Second guessing...

[stl_ump]

1st game of the season and wouldn't you know it, I get 5 bangers in a 6 inning game.

1 for the home team and 4 for the visitors who ended up losing.

I second guessed myself on every single one of them.  As soon as I start getting complaints, especially the really "strong" ones I start to wonder maybe I didn't get it right.  I do this a lot and tonight it was particularity bad as I had so many of them.

I'm not sure there is really anything i can do about it because maybe that's just the way I'm wired.  But man, I'd really like to make my calls and just KNOW that I got it right no matter what any one says.  Either that or just do the plate all the time.  Any of you guys ever find yourself doing that?

Suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Richvee]

Is it possible your timing is fast, or you're not using your eyes properly? Watch the bag for the touch, listen for the pop of the glove. Replay the two sounds in your mind and decide which came first. If you have the glove sound first, raise the eyes to check for secure possession. Take you time to process it. It seems like an eternity to you, but it's not. I had a similar problem...The closer the play was, the quicker I was making a call, leaving myself open to self doubt and blown calls. Taking the extra time is key. A quick replay in the mind before the call.

[umpstu]

58 minutes ago, stl_ump said:

1st game of the season and wouldn't you know it, I get 5 bangers in a 6 inning game.

1 for the home team and 4 for the visitors who ended up losing.

I second guessed myself on every single one of them.  As soon as I start getting complaints, especially the really "strong" ones I start to wonder maybe I didn't get it right.  I do this a lot and tonight it was particularity bad as I had so many of them.

I'm not sure there is really anything i can do about it because maybe that's just the way I'm wired.  But man, I'd really like to make my calls and just KNOW that I got it right no matter what any one says.  Either that or just do the plate all the time.  Any of you guys ever find yourself doing that?

Suggestions?

Thanks

 

Gotta keep working at it and know when it's just sour grapes.  If you had a partner you might have asked him in a post game what he had.  I had hands hit in the strike zone today and it startled me so much that I let him go to first.  I told my partner I thought I missed that and he let me know I did.  I appreciate that.  Weird thing is I've been umpiring 22 years and never had that happen to me.  This was the second time it happened in a week to me. I got the first one right last week.

[ElkOil]

When I doubt myself it's because I thought I could have had a better angle, or picked up on some other cues if I couldn't see the play due to being straight-lined or something. Or maybe I was too close. Or whatever. The bottom line is this: You can only do the best job you can do, and at the end of it, only your judgement matters. Could your judgement be better in some cases? Well, sure. Everyone's can. But for me, what made me more confident is taking ownership of all my calls and realizing that I can only call what I can see and piece together based on my position on the field.

Last week, I was BU in B. R1 stealing 2B. The throw was high and to the 1B side of 2B. Runner slides as F4 jumps to catch the ball. As the runner was sliding by F4, F4 reached down and tagged him on the helmet. Or so I thought. I bang the out. Everyone trots off the field and the 1BC mutters that I missed the call. I absolutely may have missed it. 1BC had a much better angle than I did and may very well have seen daylight between the glove and helmet. But I didn't have his perspective. I could only make the call based on what I had where I was, and I had to live with it.

And I was good with that.

[KenBAZ]

A couple of the responses you've already gotten are in line with my thinking. I focus on the process. If I control what I can control, where I stand, how I use my eyes, my priorities, the way I do everything down to the smallest detail, I can live with the outcome. Even if I get the call right and no one complains but I did the wrong thing I'm not happy. I'm after perfection in execution not in my calls. You can do everything right and get a call wrong or get criticism. Don't let that bother you. Jim Evans says 90-95% of our calls anyone can make. We educate ourselves and prepare for the other 5%.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

[stl_ump]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I feel good about tag play calls, my positioning any where I need to be on the field to make calls but man, it's those bangers where you have to decide was the ball there first or the foot there first that I have the hardest time with.  I know I need to heed the advice of Richvee but for me that's easier said than done.  I need to practice doing that and that practice, unfortunately, comes in games which thus leads to the second guessing.

But I'll definitely work on the above suggestions.

Thanks again for the help and encouragement.

