Catcher problem

[ncblue]

Need a little help. I was calling a 15u game last night behind the plate. Had a relatively inexperienced catcher. First inning-as I would lock in the slot, he would raise his mitt directly in my line of sight. I kept asking him to work with me and told him if I cant see a strike-I cant call one. So of course the F1 couldnt find home plate with a map and coach calls time. After the pitcher change-he comes directly over to me and asks why I am telling his catcher to move-I should stand up higher or get directly behind catcher. Then he asks me why I told his catcher I wouldn't call strikes if he didn't move his mitt. I squashed it right there and told him what I said to his catcher. He said he was fine and then goes to the BU and starts. How would you have handled both? Thanks in advance.

[umpire23]

don't let him go to your partner. He is showing you up. I am confused as to how F2 was moving the mitt into your line of sight? If he is raising his mitt it should be a good indication that the pitch is up. I'd tell the catcher to "stick it" and not to "drag" the pitch.

Edited July 2, 2010 by umpire23
more information and less confusion.

[FVBump]

I really dont see this as being a problem....The problem I have is when they aren't squatting but rather bent over just a bit...I can see around a glove by adjusting a bit, a catcher almost standing I cannot...

[Dragon29]

ncblue,

Maybe a better description would be helpful.

I, like others, am having a hard time picturing how F2's glove could be blocking your view of the plate, unless he's setting up for an obvious high pitch that you're going to call a 'Ball' anyway.

Maybe you're too deep into the slot? You might try taking a shallower angle to the plate/pitcher and see if that opens up your view - it should.

As far as how you handled it, other than stopping him from discussing this with your partner (if you were aware that's what he was doing at the time) I don't see a real problem. The line I use with catchers who set up too high (usually the way FVBump described) is, "Hey, catch - it's hard to call strikes for your pitcher if I can't see them cross the plate." I wouldn't say you can't or won't call strikes, just that it may be more difficult, and throwing in 'for your pitcher' can give him the impression you're trying to help him and could make him more receptive to your suggestion. It's worked for me every time I've used it.

[ncblue]

Thanks guys. As far as the catcher-its hard to describe. He was setting up and then just before the pitch-he would raise his mitt-not something I am going to see a lot I'm sure. As far as the coach-once I saw him going to my partner-i killed that quickly.

[semper_fi_72]

I just can't envision this.

I have had catchers set up inside on some pitches and you just have to adjust to over the top of them for that pitch.

What I hate is a batter you set-ups close to the plate with their hands out over the plate blocking your view of the pitcher while your trying to pick up the release of the ball.

You can't tell a batter to move.

As with a catcher moving and setting up in different positions, you just have to adjust to get a position you can see and follow the pitch.

I might get screened on a check swing with the catchers glove in front of my face, but I know the location of the pitch without any doubt.

[JaxRolo]

I definitely have seen this happen also. The catchers raises his Mitt hand right in front of my view of HP . I try to adjust but it is still hard to see. I have seen this with 2 different catchers this year.

[yerout13]

Thanks guys. As far as the catcher-its hard to describe. He was setting up and then just before the pitch-he would raise his mitt-not something I am going to see a lot I'm sure. As far as the coach-once I saw him going to my partner-i killed that quickly.

I see this a lot with 2 strikes when the catcher wants a waste pitch.... ESPECIALLY at or around that age group for some reason... they raise up the glove them flap it around... best I can tell it has nothing to do with a desired pitch location as very rarely does the pitcher throw one up when this happens.

I generally just adjust left or right depending on what side of the plate the hitter is on to see the pitch. I do mention to them that I'd prefer they not do it, and most of the time they cooperate.

As for the Manager going to youir partner, what was his intention, just to whine about you?

[carolinablue]

He said it was 15u, so it may have been a big kid. I've seen it before. A big catcher who has no bend in his back. His feet are close together and his body is straight up with no bend. Takes up a lot of space.

[kwiggie]

I have to say that I have had this happen to me as well, only ever at the younger hs levels though.

[Astrosdawg07]

The big kids that set up right down the middle of the plate with the high glove are the worst!

[Umpire in Chief]

If the mitt goes over my mask to where I can't see easy - Ball.

The way I picture the catcher's mitt blocking vision to the plate is either you are too far back, directly behind the catcher or some combination of the 2.

[therefump]

I just can't envision this.

I have had catchers set up inside on some pitches and you just have to adjust to over the top of them for that pitch.

What I hate is a batter you set-ups close to the plate with their hands out over the plate blocking your view of the pitcher while your trying to pick up the release of the ball.

You can't tell a batter to move.

As with a catcher moving and setting up in different positions, you just have to adjust to get a position you can see and follow the pitch.

