Pre-game umpire conference

[charliej47]

I have been officiating sports for a long time. I have been umpiring off and on for 48 years. In all of the sports that I have work we always had a pre-game before the start of the game.

When you are working with a crew then your area of responsibility is narrower. Even a 3-man crew in basketball has certain preset responsibilities and the pre-game is more defined. A 2-man team in baseball/softball has a wider area of responsibilities.

I always try to have some type of pre-game with my partners even if it is just one or two items.

I have a list of items I go over with my partner for baseball and a different list for softball. If I have worked with the person before then my pre-game lasts about 5 or 6 minutes, if not then it will last about 15 to 20 minutes. By going over the list and discussing the items it refreshes everything in my mind. This allows me to get the “right” mindset for the event.

A couple of years ago I bought the Jim Evens Two-Man book and modified my pre-game so that it closely follows his suggestions.

When time is short I still try to get something covered before we walk onto the field.

I am running into the total disinterest from some people who don’t want to do a pre-game and insist that they know how to do their jobs and a “lets go” statement.

I also have people who state “Don’t come to me if I’m not in the “A” spot on check-swings as I will mirror whatever you call.” I always watch the pitcher when I’m BU and swivel my head to follow the ball to the batter and I feel that I have been able to tell on the check-swing from B or C. When my partner tells me he will not help then I don’t go to him. I have had a couple of coaches ask me to go to my partner for help and they always mirror whatever I call.

[jdmara]

I think pre-games are losing the battle unfortunately. Maybe want to skip them and then if things happen they want to try to clean up the mess then. It's a terrible way of doing business but you can't fix stupid.

Originally Posted by charliej47

...I always watch the pitcher when I’m BU and swivel my head to follow the ball to the batter and I feel that I have been able to tell on the check-swing from B or C.

Correct me if I'm wrong gentleman but I've always been told to watch the pitcher until he commits then immediately look at the batter without following the ball to the plate. If you follow the ball your eyes are still moving when the ball reaches the batter. However, if you focus on the plate before the ball gets there, you have the ability to see things more clearly. I have found I see a lot more things from the field by not following the ball to the plate

-Josh

[GA Umpire]

About not going to your partner, I would still go to him even if he is going to call it the same way. The rules other than FED mandate it from the PU. Also, it saves the PU grief from the DC when he can just ask and end all of it.

Ask him even if he won't disagree.

[charliej47]

Originally Posted by jdmara

I think pre-games are losing the battle unfortunately. Maybe want to skip them and then if things happen they want to try to clean up the mess then. It's a terrible way of doing business but you can't fix stupid.



Correct me if I'm wrong gentleman but I've always been told to watch the pitcher until he commits then immediately look at the batter without following the ball to the plate. If you follow the ball your eyes are still moving when the ball reaches the batter. However, if you focus on the plate before the ball gets there, you have the ability to see things more clearly. I have found I see a lot more things from the field by not following the ball to the plate

-Josh

This is what I meant when I said I follow the ball. As soon as F1 releases the ball I swivel to the plate to pick up my BU duties.

GA - I always go to my partner when required by the ruleset.

[TussAgee11]

When I have the plate with a new partner...

1) Rotations and signals we will use. (Deflected balls = no rotation)
2) I will always have pulled foot and swipe tag help if you need it
3) If you want to go out feel free.
4) I will communicate anytime I have catch/no catch with either "I've got the ball" or "I'm on the line."
5) If I communicate "I'm on the line" it kills all rotations
6) Kill anything at my feet if you see it.
7) Give me open/closed fist on 3rd strike in dirt if you can.
8) I will take half of rundowns if I can. You have it all until I communicate "I got this half"


If its a partner I've worked with and he knows the typical stuff, maybe I'll just throw in one or two of the more specific stuff mentioned above.

Have been thinking alot about trust lately. I think the pregame does more than just clear up the things I listed above. It helps each person know the level of expertise his partner has. BU MUST know how good PU is because once that ball is hit BU can't be watching PU's every move. If BU has trust in PU, he can get into better position to take his plays, anticipate developing plays quicker and not worry about whether or not PU will take his responsibilities.

[MD Longhorn]

Honestly, if everyone went to clinics, read the books, listened in class, etc... a plate conference should never be necessary. We SHOULD have the same mechanics, the same responsibilities, the same assumptions for every game, with every partner.

However, everyone DOESN'T do all those things, and I'm occasionally surprised by either A) something someone doesn't know when we have a conference, or B) something someone says they will do during the game. It's always something.