[KenBAZ]

Since I work so many games I get lots of opportunities to practice making calls at first. It's rare you get a a lot of close calls in a game like you had. I try and use every play, even the most routine, as preparation for the 5% that may be difficult. Get in perfect position, read the throw, let the ball turn me. HOK set, focus on F1's foot on the bag and just listen. After I hear the play, look up for voluntery release, signal my call. One last step I add, mentally evaluate my positioning and process. If I've repeated the process 50 times then when I get a wacker If doesn't seem to be overwhelming. Repeating good habits over and over builds self confidence and gives others confidence in your competence.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

[noumpere]

31 minutes ago, stl_ump said:

it's those bangers where you have to decide was the ball there first or the foot there first that I have the hardest time with.

"out."  Decision made.

[stl_ump]

Ken,
I think that's a very good point you made in making sure I do the proper mechanics on a routine, easy play so when the wacker comes it will be easier.  I think if I work on doing the "easy" ones correctly ( focus on F1's foot on the bag and just listen) then maybe I'll have a better chance at doing the hard ones better.

Thanks

 

[kstrunk]

Great advice all. One more thing @stl_ump, the culture of the baseball fan/spectator, especially at the amateur level, is one that EXPECTS the umpire to be wrong whether he is or isn't. Peoples' emotions are wrapped up in the success of their kids/players/students, so whether you're right or wrong is often irrelevant, you're GOING to hear from people even when you're right. So evaluate your mechanics and focus on getting better, and tune out the rest of the 'umps' who are outside the lines. 

[Stk004]

Part of it could be the fact that this was your first game of the year. My first game this year was a nightmare mechanics wise, but game #2 was like an entirely different person. 

Personally, I doubt myself most when I get too close to the play (sucked in) or start to anticipate the call. After one of these happens, I make a mental note and ensure that for the rest of the game I keep proper distance and wait for the play to happen, rather than expecting something to happen. Coming off of a long winter, especially with the WBC, we have to switch out of spectator mode and back into umpire mode. 

Your confidence will take a big boost when you get a call right, that wasn't really THAT close (more than half a step), and the offensive team complains. Then you'll think "Man, that wasn't even close and they think I'm wrong." 

[scrounge]

2 hours ago, stl_ump said:

...it's those bangers where you have to decide was the ball there first or the foot there first that I have the hardest time with...

 

For me, that sounds like a lot could be solved purely by timing. I had a very close one on Sat (opening day). It was a bang-bang play, two distinct sounds but extremely close. I started to tense a bit to bring up the right arm, but that extra half-second of practicing to be slow helped me realize that the first sound was the foot. I actually, literally thought to myself "that was foot-glove" and safed it. Of course the defensive side groaned - no matter what you do, one will. So what. I felt fine with the process. 

One thing I've done to train myself to go slow is to not even make a perfunctory silent signal on the routine plays until F3 releases AND throws the ball. It's helped not only with timing, but the process of making sure there was an actual catch. 

[ElkOil]

As a old-timer told me, "When in doubt, bang the out."

[ricka56]

When your timing is good, you should have no doubt.
If you have doubt, then your timing needs improving.

[stl_ump]

Either that or I just have poor judgement or can't think fast enough.

[lawump]

36 minutes ago, ricka56 said:

When your timing is good, you should have no doubt.
If you have doubt, then your timing needs improving.

Let me contrast two separate, but 100% true, events in my baseball career:

I received a surprise (they all are) evaluation during my pro days.  During the post-game talk the PBUC evaluator asked me, "why didn't you 'bang' some of those runners out?"  (I had just given my routine "out" mechanic...I had not used my "whacker" out mechanic.)  I responded by saying, "I didn't think any were really that close."  (Which was 100% true.  I had no arguments from any coach or player about any of the calls.)

Contrast that day with a game I had last week.  During that high school game,  I "whacked" a kid out at first base.  I heard some yelling from the offensive team.  I went back to the "A" position and as I stood there I wasn't sure that I had gotten the call correct.

So, what was the difference between the two plays?  The first play happened at a time when I was umpiring at least one game every day for months on end.  By the time of that evaluation by PBUC, my timing on the bases was as good as it has ever been (or ever will be).  I was just at a point were I was not having any doubts about plays at first base.  Everything looked like an "obvious" out or safe.

