. At least that's how I saw it.

[bobbybanaduck]

the "call" is mental, the "signal" is visual. go to 1:17 in the video and then watch it, then click back on that 1:17 mark. do it repeatedly so you are seeing it over and over again. the "call" is made before the ball hits the mitt. this is evidenced by the fact that he is already mving out of his stance prior to the pop of the ball in the mitt. watch him and listen for the pop.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

Ball hit the mit and he made his call. At least that's how I saw it.

Ball hitting mitt and making the call at that point is still way too fast. The Frank Pulli method looks horrible IMO. Plus, it really doesn't give the PU time to take into account the many variables that can occur.

When the ball hits the mitt is the time to start determining whether the pitch was a ball or strike, not the time to be announcing it. This is where the phrase "proper use of the eyes" comes into the mix for good timing. If you've already made your mind up before the ball comes in there, disaster can easily follow.

[gordon30307]

Sorry, Donovan, but I don't think it's our responsibility to constantly update the base coaches on the current count. If they aren't paying attention that's their problem. 90', 70', or 60' basepaths. Scoreboard or not............


Tim.[/QUOTE]

Whether you verbalize balls and strikes every pitch every other or never it's simply a matter of style. I do it on every pitch (almost) not for the players etc. but for my partner and it also myself. It helps keep me focused.