I might get screened on a check swing with the catchers glove in front of my face, but I know the location of the pitch without any doubt.

I've absoutely seen this with catchers at the lower levels (14-15yr) and it takes a lot of adjusting to get comfortable enough to call strikes.

I've also seen where batters lean over the plate when I'm in the slot. Actually, I tossed a high school coach last year for whining/complaining too much about the other team leaning over the plate. :violin:I'm old school and believe that if a batter is stupid enough to put his body in the strike zone then he's stupid enough to get HBP and get it called a strike. The coaches pitcher was AFRAID to throw inside. I heard him say it to the coach.

[ncblue]

Thanks for all the comments guys. Worked with the same catcher last night and payed very close attention to my mechanics using some tips from here and it went fine. Still had some trouble with him moving his mitt but I worked around it. The fun part of the night came in to play when I had to eject my nephew-I will post that when I have more time.

[HWK34BB]

A good, experienced catcher will "receive" the pitch. A poor or inexperienced catcher often "stabs" at pitches. Simply tell the catcher, "I am looking for strikes. I like to call strikes. When you shift at the last second or 'hold' the mitt out in front of you, this hinders my view of the strike zone". If the kid has any basic common sense, he will understand your message.

[mstaylor]

I cut the verbage down to, "I can't call a strike if I can't see it."

[PeteBooth]

Need a little help.

he would raise his mitt directly in my line of sight. I kept asking him to work with me and told him if I cant see a strike-I cant call one.

You received good advice on mechanics, however, since you had an inexperienced F2 it's not a good idea for you to say

work with me and told him if I cant see a strike-I cant call one.

As others said if F2 is raising his mit simply call the pitch a ball.

After the pitcher change-he comes directly over to me and asks why I am telling his catcher to move-I should stand up higher or get directly behind catcher. Then he asks me why I told his catcher I wouldn't call strikes if he didn't move his mitt.

I am not condoning the actions of the coach but this is common in youth / rec ball which 15U can fall into that category. The coach should not tell you where to position yourself. That's none of his business but you "opened yourself up" because you were doing the same thing to one of his players.

You do not tell players where to position themselves, whether it's F2, F3 F4 so on and so forth. If F2 can't catch and you find yourself playing "dodge ball" back there that's an altogether different situation but that's not what you referred to in your OP.

I squashed it right there and told him what I said to his catcher. He said he was fine and then goes to the BU and starts. How would you have handled both? Thanks in advance.

Hopefully you have a good BU because the BU should stop the coach "dead in his tracks" once he starts complaining about you.

I do not know how much experience you have but the following was taught to me "many moons ago" and has served me well.

1. Coaches Coach

2. Players Play

3. Umpires officiate

We do not want coaches telling us where to position ourselves etc and on the same token we should do the same.

Pete Booth

[mstaylor]

My quote is used when the catcher complains about pitches. I don't tell him what to do or where to move, I simply inform him that I can't see the strike, so it is a ball.

[Penfold]

If i have a problem with a catcher that blocks my view i do the back and up move, and inform the catcher what he is doing and if i cant see bla bla, normaly they are compliant, if i have an issue, i will go talk to the coach about the problem between innings, its not up to me to coach players. Then normaly things get better.

[MCLEOD36]

Like Penfold....talk to the catcher first, if he "gets it" no more issues. I will sometimes talk about it when I am giving him an initial look, just to set up the ground rules with him. But only with experienced guys.....or you have a heap of trouble with coaches....

[detailshp]

I have never had problems with any catcher at any age when I quietly say to him so only he can hear " I want to call strikes. If I cant see it because your moving at the last second before I have a chance to react, or adjust my own position before you catch it I am going to call it a ball."

I have had coaches come up to me after games and ask what I have said, and I tell them the same phrase I just wrote, with the addition " I don't mind moving to see the pitch, but if the catch doesnt give me enough time to move before he receives the ball in his mitt, there is nothing I can do."

Never got as far as discussing who is supposed to stand where, for what, or what to do if someone moves..... Just be honest.

Also, if its a glove that is moving, the advice to wait till the pitch lands in the mitt and see if hes "sticking" it, or sliding it is good.

[mstaylor]

I am a firm believer that the less said the better. I don't mention his shifting, glove moving or it's location. I simply let them know what I can't see is a ball. I do what I can to adjust but we can only do so much.

[detailshp]

I am a firm believer that the less said the better. I don't mention his shifting, glove moving or it's location. I simply let them know what I can't see is a ball. I do what I can to adjust but we can only do so much.

You mean you dont react when the pitchers coach yells out to you " where was that pitch, Blue?!?"....LOL.... I hate that.