Details: Parent Category: Larry's Corner

MECHANICSThe Two-Umpire System At the Academy, you will be taught the BASIC TWO-UMPIRE SYSTEM. This is the system used in the lower minor leagues of professions baseball and most amateur leagues throughout the United States. Near the end of your Academy training, you will be briefly introduced to the three and four-umpire systems. As you will discover, both of these are based on the two-umpire arrangement; therefore, it is imperative that you understand and master your responsibilities in it. For any umpiring system to work to its maximum efficiency, each umpire must thoroughly understand (1) coverage responsibilities and (2) basic umpiring techniques, which enable one to maximize that coverage. I provide an outline of the two-umpire system coverage responsibilities on pages M4-M6 of this manual. Following is a glossary of techniques, which I have discerned to be essential to all systems and, particularly, the two-umpire system in which comprehensive coverage is especially challenging. I have defined these techniques as Umpiring Axioms.

Jim Evans’

UMPIRING AXIOMS1. COMMUNICATION. Anytime there is more than one umpire on the field, it is necessary to have some form of universal communication between umpires. The fewer the umpires, the more critical the need for communication. Sometime coverage’s overlap and there will be other times when assignments are missed. In these cases, communication is vital to preventing the dangerous double coverage or no coverage. Communication is also essential in order to alert your partner(s) to future responsibilities (e.g., infield fly rule, time play, etc.) The three forms of communication are (1) verbal, (2) physical, and (3) eye contact.Larry Gallagher is inserting some information that he has gleaned over the years on this topic of communication. 1) It must be a mutual thing. All partners need to respond to the communications that are taking place either by their actions or with a verbal response. It is not enough to just look like you did not see the signal. Usually the response should be by repeating the signal that was given to you by the UIC. 2) The UIC is the one that should be initiating the signals prior to a pitch, i.e., the number of outs, infield fly signal, rotations, time play, etc. 3) If for some reason the UIC does not initiate the signals, then the partner(s) may do so. 4) Sometimes many amateur umpires give too many signals. This is usually because they may never have worked together before and therefore do not feel comfortable without giving a variety of signals. Most rotations do not have to be given. The only signals required between batters that professional baseball does are the number of outs, infield fly and time play. All others are left to knowing your responsibilities. So, in amateur baseball it might be good to remind each other of the normal rotation that will take place on if anyone might be covering 3^rd base or not. So, an agreed signal in your pre-game meeting on if you are staying home or not and you will be covering 3^rd. A good rule of thumb however is let the base umpire cover all plays in the infield if the ball stays in the infield and the plate umpire takes care of other responsibilities. 2. HUSTLE. Your movement on-the-field should convey energy and enthusiasm. Observers will judge your attitude and commitment by your body language and hustle is the body language of a dedicated umpire. Hustle means a lot more than just running fast on the field. It means understanding responsibilities, reading plays, and getting into position in the most expedient manner. An umpire who does not understand his responsibilities or fails to read play situations properly may over hustle himself out of position rather than into position. An umpire who does not understand proper footwork or his responsibilities will often take unnecessary steps. We call this symptom happy feet. One of the areas we see this is in the plate umpire following the batter-runner up the 1^st baseline and not coming to a stop prior to the 45-foot line. Some umpires just keep running while the play is in progress at 1^st base. This shows false hustle. By this we mean that the umpire does not know that he should be completely stopped and in a standing set when the play occurs at 1^st base. Why? To practice proper fundamentals of being set for all plays or calls as an umpire. We also see this when we see an umpire in the A position going out on a fly ball and not coming to a standing set prior to the ball being touched or caught in the outfield. These are just 2 areas where an umpire shows that he does not show the correct understanding of knowing his responsibilities. Another spot is to have the umpire from the A position bust toward the 2^nd baseman when the 2^nd baseman fields a ground ball. This umpire only needs to get 1-2 steps into fair territory and try to get the proper distance from the call at 1^st base but they are over-hustling to get onto the field and working on getting set for their play at 1^st but the end up with a very small angle and then they wonder why the play explodes on them at 1^st base. Their head is moving too abruptly toward the play and it cannot pick up the key elements such as watching the touch of the base and listening for the sound of the ball striking the 1^st baseman’s mitt. Also, now using your eyes properly and finding the ball is firmly and securely held and that he is making a voluntary release of the ball. Hustle is knowing your responsibilities and responding in a quick, athletic manner.3. PLAY RECOGNITION. Recognizing play possibilities and reacting appropriately offers the umpire his best opportunity to position himself properly. The technique of Pause, Read, and React will enable him to accomplish this more consistently. What does Pause, Read, and React mean you say? The Pause, Read and React technique illustrates the step-by-step approach for an ensuing play. When the ball is initially hit, the umpire should hesitate momentarily to assess the potential situation (Pause). While paused, he observes the location of the ball and the fielders in order to mentally determine if the ball is in his area of jurisdiction. He then assesses the most likely play situation that could occur (Read). Following the read, he establishes his position based on his best judgment of what is most likely to occur. He decides to either go out or come in (React). Example: Fly ball hit to right field with no runner on base. Base umpire steps forward with his left foot parallel the first base foul line. While opening to the field of play, he has hesitated rather than reacting spontaneously and mistakenly committing to an action that may prove to be unnecessary. Square to the foul line and open to the field of play, he then reads the location of the ball and the position of the fielders. These two criteria will