USABL UMP327

Thanks Stan. That's some great advice and I really appreciate it. I caught a little flack after calling a few low ones but nothing too bad. Both coaches did say, after the game, that I was low but very consistent. I know I was low once I realized that the pitches that were coming at eye level were closer to the knees that the letters. I didn't want to overadjust in the middle of the game so I just tried to call it like I saw it, and it was low. Luckily, it didn't matter to much as it ended up being a blowout and my zone didn't have an impact on the game (15-0 mercy after 4). But, like I said, it has actually affected me more in subsequent games as I'm overthinking my zone too much. I think I have been doing the plate a bit too often lately. I usually just take what the assigners give me and lately it's been almost exclusively games behind the plate.

So two weeks ago I was behind the plate for a 14U semi-final. The field had a strange grading where the area behind home plate sloped downward. So, the batter was at plate level, the catcher was a few inches below him and the umpire was below the catcher. I was probably a good 12 inches lower than the batter. I tried to get my eye level to the letters of the batter like I always do, but I was fully standing to do this on a few of the taller hitters (one kid was massive, maybe a 6' 3" 14 year old and standing (I'm about 5'11") I was a little below the letters). Needless to say I was extremely uncomfortable fully standing behind the plate. So, after the first inning, I touch a normal crouch in the slot. I felt more comfortable, but now pitches that appeared to be belt high were actually knee high and pitches that were knee high were an inch off the ground. As a result my zone was very low. I was consistent with it for the game but I knew that I called some low strikes that were probably unhittable. So the last two weekends I've done games and I've been overthinking my zone. We all miss two or three close calls a game, but I'm missing more like 3 or 4 an inning right now. I can't get out of my own head and with the championships for the spring league coming up this weekend I don't want to be a factor in the title games. Does anyone have any advice to regain my confidence?

I think the batter had time to vacate, but every step back that he took was towards where the catcher was going to retrieve the ball. The batter was watching the runner and pitcher, not the catcher. He didn't realize he was in the line of the throw. We ended up calling it interference and the runner was called out. I'm still not sure about the call. If the throw doesn't hit the batter, the runner is safe anyway.

So, I encountered a strange play last weekend and I was wondering what the proper call is. After consulting with the umpire on the bases, we made a call. I won't tell you the call right away because I want to see what everyone else would do. 2 Outs, runner on third (R3). Right handed batter (B1). NO drawn batters box. Passed ball, skilled to the batter's side of the backstop. R3 breaks for home. The catcher retrieves the ball and flips it to the pitcher covering. The ball strikes B1, who had taken a step back to allow R3 to slide but didn't move very far out of the way. The interference with the flip was unintentional.

So, I have been an umpire for 5 seasons. I'm starting my 6th right now. After a few rainouts we finally got out in force this weekend. I had 2 games Saturday, 4 games Sunday. My first game in the field Saturday I was doing a 16U game. The plate ump caught a foul tip right off the mask and got knocked unconscious. Ambulance had to come. He had a concussion and some brain bleeding. It terrified me. I geared up and finished the game, no further incidents. I did the second game of the DH behind the plate and was ok. The next morning is when I found out that they kept my umpiring partner overnight in the hospital because he had some pressure and brain bleeding. I go to my first game and I'm behind the dish. It's 10U, so you figure nothing too fast or anything. The catcher on one of the teams is terrible. I got hit a bunch of times. One pitch came straight through and got me in the mask. Catcher didn't touch it. I seemed fine and kept going. That was about the 4th inning. The rest of the game I was flinching like crazy. Couldn't maintain my stance in the slot. Couldn't even get in the slot. I started crouching real low behind the catcher and looking over the shoulder. Every up and in pitch I was turning my head. Balls in the dirt I was coming out of my crouch. I was blinking on swings. Did games 2 and 3 in the field and then back behind the plate for Game 4. I had myself mentally prepared but the moment the first up and in pitch came I was back to flinching. Moving around a lot. I felt myself swiveling on the balls of my feet. I flinched a little bit when I first started umpiring but all of a sudden it's like I can't go behind the plate. Does anyone else get the flinchies and how do you stop it from happening?