It just doesn't matter Tuss, use a Gerry Davis , Frank Sinature, Dean Martin or Chubby Checkers stance, but find out what works for YOU, and go with it.

"Therefore, its not a stance, it is a position..." TussAgee11


Gerry Davis describes his system as requiring at least four to six feet distance behind the catcher and utilizing a "wrestling stance."

No, you are not using the GD System. You aren't even using enough of the original (From a Gerry Davis clinic in 2002: feet squared, hands on knees, four to six feet behind the catcher, higher head set) to be considered a variation of a GD stance.

You can use whatever stance and positioning you want. It's just that when you claim to be using the GD and then describe something alien to it, you are confusing.

Tuss, the GD system, as I was taught it (by some guys named Davis and Ehret) advocates an aggressive slot position which means that you might seem a bit exposed at times. The upside of this is that you will always have a good, clear view of the outside corner and low pitches. If you creep back toward the catcher and get too low, the catcher is probably blocking your view of the outside corner and low pitch.

It is my personal opinion that you are never adequately locked in using just one hand/arm to lock. That's just my opinion, your mileage may vary. The GD system does not advocate a heel/toe relationship nor the wrapping of an arm in front of your stomach. The key to making the GD work is to be balanced and solid in your stance, consistent in your head height for a pitch to pitch view that never varies between batters, and relaxed so that you can use your eyes properly.

I would agree that the wrapping of the arm is something that I do differently with my stance. A clinician taught us this way, and in order to please him and hope to move up in the association, I adopted it.

However, Carl Childress points out under the title Balanced or Heal-Toe"The beauty of the System is that the experienced slot umpire can use either stance."

And I would also agree with your theory on being exposed more using GD. Experimented today back to hands on both knees, and took a nice shiner to the left forearm to a right handed batter. Came home and assumed the stance in a mirror, elbow was tucked in nicely. Happens I guess.

FWIW, and since you asked, I agree with Mr Umpire on this point.

You are borrowing some items from GD, and some items from somewhere else to develop your own stance. That's not bad (I do it, too), it's just confusing to me (and apparently others) when you describe it as "GD system".

Tuss, good that you are now putting both hands on your knees. Bad you got hit in the forearm, if I had a dime ....well you know the rest!! Have someone look at you while working the GD, (hopefully another GD user) and have them confirm that you are in the slot and not drifting back over toward the catcher. The reason I say this is, in 'normal' circumstances your left arm should be relatively protected by the RHB, and unless the pitch was inside and the batter moved, you shouldn't be getting hit there with regularity.

So, continue to work on it, don't give up and you will soon be able to call pitches that you might have not been seeing before.

RPatrino (not to be confused with the Louisville basketball "coach") et al:

Am I correct in assuming that my nose should be right on the inside corner?

Who the hell is Frank Sinature?

Big star back in the day in Loss Vehgas.

Also known as Old Bleu Ayes or the Chairman of the Bored.

Used to hang out with Dean Martini and Sammy Dasie

Tuss, the slot is the area between the batter and the inside part of the plate (you know this). Line yourself up in a position so that you can see the entire plate and the entire catcher's glove. That position most of the time is with your nose lined up with the inside of the plate. You might have to adjust and move in order to see the plate and glove, so don't be rigidly tied to that position.

Ed Hickox is the man.... bottom line I like the system he works he is decently close to the catcher and he works a modified GD so yeah THE MAN

Bill Hohn does it for me! I like his panache, his strike 3 call, his flair, his great timing and his low scissors he works. He and Tom Hallion are my two favorites to watch work the plate.

Jeff Nelson scissors, baby!