NCAA Kills the Scissors
 

Any thoughts on the NCAA's decision to prohibit the use of the scissors?

The two justifications where (1) inaccurate/inconsistent strike zone and (2) umpires setting up where their heads where in a dangerous position (leading to more injuries).

I wonder if many who were observed working the scissors would have these problems regardless of their stance.

I pretty sure this wasn't an "NCAA" decision but one made by a group that apparently thinks it must change something every year to justify their positions.

The justifications are ridiculous. If it were really about inaccurate/inconsistent strike zones, they'd ban the heel/toe stance. Most of the bad zones I see are from officials using it. Of course, it has nothing to do with the type of stance they use. Their zone would be bad in any stance. I never was comfortable in the scissors, but I do know several umpires who have very good zones who are. IMO, the umpire with the best zone in the last several WCWS uses it.

I'm not sure a PU's head is in that much different a location in the scissors than other stances. I've never really paid much attention I guess. I haven't heard of an elevated number of injuries either.

Where in the world are the umpires' heads when they use the scissors that it would increase injuries? Aren't they still in the slot? I'm confused. I don't ever see the scissors anymore since I moved over from baseball, and I really never paid attention during the WCWS.

THAT DOES IT! No more NCAA Championships for me. ;) ;) :D :D :D

I'm sketchy on the details and can't really search right now...

Didn't MLB, or the umpire's union, ban the scissors a decade ago? If I remember, there were some sort of concerns with back or neck injuries. I don't remember there being anything about the accuracy of calling pitches.

EsqUmp:

Do you have a website URL that you can post with this information? Thanks.

MTD, Sr.

email:

"From the SUP for those of you who do not have access:


~~7/28/2014Notes from the National Coordinator - August 2014
“There is nothing permanent except change.”
Heraclitus


Greetings,
I would like to take this opportunity to update you on a mechanic change that will occur in the 2015-2016 season. After research, the scissor stance for plate umpires will no longer be approved by the SUP. This stance puts the umpires in greater jeopardy to sustain a possible injury when hit by a foul ball. It also has shown a greater inconsistency in strike zones across the country. One of this years focus points is strike zone accuracy. Umpires should to be in the slot, head height should be at the top of the strike zone and no lower than the top of the catcher’s helmet. Please review the criteria for a called ball or strike within the current rules book.

This fall there are two new experimental rules. The first concerns the ball. Teams will collect data on the new experimental ball during the fall season. Selected teams will compare the new ball with the traditional ball using the following guidelines:
1. Have a dozen experimental balls and a dozen traditional balls rubbed up prior to the game.
2. Using a permanent marker, mark the experimental balls with a mark large enough to distinguish it from the other dozen but not so large as it will be distracting to the players.
3. Place the dozen experimental balls in a ball bucket in the on-deck circle or at the entrance to the dugout on the first base side and a bucket with the traditional balls in the on-deck circle or at the entrance to the dugout on the third base side. Umpires do not need to manage ball rotation from their ball bags but instead allow the teams to put balls in play from their bucket in appropriate innings.
4. Establish a ground rule to “play on without regard to if it is the offensive or defensive team’s bucket” should the bucket come into play.
5. Experimental balls will be used in odd innings and traditional balls in even innings.
6. To ensure the validity of the data, participating coaches should comment on their experience through the on-line survey as soon as possible.
The second experimental rule concerns teams line-ups. Teams will be able to use “LINKS” instead of the DP/Flex or DH rules. This is only allowed in FALL softball.
The advantage of “Links” is its simplicity. There are 10 players in the line-up with two sharing the same spot in the batting order (LINKS). Either player may occupy that spot when on offense, any time, any number of times and nine of the 10 players must play defense. Teams may still select to play with nine as in the past with the same restrictions. There is no change in this line-up. (See power point under General Umpiring Information)

I have had the opportunity to work with many of you over the summer at various camps. I ask that you study the manual. The material in the manual will allow you to be in the best position to see the play and make an accurate judgment. See the play develop. Work for proper positioning which has two criteria: angle and distance. Adjust your position to see all of the elements in front of you: the ball, base, fielder and the runner. And finally develop good timing. Observe the play; gather all the information you need to make the correct call. Then make the call and apply the correct signal to convey your decision.
Continue working hard to improve. The fall season is just around the corner. Keep in mind that the two experimental rules are only to be used during the fall season if both coaches agree.
Remember our mantra:

Every pitch, every play every time!
Donna Vavrinec
National Coordinator
"

Thanks Cecil.

