Not this already...

[Umpire in Chief]

I read a one line news article that John Hirshbeck had to leave yesterday's Orioles vs. Yankees game after being hit with a foul from Rodriguez. Well the news said "foul tip," but you know the deal...

It's too early for this.

[arbiter22]

Man John has been injury poor the last couple years... Hope he's ok.

[FranklinT]

Man John has been injury poor the last couple years... Hope he's ok.

Ive noticed Hirschbeck have to leave a ton of games or take some bad shots a TON of times.....he tends to work right over the catcher's head.

[mstaylor]

Ive noticed Hirschbeck have to leave a ton of games or take some bad shots a TON of times.....he tends to work right over the catcher's head.

That and he is a really big target.

[FranklinT]

That and he is a really big target.

That doesnt make any sense to me. There are a bunch of guys who are bigger than him and Ive not noticed them taking the volume of shots that Hirschbeck does.

[mstaylor]

That doesnt make any sense to me. There are a bunch of guys who are bigger than him and Ive not noticed them taking the volume of shots that Hirschbeck does.

My fault, I was thinking Tim McClelland.

[FranklinT]

My fault, I was thinking Tim McClelland.

Hirschbeck, and other who work a stance like his, gets injured all the time because he doesnt work the slot and works over the top of the catcher's head. That isnt a coincidence or a result of him being a "large target." If that were the case, other large guys would be getting injured with the same frequency he does. They dont.

Edited March 29, 2010 by mrm21711

[Thunderheads]

any vid of this guys????

[FranklinT]

any vid of this guys????

Marty Foster from recently:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7546435

Notice how Foster is actually partially over the catcher's left shoulder.

Here is Hirschbeck from last night - he doesnt get drilled but look where he stands.

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7545331

[okump96]

foster was being squeezed, he didn't have much choice in being there. hirshbeck stays on his catchers shoulder and moves inside or outside with him. the camera angle makes it look like they are over the catcher's head.

[FranklinT]

foster was being squeezed, he didn't have much choice in being there.

I dont know where it is taught if you are being "squeezed" you should move over the catcher's head/left shoulder (in this case). You should move "up" and "back" but never over.

hirshbeck stays on his catchers shoulder and moves inside or outside with him. the camera angle makes it look like they are over the catcher's head.

I dont agree with this either. Hes clearly not in the slot. If he moves with the catcher, hes still subjecting himself to injury. You have proven my point. Thank you.

Edited April 22, 2010 by mrm21711

[okump96]

look at the videos again. foster is directly over molina's head not his left shoulder. the camera angle just makes it look that way.

hirshbeck stays in the slot, he just moves it and himself with the catcher. the slot is that area on the inside part of the plate, between the catcher and batter that affords the umpire with the best view of the entire plate. by moving out with the catcher you are still protected unless for some reason the pitcher can't hit that outside spot.

[FranklinT]

hirshbeck stays in the slot, he just moves it and himself with the catcher. the slot is that area on the inside part of the plate, between the catcher and batter that affords the umpire with the best view of the entire plate. by moving out with the catcher you are still protected unless for some reason the pitcher can't hit that outside spot.

So if the slot is the inside part of the plate, and the catcher moves to the outside corner and you move with him and your head is over the middle of the plate now, how can somebody like Hirschbeck still work the slot? (Based on your own definition?)

[okump96]

because he is still between the batter and catcher.

[FranklinT]

because he is still between the batter and catcher.

This has been talked about ad nauseum...once you start to move away from the inside corner you are subjecting yourself to a greater risk of injury because bals are less likely to be fouled back and hit you if you are working the true slot as opposed to moving with the catcher. If you move with the catcher, you are over the top of the plate and are more likely to be hit by a foul ball...that picks up speed off the bat.

Youre not right on this.

[okump96]

if the pitch is thrown to the catcher, it will be fouled away from you as long as you are between the batter and catcher. on the other hand, if you go outside the catcher then you will likely be hit by a foul ball

[FranklinT]

if the pitch is thrown to the catcher, it will be fouled away from you as long as you are between the batter and catcher. on the other hand, if you go outside the catcher then you will likely be hit by a foul ball

Wrong on so many levels I dont even know which to respond to.

Doesnt matter where the catcher is setting up or if its "thrown" to him. If the catcher is set up outside and you move with him and are still over his inside shoulder, you would be set up over the middle of the plate and be at a MUCH larger risk of injury than if you stayed over the inside corner of the plate.

Will some others please chime in and correct him too?

[mstaylor]

I do not move with the catcher. While it is true to an extent that if he throws to the catcher it should go by you, if he doesn't then you are going to wear it. I stay inside and call the pitch from there. I realize many MLB umps go with the catcher but they do a lot of things that aren't according to Hoyle.

[MickeyMouseUmp]

I would just chalk it up to bad luck...I have been through stents like that too(on an average I do 200-250 games/year). Sometimes I go years without even getting a buzz, then other years it seems like I get a foul shot every game. The camera angles really mess with what is really happening, so I would not hold much stock in that he is opening himself up more. Yesterday got a direct shot to the cup, had to take a standing eight count even with the shock doc doing its job.

Dang sorry missed a few posts.

I also do not move with the catch unless they block out the inside then I'm forced high. I live and die with exposure when the catch sets up outside but that is why you need good gear. With the Majors the catch will block 99% of the time regardless of where he sets up...its when you do lower level ball that they don't have the ability to cover most shots.

Edited April 28, 2010 by MickeyMouseUmp