Tracking the ball

[th3]

Honest answers - do you/are you able to actually track the ball with your eyes w/out moving your head? each year i say that this is the year I'm going to master it and each year i realize that i have not done so...

[johnnyg08]

Honest answers - do you/are you able to actually track the ball with your eyes w/out moving your head? each year i say that this is the year I'm going to master it and each year i realize that i have not done so...

 

 

While I am not perfect with it, I feel like I can do it quite well nearly 100% of the time.  My evaluations have also supported this.  Keep working on it.  Make yourself do it every-single-time.

[mstaylor]

The problem is you need to have an instructor to help you get in the habit, then you have practice to make it muscle memory. Highly unlikely you can fix it on your own. Watching yourself in a mirror helps, also the sock drill is very useful. However, clinics are your best bet. 

[johnnyg08]

The problem is you need to have an instructor to help you get in the habit, then you have practice to make it muscle memory. Highly unlikely you can fix it on your own. Watching yourself in a mirror helps, also the sock drill is very useful. However, clinics are your best bet. 

 

 

This was true for me.  I had to be taught how to do it.  I had to watch professionals do it properly, then I modeled what I saw.  (tried to model)

[NFUA_44]

Vigilance is key. When I start to miss pitches that I shouldn't I already know its because I made a decision on it b4 I had the whole picture. At that point I will make sure to fix it. For me, I found that forcing myself to mentally repeat the word "track" from the TOP to the pop of the mitt helps me get back on track for that game. Then its time to pull out the socks!

I did learn a cool method along the same lines this past fall at a JUCO clinic. The cage instructor told us to make sure we could "see the watch" on F2's wrist after every pitch, then make a decision. More of a tool to get back on track than solving the long term problem, as johnny and micheal pointrd out clinics, cage work, and practice will go a long way.

[maineump]

Get cage work in your local area or in clinics. HS or colleges might be willing to let you work in their cage, good for their pitchers and catchers, and really good for you.

If you don't have another umpire to watch you, have a friend watch you - just explain to them what you are looking for.

Make sure you are real comfortable in your stance and it stays comfortable throughout the game. If you get tired or are not comfortable, then your head may have a tendancy to move.

I can track the ball without moving my head, but had trouble with the blink after a some shots. Got a great tip to exhale and be totally exhaled when the pitch comes in - seemed to work for me.

Relax and have fun while you are calling pitches - helps the mental part of the game too.

[Pops]

Many of the tips recommended in this thread are really good ones. Prior to my last clinic I thought I had it mastered, but an instructor was watching my eyes (when I thought he was watching other things). He told me my eyes moved but stopped during the last couple of feet of ball trajectory. So looking it into the glove is really good advice.  

Also, here's one more thing to try with your eyes to get them trained.  For a RHB I'm a believer in looking straight at where F4 would normally play.  This turns your head very minimally.  Then take your eyes and move them slightly to the left to pick up F1. Now when you follow the pitch out of F1's hand, it will be more comfortable for you eyes because they have less distance to travel to the right of center. If I think I'm off my game in the middle innings, I consciously go back to keeping my head centered on F4 and it feels very comfortable to me.

[mstaylor]

An interesting technique in the cage is for the catcher to have three gloves, after each pitch the instructor asks which he is wearing.  

[IABlue]

OK boyz, what is this "sock drill" that you speak of?

[JaxRolo]

OK boyz, what is this "sock drill" that you speak of?

Lay flat on your back and Take a pair of rolled up socks and toss them in the air and track it on you way down without moving your head. Use eyes only.

Don't have to be socks. Tennis balls, wiffle balls, rocks , boulders. Anything will work

[Richvee]

I've been doing something this winter when I work out that I'm hoping will help my head movement, or lack thereof. when I'm doing things on the bench where my head should be still through the exercise, like back of neck press, triceps press,  etc., I'll focus on not only keeping my head still, but on the upward extension, of the exercise, I will focus my eyes on the edge of the bench. As I bring the weight down, I will try to move my eyes and focus on the far wall without moving my head. IOW- Bar on my shoulders, head straight, eyes on the far wall, as I push the weights up, keep head still, and move eyes down to the edge of the bench. If I ever get a few plates in with this horrible weather, I'll see if it's helped at all. 

[BalkHawk]

For a RHB I'm a believer in looking straight at where F4 would normally play. This turns your head very minimally. Then take your eyes and move them slightly to the left to pick up F1. Now when you follow the pitch out of F1's hand, it will be more comfortable for you eyes because they have less distance to travel to the right of center.

^^This, combined with exploding the eyes, or jamming your eyelids open as the pitch comes in so as not to blink, and seeing the glove (logo).

I really feel what Pops said will help. It trains the eyes to end up in the right place. You will have to strain your eyes a bit looking up and to the left at the pitcher waiting for the release, but you will end up looking straight at the zone instead of seeing it through your peripherals.

[Pops]

For a RHB I'm a believer in looking straight at where F4 would normally play. This turns your head very minimally. Then take your eyes and move them slightly to the left to pick up F1. Now when you follow the pitch out of F1's hand, it will be more comfortable for you eyes because they have less distance to travel to the right of center.

^^This, combined with exploding the eyes, or jamming your eyelids open as the pitch comes in so as not to blink, and seeing the glove (logo).