The second example occurred in a game that was only my 5th or 6th game on the bases in the last two months (I tend to get a lot of plate assignments (sigh)).  My timing was not "spot on".  As I stood in the "A" position after having banged the kid out...I made sure my body language projected confidence, but inside I was full of doubt.  And I immediately knew why I was full of doubt: my timing had been poor.

Moral of the story: timing on the bases is just as crucial as timing on the plate.  Unfortunately, getting great timing on the bases can be harder to accomplish as an amateur umpire than it is for a professional.  So us amateurs have to work twice as hard at it!!!

[stl_ump]

My current schedule is set for games every day for the next couple of months (less rain outs)  Hopefully that timing will come.

Thanks for your post.

[ricka56]

27 minutes ago, lawump said:

During the post-game talk the PBUC evaluator asked me, "why didn't you 'bang' some of those runners out?"  (I had just given my routine "out" mechanic...I had not used my "whacker" out mechanic.)  I responded by saying, "I didn't think any were really that close."  (Which was 100% true.  I had no arguments from any coach or player about any of the calls.)

Week ago Friday, I had a similar experience. My partner was commenting about the 4 close plays that I had on the pads. They were very close, but I had distinct touch/tag occurrences (good timing), had no doubt and not a peep from anyone....in the zone feel awesome.

A trick that I was taught (never used) was to set up for the close plays with one hand on top of the other on your knee. The top hand is to hold the other one down to remind you to go slow (timing). The guy that taught/used this is the top dog in our chapter. If timing is your issue, you might try this trick.

[grayhawk]

@stl_ump, you have MANY more opportunities to practice proper use of eyes than you might realize.  I posted this on the Fed Facebook group last week, and think it might help you as well.  I'm not announcing anything, but you might look for it in the July issue of Referee magazine too. 

To give yourself the best chance of getting a call correct, the most important factors are (1) Get the best angle possible, (2) Be set for the critical action, and (3) Proper timing. Proper timing is one of the most difficult things for umpires to master, and even the best among us is bound to make a call too quick from time to time. So how do we practice proper timing so that when we get a whacker that may decide the outcome of the game, we are calm, cool and collected?

You may not realize it, but you have literally thousands of opportunities every season to practice "proper use of eyes" which is THE key component of good timing. As the base umpire standing in short right field between innings, do you watch the infielders warm-up throws as if you were calling a play each and every time? If you are not, then you are foregoing the opportunity to build the muscle memory necessary to have proper timing. From your position, watch the infielder throw the ball to F3. Judge the throw out of his hand (is it a true throw, or off line?), snap your head to the 1B bag and listen for the pop of the mitt. Then, and this is the critical part, allow your head and eyes (the bill of your cap should physically move up) to travel up to F3's mitt to judge secure possession and voluntary release. Then, and only then, should you mentally make your call. This is proper use of eyes and if you do this on every call, whether the runner is out by ten feet, or on a real banger, then it's almost impossible to make your call too fast.

This is also an opportunity to practice read steps. When you snap your head and eyes to the bag, read F3 and how he is striding to make the catch. Is he reaching towards the plate? Towards the RF line? Straight at you? Use these throws to practice reading F3 and making a mental read step in the proper direction to get the best angle. This is a more advanced drill and I recommend that you only move on to read steps after you have built your muscle memory on your head and eyes traveling to the mitt to where it's automatic in live game action.

Doing this drill between innings is an excellent opportunity to perfect our timing. Use this time wisely and you'll vastly improve the likelihood of having great timing on even the closest of plays.

[stl_ump]

I will start on the drills tonight!

Thanks!

 

[Richvee]

40 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

This is also an opportunity to practice read steps. When you snap your head and eyes to the bag, read F3 and how he is striding to make the catch. Is he reaching towards the plate? Towards the RF line? Straight at you? Use these throws to practice reading F3 and making a mental read step in the proper direction to get the best angle. This is a more advanced drill and I recommend that you only move on to read steps after you have built your muscle memory on your head and eyes traveling to the mitt to where it's automatic in live game action.