determine his read and provide him the information he needs to determine whether he should (1) advance into the outfield for better positioning for a potential play or (2) advance into the infield and take all play responsibility on the batter-runner. Criteria explaining when the umpire should go out and when he should come in are discussed under Trouble balls. As the umpire’s cognitive skills improve, he will better be able to anticipate trouble and pressure situations, which require position adjustments.4. PLAY POSITIONING. Theoretically, there is an ideal angle from which to see each play. In addition, there is an ideal distance to improve your perspective and to make your call more credible. Acquiring the proper angle and distance is the result of reading each play properly. Failure to read the play properly will cause the umpire to compromise optimal positioning. There is a perfect umpire position for each play that occurs on the playing field. That position is defined as the location on the field which enable you to clearly see all the essential elements necessary to make an accurate ruling. Proper positioning consists of the proper angle to the play and the proper distance from the play. As a rule, you should establish the proper angle to the play first then acquire the appropriate distance. In other words, angle before distance. The proper angle for all force plays is 90-degrees unless the umpire is working first base with no runner on and the throw is originating from the right side. Proper distance for force plays is 15-20 feet. For tag plays, the umpire must secure a position a lot closer because a tag is applied to a very specific part of the runner’s body. The umpire must be able to see the exact point on the body where the tag was applied. The recommended distance for tag plays is 8-10 feet. Once the umpire reads the play properly, he will employ a variety of techniques to get into position (proper angle/distance) for his call (e.g., pivoting, watching the ball and glancing at the runners, keeping the chest to the ball, splitting the difference, and squaring to the play, drop step and/or opening the gate [steals and double play footwork]). 5. BODY POSITIONING. Square to the play and a static body position are necessary criteria for determining precisely what occurs on a play. The two acceptable set positions are: (1) the hands on knees set (HOKS) and (2) the standing set. Many umpires that end up using some other form of position usually are not set when the play occurs and that is why the umpire schools do not teach anything other than these 2 positions. The scissors set position is another set position but usually like in the scissors plate stance most umpires that have become umpires are not athletic enough to use this position efficiently. In fact, most umpires that use anything other than the HOKS and the Standing Set position end up not square to their play and they are still moving some part of their body when the play occurs. So, let’s understand thoroughly that we all should use a HOKS or a standing set. As a base umpire we use the HOKS when we are in the B and C position and it is even recommended in the A position. However, the A position may also be the Standing Set position. On tag plays and force plays in all but one setting for a base umpire we should be using the HOKS. The only time we can’t use the HOKS is the front end of a double play. All other plays for the base umpire should be a HOKS. The base umpire and the plate umpire may use a standing set position on fair and foul balls, on a catch or no-catch in the outfield. The only time the plate umpire might use the HOKS is if he has a tag play at 3^rd base and he is there in time for the play. Most of the time the plate umpire would use only the Standing Set for plays at the plate. 6. PROPER USE OF EYES. The proper use of the eyes will enable the umpire to “see” the complete play before making a call. Good timing is the result of proper use of the eyes. In calling pitches, tracking the ball the entire distance from the pitcher’s hand to the catcher’s mitt will insure that you prevent tunnel vision and mentally register the pitch too soon. If you observe the pitch only as far as the plate area, you will be deprived of some very valuable information about the ball’s flight that can help determine your call. In calling force plays, taking your eyes from the base to the glove or mitt at the appropriate time to verify firm and secure possession will provide the added information needed to make the proper call. If you leave the shifting of the eyes to the glove or mitt when making your calls, poor timing will be the result and will often end up in missed calls or calls that will have to be changed because the fielder drops or juggles the ball. In calling tag plays, watching the glove at the point of the tag attempt and then visually staying with it as the fielder removes the glove from the runner or base will provide the additional information needed to consistently make the right call. One of the things that umpires do too often is they watch the ball too long into the glove or watch the fielder’s slide instead of watching the glove making the tag. The slowest thing of the ball, runner and glove is the glove. Therefore it makes sense to watch the fielder’s glove making the tag since it is slower than the runner’s slide or the speed and flight of the ball. In calling catches or no catches, the same philosophy should be used on determining the catch. If you watch the flight of the ball to the glove, you end up not observing the catch as well as watching the glove field the ball. The ball sometimes and most often times is moving at a faster rate of speed than your eyes can determine. Therefore, watch the glove as it is contacting the ball and you will get more calls correct. Also, wait until the entire play has concluded and you see firm and secure possession of the ball and a voluntary release of the ball by the fielder. All of the above will lead to good timing when done correctly. 7. SIGNALING. Once the umpire has made a call (a mental process) he must now convey his decision to the participants and fans (a physical process). His signals must be clear, concise, and convincing. The physical act of signaling should not take him out of position for subsequent plays. Signals are conveyed by both physical and verbal means. The umpire should strive to keep his eyes focused on the pitch or play as he renders his signal. If you watch some umpires, you will see them turn away from the pitch or play. This usually doesn’t get them into trouble but on a rare occasion, the ball is dropped or some other action takes place when they turn away from the pitch or play such as batter interference on a pitch and a dropped ball on a play. So, if you can, try to make sure whatever style of call you want to use that it is sound mechanically too.