Mental Check List?

[Just Curious]

Fed Ball.... You're the BU...

Is there a check list (flow chart) of things you mentally/visually/physically go through from the start of one pitch to the start of the next pitch?

I'm the PU.... Batter in bunt position... The pitch... I have a ball. Defense appeals... I go to my partner... "Did she go?" My partner shrugs his shoulders and says he didn't see it... Of course the defensive coach had a few well defined phrases for him.... We both learned what not to say after that episode.

We have a small association and we, newbies, get thrown to the wolves frequently.. It's sink or swim and we're doing our best to keep our noses above the water.

So when the pitcher gets the ball do you have a check list like...
1. F1 has the ball?
Yes-What are runners doing? No-What are runners doing?
Yes-All runners on bags
No-All runners heading to a base
3. Pitch leaves hand.. all runners still on bags but leaving on time
4. Ball passes by batter
Yes- Ball, strike, hit, fair, foul
No-
I hope you get the idea! Thanks!

[Gulf Coast Blue]

No real checklist.........I might think about situations from a coaches point of view though......(retired here)....

Runner on 1st and 3rd with less than 2 outs......be looking for a steal or sacrifice........

Be aware of Infield Fly situations........

If you know the catcher has a gun.......be aware of pick-off attempts.......nothing worse than getting caught with your pants down on a snap throw......

Think of the GAME situation and what is most likely to happen.....

Of course with some youth teams..........all bets are off.........you never know what the hell they are going to do........

Joel

[Steve M]

Chuck,
Since you're in a small association, y'all probably know each other better than those who are in larger associations. You'll know each other's strengths, weaknesses, and pet peeves. I suspect that somebody - maybe even you - is a buddng rules junkie. Have this person concentrate on the rules and their application - live in the rule book and case book. Get hold of some old Fed tests and study them. You've probably also got somebody in there who is annoyed 'cuz they got caught in a bad mechanic or out of position. Have this person concentrate on mechanics. I'd suggest that this person get the mechanics cd from epicsoftware.com and study that - it shows the accepted/preferred mechanics for both 2-man and the 3-man systems. With a relatively new and small association, you folks have a real chance to work together and get really good. Each of you should start to keep an umpire's diay fr every game - what was strange, what didn't I know how/what to do, what rule covers this, what is the mechanic for that. Bring these diaries to your meetings and talk about them. If there's a solid ump available, have tihs one come to several games and do some evaluations. When the teams that your association covers have a scrimmage - go call some pitches and work the bases. When these teams work indoors, go call some pitches. This way, when the season starts, you will have had just as much spring training as the payers. My first game is March 16. By that date, I will have done 3 college scrimmages, 2 high school clinics, read the college and high school rule books at least twice, begun listing differences and studying them, attended 4 association meetings, ... While there's nothing like the first game of the year, I'm hoping to be as ready as I can for it.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Mental check list? Hell, that's the last thing I need.

To be honest, I try not to think about what is going on and let my brain take over. I do have the luxury of only dealing with ASA now, so I really don't have any conflicting mechanics or rules.

I've been through so many damn clinics and schools, if it isn't already in there, stopping and thinking about it isn't going to help d:-)

I preview possibilities prior to each batter. Once the action start, I just react to the players.