I wish for a perfect world, where the only thing a pre-game would be for is, "Dude, this is my 6th game, and I twisted my ankle in game 1... if there was a sub available, I'd go home... but there's not. Can you pick up 3rd base for me when it's normally mine?"

With a partner I know, occasionally I'll start the meeting with, "so ... what are we going to get Milly for her wedding?"

[charliej47]

This year I only had the same partner 3 times for High School baseball/softball.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by jdmara

I think pre-games are losing the battle unfortunately. Maybe want to skip them and then if things happen they want to try to clean up the mess then. It's a terrible way of doing business but you can't fix stupid.

I run into some who don't want to go over anything. I tell them, "Well, since we've never worked together I'm going to go over a few things anyway." Then I try to cover the most important things, specifically the coverages so we don't end up at the same base. Some of the umpires I work with act like they are high above going over things, then f*** up their coverages during the game.

Originally Posted by jdmara

Correct me if I'm wrong gentleman but I've always been told to watch the pitcher until he commits then immediately look at the batter without following the ball to the plate. If you follow the ball your eyes are still moving when the ball reaches the batter. However, if you focus on the plate before the ball gets there, you have the ability to see things more clearly. I have found I see a lot more things from the field by not following the ball to the plate

I find it just better to see everything about the pitch, including its flight to the plate. It's all right in front of me and I don't really have any trouble with my eyes moving anywhere. You can tell a lot about where the ball might end up by the type of pitch and its location, which helps to anticipate and be more ready.

[David B]

Originally Posted by charliej47

I also have people who state “Don’t come to me if I’m not in the “A” spot on check-swings as I will mirror whatever you call.” I always watch the pitcher when I’m BU and swivel my head to follow the ball to the batter and I feel that I have been able to tell on the check-swing from B or C.

I hear the same thing more and more. You can see check swing just as good in B or C as you can in A - don't make any sense. However, even had an assignor this season say - don't ask.

I asked the typical question - why not? And of course he had no answer, just something about how it looked.

Umpires are a team and we have to help each other out period - that includes check swings when needed.

thanks
David

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by David B

I hear the same thing more and more. You can see check swing just as good in B or C as you can in A - don't make any sense. However, even had an assignor this season say - don't ask.

How many times have you changed the call to a strike from B and C? How often does the OC say something to the effect of "You can't tell from there!"

While I agree that you should go to your partner, and the partner should give their honest answer to the appeal, it does have the perception of being difficult to call from that location.

[SanDiegoSteve]

A, B, C, D...E through Z, the center field bleachers...it doesn't matter. I can tell if a player offered at a pitch from just about anywhere. Anybody that says something like "you can't tell from there" is a moron and should just pack up their gear and go away.

[BK47]

I'd like to mirror jdmara, you cant fix stupid and unfortunately you cant shoot them either.

I've only been umpiring for 5 years, and with every new partner I get, wheather they are new themselves or a mulity-year vet, I always do a pregame. I have been able to learn from the vets and have been able to teach the newbees as well. I feel my game has gotten better with learning from others as well as my past mistakes. But you guys are correct, trying to do a pregame with some is hard. Some think they know it all and can not benefit from a little pregame reasurance. And when you do talk with them about some simple coverages they just look at you like "No Sh*t" but when the game gets going that exact coverage brakes down somehow.

As for help on check swings, I will tell my partner to give me what he has. I am not so damn hung up on myself that he "MUST" agree with me. If I missed it call it, but he better call what he has, not to just agree with me, thats all I ask.

[David B]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

A, B, C, D...E through Z, the center field bleachers...it doesn't matter. I can tell if a player offered at a pitch from just about anywhere. Anybody that says something like "you can't tell from there" is a moron and should just pack up their gear and go away.

Thank you, could not have said it more clearly. When we work three man I always say the best place to see it is from D.

The only reason you hear stupid coaches say "you can't tell from there" is because there are dumb umpires who have told them, "i can't see it from there".

Thanks
David

[DG]

I have never had a partner who refused a pre-game. If I have someone with many years experience who I have not worked with I will go through my standard pre-game and most of the time they just nod and say OK, or occasionally ask a question, or offer suggestion. If I have worked with the same partner many times I don't go through the motion. I know what he will do and he knows what I will do.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by yawetag

How many times have you changed the call to a strike from B and C? How often does the OC say something to the effect of "You can't tell from there!"

While I agree that you should go to your partner, and the partner should give their honest answer to the appeal, it does have the perception of being difficult to call from that location.

If my first instinct is, "he offered," I'll ring it any time -- no matter if I'm in A, B, C, D, E, I, E, I, or O. And I couldn't possibly care what a coach says -- he's not allowed to argue balls and strikes.