Plate stance

[Finnblue]

you should not put your hands behind your back--you look like a person who is does not want to get hurt instead of a umpire who calls balls and strikes. Look the part is more than half the battle

You also look like a ski jumper coming down the hill...

MS

[Stan W.]

You also look like a ski jumper coming down the hill...

MS

or an ice skater..............

[Kevin Finnerty]

you should not put your hands behind your back--you look like a person who is does not want to get hurt instead of a umpire who calls balls and strikes. Look the part is more than half the battle

You also expose your elbows to injury.

[rth54]

I don't want to bust your bubble since your just getting into it, but most associations I've heard of frown on the GD for rookies then more or less look the other way when vets do it. Your association will probably preach the Box or the slot. Which after 6 years I only really learned the difference at the International Umpires Camp this past year. I'd always used the terms interchangeably. But Jerry Crawford put me in my place. And I have it on video just in case I ever forget.

So...I'm curious...what is the real difference between the Box and the slot?

[BrianC14]

So...I'm curious...what is the real difference between the Box and the slot?

The slot is a location - the "alley" if you will, between batter & catcher.

The box is a stance.

[rth54]

Yes... I get that thanks... the real comparison would be box and heel-toe.

[BrianC14]

Yes... I get that thanks... the real comparison would be box and heel-toe.

Yes, but don't get too caught up in the differences in those, even. I will typically use the heel-toe stance; however, there are times when I can shift my feet into the "box" and barely even realize it (usually if I'm being squeezed out of the slot by the catcher setting up inside).

:rollinglaugh:

[Umpire in Chief]

The slot is a location - the "alley" if you will, between batter & catcher.

The box is a stance.

Exactly, and Jerry Crawford wanted me "in" the slot much further in than I would have been comfortable. Now doubt it was an excellent view, but my left foot (on a righty batter) was about in line with the catchers left foot. and it felt like my head was over the catchers shoulder.

It just wasn't the stance for me.

[BrianC14]

Exactly, and Jerry Crawford wanted me "in" the slot much further in than I would have been comfortable. Now doubt it was an excellent view, but my left foot (on a righty batter) was about in line with the catchers left foot. and it felt like my head was over the catchers shoulder.

It just wasn't the stance for me.

Well, you may not have liked it, but that's just where you need to be for that position & stance to work. :rollinglaugh:

[Fittske24]

I'm confused here...

I work in the slot unless I'm squeezed and my left foot on a RH batter is behind the RH batter's box. Vice versa for LH batters.

No idea what this guy is doing upper-body wise, but he is right smack in the slot. If you took a saw vertically down the inside corner of the dish, you'd split him in half right down the middle.

http://www.umpire.org/mechanics/signals/ballbox.jpg

Yeah he is "agressive" in the slot, He shouldn't have any problem seeing the outside pitch from there. Now he may need a cast after the game when he takes one off his hand :-) .

[ukce1861]

What a timely topic... I started umpiring about a year ago (LL only) and initially I was taught to stand pretty much like the guy in the picture (although more upright) that ump24 posted. I had my toes in line with each other and my nose lined up on the edge of the plate. I used this through All-Stars and fall ball, but I never had anyone evaluate me so I wasn't sure I was doing it "right".

This weekend, I went to the state LL umpire clinic and they tried to put me in the heel-toe stance, and like Warren said, it was very uncomfortable. They also told me that my head should be beside the plate. I found the whole stance to be really uncomfortable and distracting. However I assumed that what I had been doing was "wrong" and this was the "right" way. Is there a right and a wrong way, or are they both acceptable? Which do you prefer and why?

[semper_fi_72]

What a timely topic... I started umpiring about a year ago (LL only) and initially I was taught to stand pretty much like the guy in the picture (although more upright) that ump24 posted. I had my toes in line with each other and my nose lined up on the edge of the plate. I used this through All-Stars and fall ball, but I never had anyone evaluate me so I wasn't sure I was doing it "right".

This weekend, I went to the state LL umpire clinic and they tried to put me in the heel-toe stance, and like Warren said, it was very uncomfortable. They also told me that my head should be beside the plate. I found the whole stance to be really uncomfortable and distracting. However I assumed that what I had been doing was "wrong" and this was the "right" way. Is there a right and a wrong way, or are they both acceptable? Which do you prefer and why?

Heal toe provides better balance. It is also easier to open the gate from that stance. If you place your hand on the knee like the pic, be prepared to be injured. Forearm across body and keep the elbow tucked.

It was uncomfortable because you were not use to it.

Practice the stance and it will become comfortable.

Sad that no one came out from your league to eval and held you and that you had to go to the clinic to get it corrected.

[kylejt]

That's a nice wide stance, not unlike Sen. Larry Craig, but the fingers are going to get crushed against the knee caps of the shin guards. Plus, his head level is pretty low, and he's unbalanced. His head is front of his feet, as he's leaning over. Plus, he's putting weight on his hands, which make his arms a load bearing target for injury.

But he's got the slot right.......

Remember, we need to stay low for our out calls on the bases......

Edited January 28, 2010 by kylejt

[BrianC14]

I'm confused here...

I work in the slot unless I'm squeezed and my left foot on a RH batter is behind the RH batter's box. Vice versa for LH batters.

No idea what this guy is doing upper-body wise, but he is right smack in the slot. If you took a saw vertically down the inside corner of the dish, you'd split him in half right down the middle.

http://www.umpire.org/mechanics/signals/ballbox.jpg

You can be better positioned in the slot by moving your left foot forward a bit, so your left heel is aligned with your right toe on a RH batter. That will bring your body forward into the slot enough so that if the catcher were to slide over to the inside part of the plate, you could still get the outside pitch (if it went there).

