Developing a BU mindset

[DTQ_Blue]

This is my 3rd year of HS ball, but the first one in which I'm getting a lot of BU work. I'm finding it more challenging than I expected.

I have done numerous FP rec games (14U) using a 1 man system and many hardball games as BU. I thought these prepared me for BU duty in HS but, as Lee Corso says, not so fast...

There is less space and sometimes a lot of runners and fielders operating in that limited space. Because of the congestion, I sometimes find it difficult to move to where I'd like to be vs hardball on the bigger diamond, and it seems that there is a constant possibility of INT and OBS plays vs hardball where they are more easily avoided by the runners. Some of those plays are tough calls, i.e., see my INT vs no call post from earlier tonight.

This wasn't an issue in my rec experience since I was PU and the girls being younger weren't covering as much ground and potentially getting in each other's way like the bigger/faster HS kids.

Do any of you have advice on how to develop a good BU mindset for a hardball guy now on the smaller diamond with these big girls?

[NCASAUmp]

Generally speaking, if you keep yourself at 90 degree angles to tag plays, you should be enough out of the way from a throw to another base. ASA stresses "angle over distance." Can't speak for NFHS, but I think that motto applies to all ball, not just softball.

Keep your focused eye on the baserunning responsibilities of the runners, and keep the ball and defensive players in your peripheral when they're nowhere near the play or the runners.

Stay as alert as possible. Anticipate, but don't assume.

If you have multiple runners that are your responsibility, the closer the runner is to being the lead runner, the more you may want to devote a little more attention to her. After all, that's what the defense is going to do as well.

Resign yourself to the fact that you will make mistakes, but push yourself to embrace them and allow them to make you a better umpire.

But above all, look through your rule book and find the BU mechanics. Study them as best you can. Go to clinics and don't be afraid to ask questions. Find someone in your organization whose opinion you can trust (and older does not always mean "better"), and ask them questions. Umpires love to give their opinions.

And definitely come back to this forum. A LOT!

Welcome to the softball forum!

[Steve M]

You'll find, I think, that you need to move quicker and faster in softball than in baseball. In the baseball games I do, I feel like I've got all day to get into a calling position. In softball, that first step is crucial to getting where you need to be.
Angle over distance - agreed, but prioritize that as angle first, than cut the distance. You'll want to get in close on a tag play, maybe 6 feet or so.
Learn to examine each situation before the pitch - what am I going to do...
On the smaller field, proper mechanics are much more important, so learn them. Become a thinking umpire - to know the "why" of a mechanic.
That should be enough to start.

[wadeintothem]

You have some sound advice.. # 1 is hustle to position.

You can find yourself in more trouble on the bases than you ever could as a PU.. so be sharp. Don't ever get lulled. In a good game with good pitching where you are not actually doing much.. you can go from 0 to Oh sh#$% in about 2 seconds.

[bkbjones]

IMHO, and from 25+ years of experience in baseball, the BU in softball works much harder.

You've already received sound advice to study the umpire's manual. Study it, then study it some more.

You'll find that you can't do the ol' slow turn on the double play. If you do, you'll completely miss the play at first.

Many baseball umpires I see today look like they are right on top of the play on tags, etc. Work on angles, distances, and being set. Work parallel to runners...on and on. Study, ask questions here in the forum, then study some more.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

You have some sound advice.. # 1 is hustle to position.

Let me screw things up here a bit

Do not equate hustle with running. An umpire can dash all over the field, but that isn't worth a damn if you are not in position for all the plays you need to cover. As Steve noted, be aware of what you are going to do in certain situations before the pitch.

The one good thing about a softball field being smaller is that it is easier to cover and get a good angle if you are prepared and know where you are supposed to be on any given play.

An umpire in the right position can often stay with a runner yet only taking half the steps. In softball, it is just as important to use your brain as it is your physical attributes. Keep an eye on the play as it unfolds and move with it.

And remember, anticipate the play, but never anticipate the call.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Steve M

You'll find, I think, that you need to move quicker and faster in softball than in baseball. In the baseball games I do, I feel like I've got all day to get into a calling position. In softball, that first step is crucial to getting where you need to be.
Angle over distance - agreed, but prioritize that as angle first, than cut the distance. You'll want to get in close on a tag play, maybe 6 feet or so.
Learn to examine each situation before the pitch - what am I going to do...
On the smaller field, proper mechanics are much more important, so learn them. Become a thinking umpire - to know the "why" of a mechanic.
That should be enough to start.

Steve's comment added something that I left out. Yes, angle over distance, but close that gap as much as possible. 6' might be a bit close, as you may miss something about the play as a whole. I'd personally say 6-10 feet, but that's up to your org's mechanics (again, study the book). Too close, and you'll miss something, and you'll also have less room to give a proper out/safe sell. You want to be on top of the play, but not ON TOP of the play.

If you've got the good angle, but couldn't close the gap before the play, you can close it after the play by giving a good safe sell or an out sell. The mechanic will move you closer, and the participants will not always notice that you were actually further away when you saw the play. Just don't sell every play, or you'll end up looking like you're not comfortable making the calls. Kinda like the boss who marks everything "urgent." Eventually, it just loses its meaning...

For example, If you get set and see the out from 20 feet away, an out sell will bring you another 6-8 feet closer. When the runner looks up, you're right there, 12 feet away. A safe sell will bring you another 4 feet or so closer, depending on your stride.

