Head Height

[grayhawk]

I've heard two major schools of thought on how to set your head height when in the locked in position:

 

A.  Eyes even with the top of the batter's zone

B.  Chin no lower than the top of F2's head

 

Sometimes these will be the same thing, but it depends on the height of the batter, F2's height and how he sets up (some set up very high while others set up very low).  When I first started out, I used A, but I have been using B for a while now.  Id' be curious to know how others set their head height when in their locked in position.  

[Haid D' Salaami]

There is only 1... chin at the top of the catcher's head.... any clinic( with reputable instructors)  or Umpire school will say the same..

[JaxRolo]

B

[scrounge]

There is only 1... chin at the top of the catcher's head.... any clinic( with reputable instructors)  or Umpire school will say the same..

 

I would agree...for most situations. For adults or older HS players, I'm totally with you. But for young kids or exceptionally short players, sometimes I find that I have to adjust downward.

[BT_Blue]

When I first started it was B. But I started using the Davis stance which required A but no lower than B. Now I am back to the good 'ol heel-toe and I still try and use A but no lower than B because I feel it gives me the best look at the zone.

(Thinking about it as I type this, I like to think I sit somewhere in between the two. So I guess that could be C?)

[grayhawk]

 

There is only 1... chin at the top of the catcher's head.... any clinic( with reputable instructors)  or Umpire school will say the same..

 

I would agree...for most situations. For adults or older HS players, I'm totally with you. But for young kids or exceptionally short players, sometimes I find that I have to adjust downward.

 

 

I think that's the issue with keeping your eyes at the top of the batter's zone.  If you adjust downward for an exceptionally short batter, you could be losing the outside corner because F2's head is obscuring your view.  By keeping your chin at the top of F2's head you should have a great view of the entire zone almost every time.  Of course adjustments are necessary when the batter, F2, or both are squeezing the inside.

[scrounge]

 

 

There is only 1... chin at the top of the catcher's head.... any clinic( with reputable instructors)  or Umpire school will say the same..

 

I would agree...for most situations. For adults or older HS players, I'm totally with you. But for young kids or exceptionally short players, sometimes I find that I have to adjust downward.

 

 

I think that's the issue with keeping your eyes at the top of the batter's zone.  If you adjust downward for an exceptionally short batter, you could be losing the outside corner because F2's head is obscuring your view.  By keeping your chin at the top of F2's head you should have a great view of the entire zone almost every time.  Of course adjustments are necessary when the batter, F2, or both are squeezing the inside.

 

 

You're right, but I find that I lose the entire low part of the zone if I don't come down a little bit. Best compromise of a bad situation. I'm only talking about batters so short that the top of their zone is well under my chin, relatively rare but it happens, at least to me.

[mjr_2013]

I've been told to do B because you can be consistent with it, all day and all night for your entire career.

 

A is logical, but not practical. On some of these 14u teams you may have a leadoff hitter barely over 5' and a cleanup hitter well over 6' tall… Your zone would be all over the place

[maineump]

If you use B, then you are always seeing the same zone. You get a tall kid and a small catcher, and you move to the top of the zone, you could be opening yourself up for a shot.

 

Catcher's head is the way to go, even if using the Davis stance.

[MidAmUmp]

Chin even with top of catcher's head to allow yourself as much protection as possible.  At the HS and levels beyond that should also put your eyes at the top of the zone.  There will be exceptions to this rule.  As with anything else...sometimes you just have to umpire.

[Specks]

I worked with a D1 umpire (with Regional experience) and that was one thing he pointed out on me was my head height. He said if I want to move up, my chin needs to come down to the top of the catchers head.

[mstaylor]

I don't know that how high you set up is as critical as how low you go. You do not want to be lower than the catcher's head with your chin but if you set a little higher than that, not a big deal.

[Texas Manny]

There is only 1... chin at the top of the catcher's head.... any clinic( with reputable instructors)  or Umpire school will say the same..

This and only this...