Announcer's Critique of Gerry Davis

[RPatrino]

I found these observations quite humorous. Ron Darling provided the following regarding Davis' work:

"Gerry Davis is one of the few umpires who doesn't move when the catcher moves. If the catcher moves outside, Davis tends to lose the outside corner because he stays where he set up. Davis is a vertical umpire, calls strikes up and down, but not so much a horizontal umpire".

[Welpe]

As Yogi said, you can learn a lot just by watching...or not.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

I found these observations quite humorous. Ron Darling provided the following regarding Davis' work:

"Gerry Davis is one of the few umpires who doesn't move when the catcher moves. If the catcher moves outside, Davis tends to lose the outside corner because he stays where he set up. Davis is a vertical umpire, calls strikes up and down, but not so much a horizontal umpire".

Pitcher's perspective on where he's going to get calls. What's wrong with it?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Pitcher's perspective on where he's going to get calls. What's wrong with it?

Ummm, everything.

Because of comments like these, people watching will believe the correct plate umpire positioning is how dear old Ron explained it. And when these people become youth baseball managers and coaches, or just fans at the park, they'll yell at the local umpire that he/she is clueless when he/she is doing exactly what he/she is supposed to be doing.

I'm just curious how many pro umpires Darling has seen that do move when the catcher moves.

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Ummm, everything.

I'm just curious how many pro umpires Darling has seen that do move when the catcher moves.

A lot, because a lot of them move.

When Yadier Molina jumps out with 2/3 of his body off the plate, few umpires are still locked in with their nose on the inside corner.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by briancurtin

A lot, because a lot of them move.

When Yadier Molina jumps out with 2/3 of his body off the plate, few umpires are still locked in with their nose on the inside corner.

Well, maybe I just haven't been paying that much attention.

But as they say, if you want to learn proper positioning and mechanics, DON'T watch pro umpires...

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Manny A

But as they say, if you want to learn proper positioning and mechanics, DON'T watch pro umpires...

Maybe MLB umpires, but certainly not all pro umpires. If you want a tutorial on positioning and mechanics, watch a hungry AAA umpire. As good as it gets.

[RPatrino]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Pitcher's perspective on where he's going to get calls. What's wrong with it?

There is nothing wrong with it, per se. The issue is that the general public hear these statements and believe that it is fact not opinion. We then feel the aftermath of this ignorance when we work games.

I also am getting pretty tired of that little blue strike zone box that they plaster up on the screen. This only tracks where the the pitch is caught, near as I can tell, and it doesn't track where or if the pitch even entered the zone.

Rant over! Carry on!