This was something new to me taught at a pre season clinic I attended this year. Main point was once the fielder is about to throw, shift to the bag, and take your cue from F3 for off line throws. IOW, don't try to read the throw, then snap to the bag. let F3 read the throw, you read F3. This gives you a little more time to get set, focus on the bag, and be ready to make the call. 

[grayhawk]

4 minutes ago, Richvee said:

This was something new to me taught at a pre season clinic I attended this year. Main point was once the fielder is about to throw, shift to the bag, and take your cue from F3 for off line throws. IOW, don't try to read the throw, then snap to the bag. let F3 read the throw, you read F3. This gives you a little more time to get set, focus on the bag, and be ready to make the call. 

I still watch the ball leave the fielder's hand.  If he fakes a throw and then makes a play elsewhere, that's fairly good information to have.  But to make a proper read step, reading the fielder receiving the throw is critical.

[umpstu]

16 hours ago, stl_ump said:

1st game of the season and wouldn't you know it, I get 5 bangers in a 6 inning game.

1 for the home team and 4 for the visitors who ended up losing.

I second guessed myself on every single one of them.  As soon as I start getting complaints, especially the really "strong" ones I start to wonder maybe I didn't get it right.  I do this a lot and tonight it was particularity bad as I had so many of them.

I'm not sure there is really anything i can do about it because maybe that's just the way I'm wired.  But man, I'd really like to make my calls and just KNOW that I got it right no matter what any one says.  Either that or just do the plate all the time.  Any of you guys ever find yourself doing that?

Suggestions?

Thanks

 

It's a very tough thing training yourself to stop looking at the ball and to listen to it hitting the glove while watching the BR foot at the base.  Someone mentioned being too close and that is correct.  And timing, timing, timing.  If you haven't been, attend the Mid American Umpire Clinic.  The instruction at their clinic is top notch and you will learn so much.

[ricka56]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

@stl_ump, you have MANY more opportunities to practice proper use of eyes than you might realize.  I posted this on the Fed Facebook group last week, and think it might help you as well.  I'm not announcing anything, but you might look for it in the July issue of Referee magazine too. 

To give yourself the best chance of getting a call correct, the most important factors are (1) Get the best angle possible, (2) Be set for the critical action, and (3) Proper timing. Proper timing is one of the most difficult things for umpires to master, and even the best among us is bound to make a call too quick from time to time. So how do we practice proper timing so that when we get a whacker that may decide the outcome of the game, we are calm, cool and collected?

You may not realize it, but you have literally thousands of opportunities every season to practice "proper use of eyes" which is THE key component of good timing. As the base umpire standing in short right field between innings, do you watch the infielders warm-up throws as if you were calling a play each and every time? If you are not, then you are foregoing the opportunity to build the muscle memory necessary to have proper timing. From your position, watch the infielder throw the ball to F3. Judge the throw out of his hand (is it a true throw, or off line?), snap your head to the 1B bag and listen for the pop of the mitt. Then, and this is the critical part, allow your head and eyes (the bill of your cap should physically move up) to travel up to F3's mitt to judge secure possession and voluntary release. Then, and only then, should you mentally make your call. This is proper use of eyes and if you do this on every call, whether the runner is out by ten feet, or on a real banger, then it's almost impossible to make your call too fast.

This is also an opportunity to practice read steps. When you snap your head and eyes to the bag, read F3 and how he is striding to make the catch. Is he reaching towards the plate? Towards the RF line? Straight at you? Use these throws to practice reading F3 and making a mental read step in the proper direction to get the best angle. This is a more advanced drill and I recommend that you only move on to read steps after you have built your muscle memory on your head and eyes traveling to the mitt to where it's automatic in live game action.

Doing this drill between innings is an excellent opportunity to perfect our timing. Use this time wisely and you'll vastly improve the likelihood of having great timing on even the closest of plays.

What a great idea 

[Richvee]

9 hours ago, grayhawk said:

I still watch the ball leave the fielder's hand.  If he fakes a throw and then makes a play elsewhere, that's fairly good information to have.  But to make a proper read step, reading the fielder receiving the throw is critical.

Correct. See the ball leave the fielder's hand. Just don't stick with the throw trying to read it. let F3 read it and follow his lead.