MTD, Sr.

I would think the position minimizes the protection afforded by the throat protector/extended mask.

head height should be at the top of the strike zone and no lower than the top of the catcher’s helmet

While I understand why this is preferred, what if it isn't possible?

You get a catcher like Nuvey in front of you, this may be a tad difficult for some batters. :)

The CCA Manual points out the differences on page 37.

"All of the stances except the Scissors Stance require you to position your head in the slot in order to see the outside corner. The Scissors Stance has you position your inside ear on the inside corner of the plate with an ubobsrtucted view of the entire plate. This should be your starting position and adjust only when the batter is legally crowding the plate and/or the catcher is legally setting up inside, in order to see the pitch. This is a situational mechanic, not a starting position for every batter. You need to be set when the pitch is released and if you need to, adjust your position for a better view." (bolded as is from CCA 2014 Manual)

I assume this means putting your eyes over the inside half of the plate. That said, the umpires I noticed using the scissors this season still seemed to be pretty well in the slot (outside ear[away from batter] on inside edge of plate).

I don't work the scissors, so I can't comment: Can you see from the slot using the scissors? I don't know why you couldn't, other than the manual says to do otherwise.

With some odd, undiagnosed pain in my right hip in the middle of my college season, I switched from the Gerry Davis to the scissors, which I had worked many times before. I set up correctly in the slot, I can see everything clearly and I had no problems.

MLB did not ban the scissors like some have suggested. Anyone with a tv and an interest in baseball ought to know that. I wonder what NCAA baseball's perspective is on this.

(I assume that you mean "scissors", not "slot")

It was grandfathered for umpires already in the majors and using it. It's use was prohibited for new and incoming umpires.

Interesting move by SUP, I started using the scissors two years ago and felt more balanced and comfort than any other stance.

As for injuries, if setup is not correct it could lead to knee and/or lower back issues but then again, how many times have we known or heard of fellow umpires getting hit by a tipped ball or pitch and breaking their arm(s) while being locking into the GD? In the last two years I've had more tipped balls pass by me than hit me while in the scissor stance.

But, as I say, when in Rome......

Oh, and it wasn't that long ago the SUP said that if the catcher moved, the umpire needed to slide with the catcher, awkward move if locked in and then the catcher moves?

I have never heard of anyone breaking their arm using the Davis.

I've used it since '09 and haven't had an issue.

This is the oft-cited example that happened to Davis himself. It's also a good example of the importance of keeping your entire body behind the catcher when possible.
Umpire takes ball off arm | MLB.com

Broken bones are probably more common in baseball. I don't know enough baseball guys to have secondhand experience with that injury. I've been hit twice in maybe 100 games since I started using it: once in the fingers and one sharp foul tip to the face. I definitely got hit more doing heel-toe, probably because I did not stay as locked in through the entire pitch and my base was wider.

It looked bruised badly, but not broken.

You cannot work the slot properly and keep your body behind the catcher!

Getting hit there has absolutely nothing to do with working a GD stance. With the exception of working the scissors or if you hump the catcher like Phil Cuzzi, anyone could have taken that hit.

In 12 years of working a GD, I have not sustained any real injury or substantial pain getting hit. Maybe I'm just lucky. The one time I got drilled in the hand is when my evaluator had me move out of the GD to a ASA-clone style heal-toe.

Sounds to me like people are using their positions to push their personal preference.

Reminds me of the people who figured out nonsense ways to effectively ban umpire helmets years ago (my favorite was requiring umpires to wear 4-stitch hats under them, even though they are designed to be worn without hats).

YOU! WILL! CONFORM!

No, I won't, but I wouldn't wear one of those anyway. Those "helmets" were not designed for umpires, but hockey goal tenders. You might notice, they don't wear hats in hockey, either.

I'm meeting a friend tonight who ended up in rehab for over 6 months thanks to one of them.

Care to share what happened? I have thought of using a bucket but haven't made a decision.

I suppose that is one way to look at it. My view is a bit different.

Every rule book that has an umpire section defines the umpire uniform (and equipment), so far as I know. Some parts are optional (chest protector, for example), some parts have alternate versions (different color combinations), some parts are required. Every one I know about requires a hat as a mandated part of the uniform.