The guy in the pic - man, that makes my back ache just looking at it... lock those elbows and use your knees for support! Ouch!

:rollinglaugh:

[BrianC14]

That's a nice wide stance, not unlike Sen. Larry Craig, but the fingers are going to get crushed against the knee caps of the shin guards. Plus, his head level is pretty low, and he's unbalanced. His head is front of his feet, as he's leaning over. Plus, he's putting weight on his hands, which make his arms a load bearing target for injury.

But he's got the slot right.......

Remember, we need to stay low for our out calls on the bases......

Lovely. Oh, well. I needed a new keyboard...

re: the pic Ump24 linked: Agreed about his head height... he's defintely leaning in too much with the upper body; makes me wonder if he's close enough to the catcher... ?

BTW, you gotta LOVE the white socks on some of those guys... I don't care if was 1949... that's just silly looking.

And check out the ballplayers in the background... what do you suppose is going through their minds... ?

Edited January 28, 2010 by BrianC14

[Umpire in Chief]

Plate stance is a personal preference. What you like and works for someone else may not work for you. Play around with it until you get a stance you are comfortable with. But keep the general principles of head height and head positioning, keeping yourself protected and good balance.

As was noted in the pic the guy is leaning too far forward and is exposing his hands and elbows to an extent. But DO NOT put your hands behind your back.

[catsbackr]

It seems as if some of us are overly concerned about getting hit. If you're worried about getting hit, you're in the wrong avocation. Like BrianC said, lock those elbows and use your knees for support.

[alex7]

Not sure that it's "overly concerned", but they seem to be saying that if you're GOING to get hit in the hands, don't have that hand in front of the shin guard knee-cap where it's just going to break. Either slide it behind your leg, put it higher up on your leg, or have it across your stomach. Nothing revolutionary there.

[kylejt]

Being behind the plate is a calculated risk. We'd all agree that using a raft would be safer. But it ain't cool looking, so we ditched it. Placing ones hands on top of the shinguards, and locking your elbows is also a risk, but is it calculated? I'm guessing many don't know they're exposing themselves to undo injury, when there's an easy fix. Simply rotating your hands behind you knees is an easy fix. Or, just sliding your hands up your thighs, so you're not on top of your hard shinguards. I'm just fugure that many folks don't even know what they're doing when the put their fingers straight over their kneecaps.

Note that this fellow's arms are NOT locked, so he could easily place his hands behind his thighs. He's also quite unbalance (nothing personal, pal), and I could easily push him over with one finger. Not good.

Edited January 31, 2010 by kylejt

[zm1283]

If you ask me, perhaps the guy with the fishing vest on standing in foul territory behind the plate with his back to the action is at a greater risk of being hurt. haha

In all seriousness, if you are going to work some sort of locked stance with your hands on your knees, use your shin guards to your advantage.

See below. This is from Labour Day Weekend this past season.

Tell that catcher to move the hell up.

[smackin]

I switched to scissors last season and wow, what an adjustment. I read an article that stated that you at least owe it to yourself to try it, so I did. The balance issue is a problem for some but can be resolved as follows : Slightly curve your lead foot to the left or right depending on whatever leg you are leading with. This cures the balance problem. This stance is much easier on the back. As for where to place your hands, try placing them directly behind the legs and this will keep them protected. For me personally, this stance has given me a far better view of the zone. I can appreciate however, how this doesn't work for everybody. In my Zone, we have 21 registered umpires and I am the only guy with the scissors.

[kylejt]

Just make sure your plate-side elbow is tucked in. I work the scissors on occasion, just for some variety, and had a partner comment on how exposed it was. Sure enough, I had a really boney part flapping out there, ready to get nailed. Drop in, in front of a mirror, and check yourself.

[rth54]

I have wanted to experiment with some stance options, including the scissors. I have been practicing at home, and, while I have gotten more comfortable with it, I can easily see that balance is the big challenge. I have yet to look at any pitches with the stance so it is not clear to me what the view would be like.

My association is not too excited about the scissors, and, given some of the ergonomic concerns, as well as the careful implementation required to master and maintain the stance, I can certainly see the wisdom of having new umpires (like me) master the box/heel toe first. As they say, "first things first".

[rth54]

I switched to scissors last season and wow, what an adjustment. I read an article that stated that you at least owe it to yourself to try it, so I did. The balance issue is a problem for some but can be resolved as follows : Slightly curve your lead foot to the left or right depending on whatever leg you are leading with. This cures the balance problem. This stance is much easier on the back. As for where to place your hands, try placing them directly behind the legs and this will keep them protected. For me personally, this stance has given me a far better view of the zone. I can appreciate however, how this doesn't work for everybody. In my Zone, we have 21 registered umpires and I am the only guy with the scissors.

What article was that? I have yet to find anything in print favoring the scissors.

[mazzamouth]

Being behind the plate is a calculated risk. We'd all agree that using a raft would be safer. But it ain't cool looking, so we ditched it. Placing ones hands on top of the shinguards, and locking your elbows is also a risk, but is it calculated? I'm guessing many don't know they're exposing themselves to undo injury, when there's an easy fix. Simply rotating your hands behind you knees is an easy fix. Or, just sliding your hands up your thighs, so you're not on top of your hard shinguards. I'm just fugure that many folks don't even know what they're doing when the put their fingers straight over their kneecaps.

Note that this fellow's arms are NOT locked, so he could easily place his hands behind his thighs. He's also quite unbalance (nothing personal, pal), and I could easily push him over with one finger. Not good.

His head height is a little to low..