ASA has made it very clear to us that we're not to make calls "on the run." They want all umpires to be stopped at the moment of the play so we can get a good view. The only exception that I've been told is during 2B to 1B double play. They'll allow you a little more flexibility to make the call at 2B while moving, but be stopped and set to make the call at 1B. Selling the safe or out call at 1B will again bring you closer to the play. This is just what I've heard.

Again, I point out that the above paragraph was for ASA, and you're calling NFHS. Defer to whatever NFHS tells you in their mechanics section.

[Chess Ref]

[QUOTE=IRISHMAFIA]
Do not equate hustle with running. An umpire can dash all over the field, but that isn't worth a damn if you are not in position for all the plays you need to cover.
QUOTE]

I find the above quotes pretty funny. In our area there isn't a whole lotta dashing go on. maybe some moseying on over but not too much dashing.

I agree with with Mike's post.....

[Dutch Alex]

I found no points I would disagree on. And I have to say; I like working as BU above PU!

Now you know "angle above distance" put it in practice when you encounter a double over second and first: The first out (on second base) will be the easiest of the two. Take more distance. Now you can be closer to first base and have more people who will agree with you on the more difficult out.

In a 3-1 situation, my focus for leaving the base to early is on first base. There's no runner on thirth base who would take the risk being called for leaving early, with also a runner on first! The following runner however has to follow the signals from the coach, so they can (and are willing to) leave too early...

The more the game develops in a pitcher-duel or a tied game, the more important your call's on the bases will get. Stay focused.

Drink between innings on a hot day. Don't spoil energy; you might get into extra innings. At the end of the (tied-)game the players don't want an BU to blow a call...

Know the rules, learn the meganics so they become instinct, HUSTLE, show you care (and love being BU) and HAVE FUN!
(I know a lot US-ump's and coaches don't do it for the fun, it's work for them. But let the players see that you do care and love the game. They will forgive/forget a mistake by an umpire a lot quicker...)

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Dutch Alex

I found no points I would disagree on. And I have to say; I like working as BU above PU!

Now you know "angle above distance" put it in practice when you encounter a double over second and first: The first out (on second base) will be the easiest of the two. Take more distance. Now you can be closer to first base and have more people who will agree with you on the more difficult out.

In a 3-1 situation, my focus for leaving the base to early is on first base. There's no runner on thirth base who would take the risk being called for leaving early, with also a runner on first! The following runner however has to follow the signals from the coach, so they can (and are willing to) leave too early...

The more the game develops in a pitcher-duel or a tied game, the more important your call's on the bases will get. Stay focused.

Drink between innings on a hot day. Don't spoil energy; you might get into extra innings. At the end of the (tied-)game the players don't want an BU to blow a call...

Know the rules, learn the meganics so they become instinct, HUSTLE, show you care (and love being BU) and HAVE FUN!
(I know a lot US-ump's and coaches don't do it for the fun, it's work for them. But let the players see that you do care and love the game. They will forgive/forget a mistake by an umpire a lot quicker...)

Like you, I enjoy BU too! 90% of the games I could careless if I'm BU or PU, except I definitely dont like to iron man out several PU games in a row.. been there and done that when I had a gimp partner who couldnt work PU. I do like PU in championship games.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Like you, I enjoy BU too! 90% of the games I could careless if I'm BU or PU, except I definitely dont like to iron man out several PU games in a row.. been there and done that when I had a gimp partner who couldnt work PU. I do like PU in championship games.

I'll admit that I prefer PU over BU, but that's probably because I spent the first half of my career doing single umpire games. Finally, I feel like I'm 95% as comfortable being the BU as I am the PU, but I took a lot of hard knocks getting there. Just stick with it.

Around here, we usually do 3 games per night, with one blue taking PU for the first and third games, switching over to BU for the middle game. If you have that opportunity to choose which assignment is yours, ask to be given BU more than PU. Force yourself to practice and get into that rhythm. As I get closer to my big tournament, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I know I need to sharpen up that aspect of my game, and that's the only way to do it.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

I'll admit that I prefer PU over BU, but that's probably because I spent the first half of my career doing single umpire games. Finally, I feel like I'm 95% as comfortable being the BU as I am the PU, but I took a lot of hard knocks getting there. Just stick with it.

Around here, we usually do 3 games per night, with one blue taking PU for the first and third games, switching over to BU for the middle game. If you have that opportunity to choose which assignment is yours, ask to be given BU more than PU. Force yourself to practice and get into that rhythm. As I get closer to my big tournament, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I know I need to sharpen up that aspect of my game, and that's the only way to do it.

Work with a lot of fat guys.. fat guys love to be PU.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Work with a lot of fat guys.. fat guys love to be PU.

I'm going to partially ignore that one.

Actually, I know a number of umpires who are limited in their mobility who love to be BU.

All a matter of preference, I guess.

[Dutch Alex]

We'll we don't have that many games during the summer. Our competition is mostly played on saturday with double heather. We work in 2-man system, so on saturday I have to work one as BU and one as PU. Works fine for me.

Our (semi-)finals are in 3-umpire system, as well as the European Cups and - Championships. When those come into sight, I just have to reread myself into that system again. We (almost) never get a chance to practice it, besides those important games. But we talk a lot before the games start. My experience is because it isn't "natural" to work in 3-umpire system we do more thinking before the pitch. So when you are so focused, and you know the mechanics (by studying), mostly it will go smoothly...