Until that is changed, the desire to wear a different style mask/helmet that is designed to NOT have a hat simply doesn't meet the requirement. Just like a catcher's mask without a throat protector. So, either work to change the rule, or convince the manufacturers to design one that complies. Until then, the rule and the helmet are incompatible.

We have elected to be the enforcers of the rules as they apply to the game; that hat is part of the rules, like it or not.

Baseball. Took a pitch in the forehead. No give to the mask/helmet, caused a whiplash type of effect on his neck.

Tonight, told me he has gone back to the mask, but every time he takes a hit, there are more problems. Took a hit Wednesday and cannot work until Sunday at the earliest.

Prior to the original hit, he had worked ASA, NFHS, NCAA & ISF ball without incident for over 20 years. He did not move to the hockey-style mask until he started working baseball.

Hockey Mask
 

I only can think of one softball official in this area that wears the hockey mask so I don't know of any injuries here. However, in a MLB game a few months ago I watched a catcher with the hockey mask take two off the helmet. He had to leave the game after the second hit. It was obvious to me that the helmet had no "give". It just stayed right in place. The mask should be able to absorb and move or even get knocked off. The helmet will not do that.

OTOH, Joe Mauer took a foul ball off his traditional catcher's mask, suffered a concussion, and had to give up catching.

Is there any data (rather than anecdotes) about the relative safety of the hockey-style helmet v. traditional mask?

I don't think there is any doubt it provides as much if not more protection that a traditional. It is effect on the head and neck of providing that protection.

Catchers wear their masks tighter than umpires as there is more movement in their job. That again, there it the big leather mitt that helps with their protection.

As an arbiter, one who is entrusted to apply the rules as they are written, you are correct. I will conform to the REQUIRED uniform. A UNIFORM is just that, UNIFORM. It isn't called an ARBITRARY for a reason.

You don't have to conform. You do have a choice. You can do baseball where anything goes.

Thank goodness.

There have been some very successful NCAA softball umpires who used the scissors.

It would be interesting to find out what "studies" the SUP has to show the increase in injuries and inconsistent strike zones.

Just when we thought this topic was about masks and hats :rolleyes:, someone goes back to the OP. :D

I had an occasion to speak with someone this past weekend that provided some unique insight into the banning of the scissors plate stance.

What I was told is that there is a study out there done by Major League Baseball a few years back that showed that there is a sightly increased risk of a head or neck injury when using the scissors if the umpire is hit by a pitched or fouled ball in a certain spot. MLB used this data to ban any of their new umpires from using the scissors.

I was also told that allowing NCAA umpires to use any plate stance they were comfortable in as long as they were able to see the ball and call a good zone was brought in by the "old" SUIP, which was removed from power a few years back. So the "new" regime is going to slowly eliminate all of the changes brought in previously. I also heard that most of the college coaches don't like the scissors for some reason.

As to the longtime NCAA umpires that are "grandfathered" in and will still be allowed to use the scissors. That number is limited to ten umpires. Some of these umpires have worked the WCWS in the past and have aspirations of going back. What was mentioned to me is that if these umpires elect to continue to use the scissors, is there really a chance of the powers that be selecting them to go back to the WCWS? The last time one of these prominent umpires went to the WCWS, they were only assigned one plate game for the entire week.

I realize this is all hearsay...take it as you will. I trust the source and have never been steered wrong before.

This sounds like the real reason(s), with the rest being window dressing.

I spent the week of 7/26 thru 8/2 working with one of that group of ten that had been told they would be allowed to continue with the scissors; and that position to "grandfather" them had been retracted. I believe he got that phone call during that week, as he believed he was grandfathered early in that week.

It would be practically indefensible to allow some to continue, and not others; and the people making the decision (as well as those that were hearing the retraction) recognized that. While the whole independent contractor thing means he/they can do what they want, the reality is none of them appears ready to buck the SUP decision.

What will be VERY INTERESTING (at least to me) is what happens if/when a former scissors umpire is injured working Gerry Davis or heel/toe in a manner/location that was better protected in the scissors. I suspect that individual would have a very viable legal basis to hold the NCAA accountable, and possibly even force an employee definition with mandated benefits, like the football players seem close to doing.

Just a personal observation: While using the scissors for the last five or so years, I've been hit less frequently and less severely than in previous years using the GD.

I don't buy the injury argument. I also don't believe that it results in a less accurate strike zone.