I really feel what Pops said will help. It trains the eyes to end up in the right place. You will have to strain your eyes a bit looking up and to the left at the pitcher waiting for the release, but you will end up looking straight at the zone instead of seeing it through your peripherals.

You got it!

[Jimurray]

Many of the tips recommended in this thread are really good ones. Prior to my last clinic I thought I had it mastered, but an instructor was watching my eyes (when I thought he was watching other things). He told me my eyes moved but stopped during the last couple of feet of ball trajectory. So looking it into the glove is really good advice.  

Also, here's one more thing to try with your eyes to get them trained.  For a RHB I'm a believer in looking straight at where F4 would normally play.  This turns your head very minimally.  Then take your eyes and move them slightly to the left to pick up F1. Now when you follow the pitch out of F1's hand, it will be more comfortable for you eyes because they have less distance to travel to the right of center. If I think I'm off my game in the middle innings, I consciously go back to keeping my head centered on F4 and it feels very comfortable to me.

I heard about the head canting a few years back and it made sense but it seemed nobody got on the bandwagon. I haven't been doing it but tonite I tried putting my head square on a simulated release point and then looking at a simulated glove point. It seemed that if I canted my head to the glove point there was less "shake". Totally unscientific.

[BalkHawk]

Similarly, when I am in the "a" position, I turn my head to the batter as F1 begins the windup, but my eyes stay on F1. As he releases, I move my eyeballs in-line with the rest of my head. It probably makes next-to no difference, but my head is still for check swings/foul balls off the batter.

[NFUA_44]

OK boyz, what is this "sock drill" that you speak of?

Lie down on the bed with said pair of rolled up socks in a ball. Toss them up into the air so they are coming down, or just drop them from a height, and track the socks all the way until they smack u in the face. Helps train the eyes and helps overcome flinching. Move the release point around so your eyes get used to following the "ball" in or out of the zone.

I try to focus as much on pitches that are easily out of the zone, since if I'm doing my job on these, I will tend to be just as focused on the ones I should. YMMV

[MidAmUmp]

The sock thing works.  Also, give yourself a sobriety test.  Track your thumb with your eyes.  This is a good one to do before going on the field.

 

Tracking & timing are the 2 hardest things to learn.  Clear your head, see the release of the ball, see the ball all the way into the glove, see how the catcher catches the ball, decide if it is a ball or strike, announce your decision.

 

One thing I've observed over the years is umpires don't "relax their eyes".  A lot of guys I see hold their breath as the pitch is coming in, causing them to lock up, their eyes lock and the last time they see the ball is about 8-10 feet in front of the plate.  Exhale as the pitcher is about to release the ball and that will cause your body to relax, thus relaxing your eyes and this will help you in tracking pitches.

[Jocko]

Funny you mention breathing. I've found that if my breathing is off my zone suffers. Never knew why. I just knew I had to control my timing on exhales. Thanks!

[Umpete]

For a RHB I'm a believer in looking straight at where F4 would normally play. This turns your head very minimally. Then take your eyes and move them slightly to the left to pick up F1. Now when you follow the pitch out of F1's hand, it will be more comfortable for you eyes because they have less distance to travel to the right of center. If I think I'm off my game in the middle innings, I consciously go back to keeping my head centered on F4 and it feels very comfortable to me.

This is what cured my tunnel vision. Head still, eyes turned slightly left (for a RH batter). Then when the ball comes in, follow with your eyes and when it comes through the zone your eyes are looking straight ahead across the plate. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[BalkHawk]

I paid extra attention last night. I found that my head did not stay locked in for the low-and-inside pitch.

[MidAmUmp]

I paid extra attention last night. I found that my head did not stay locked in for the low-and-inside pitch.

Everyone's head is naturally going to move a little.  Very few umpires are not going to move their head, and most who don't move their head have tunnel vision.  Slight head movement is fine...moving your head like Mike Riley used to do isn't good...unless you're Mike Riley.

 

I have one of my plates that was televised saved on my DVR.  My head moves slightly on low pitches (balls) or pitches way out of the zone.  I didn't lose any sleep over it.

[umpstu]

OK boyz, what is this "sock drill" that you speak of?

Lay flat on your back and Take a pair of rolled up socks and toss them in the air and track it on you way down without moving your head. Use eyes only.

Don't have to be socks. Tennis balls, wiffle balls, rocks , boulders. Anything will work

And the mirror drill?

[FearNot]

Wow some great tips and drills. I can truly see this helping me track better.

 

Thanks

[guitarplaya2007]

SOCK DRILL SOCK DRILL SOCK DRILL cage work, clinics, tracking roadsigns with eyes only (while in the passenger seat of the car of course), oh and did I say SOCK DRILL!!! The sock drill not only helps with tracking the pitch but it helps IMMENSELY with flinching, i never thought i flinched bad until i completely missed a foul "tip" and called it a foul ball bcause i flinched and thought the ball skipped off the dirt when the catcher clearly caught the ball. One thing i haven't heard anyone say about hte sock drill that I found helped me a lot was to wear my mask while doing it as well, that way you get used to the nuances of the bars and pads on the mask so as to actually work your eyes the way they will be worked during the game, and let the sock hit you in the face with the mask, this will help stop flinching. Hope this helps!

[D62 blue]

i have posted this document several years ago , the classic slot heel toe .

marc

Umpiring The SLOT mechanics 2013.pdf