Getting beat up all game - Catcher can't catch pitched balls

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

2012 isMTD, Jr.'s fifth year umpiring. When he started in 2008 he only wanted to umpire baseball and he took the OhioHSAA baseball umpiring class and passed with a near perfect score (insert proud papa here, ), but he wanted no part of umpiring fastpitch softball. I told him that even if he didn't umpire H.S. FP he should at least get ASA and USSSA registered for summer ball because on nights when there are not baseball games he can umpire FP games. He still insisted that he did not want to umpire FP and his mother, my wonderful better half backed him up; I registered him in ASA and USSSA anyway, .

His first game was with me: a girls' USSSA summer league game; I stuck him behind the plate. The pitchers couldn't hit the strike zone and the catcher's couldn't catch either. He was not a happy camper, . BUT, a few weeks later we umpired a USSSA girls' FP tournament where we umpired 12 games (12U and 14U age group games) together over two days where we made $32/game (cash) and he suddenly discovered he enjoyed umpiring girls' FP softball tournaments, .

To make a short story long, he still doesn't umpireH.S. FP but he may next year, but last summer he was chosen as the PU in the Ohio ASA Girls' FP State Tournament for the 10U Championship game (insert proud papa here, ). AND for our first H.S. games for the season this year I was umpiring a girls' varsity FP game while he was umpiring a boy's baseball game at the same school, and while we were driving to the game he gave me the refresher course on the DP/Flex rule, .

MTD, Sr.

[EsqUmp]

Working the "slot" is great but not as great as self preservation.

If you want to remain in the slot and not get your hands beaten up, try this (imagine a right handed batter). Your left leg should be at least as wide from the plate as the batters. Drop to your normal position, but move your left hand just behind your left knee. Your right leg should be behind the catcher's back. Place your right hand on top of your thigh just above your knee. Your thumb will be inside your thigh and the rest of your fingers will wrap around to the outside of your thigh. Depending on your preference, you can lock your right arm in this position.



Doing this helps umpires maintain their balance, without that awkward feeling of having both arms behind the body, which leads to all sorts of bad mechanics for many umpires.


By tucking one hand away behind your knee and having the other blocked by the catcher's back (regardless of whether she can field a ball), you'll be in much better shape.