Shoulders square or not?

[Moe]

I keep hearing about the two schools of thought about the different ways to keep your shoulders. Do I keep them square to the pitcher or do I have my shoulders facing inside? I was hoping for pros and cons about both. See attached pictures.

[JaxRolo]

Square.

You are more prone to injury the other way.

[spiritump]

if your at a slight angle , that opens up the outside corner

[Pops]

I use a very slight angle (not enough to open myself up to injury). My head is pointing toward where F4 would normally play. That way, my eyes start out looking slightly to the left at the pitcher (on a RHB), and I track the ball with my eyes only. When the ball crosses the plate, my eyes are slightly looking to the right. This gives me a great view of the ball all the way from F1 to F2. The only times I've ever been hit in the ear is when I got lazy and move my head instead of my eyes, but that hasn't happened for a long time.

[JaxRolo]

I believe if your shoulders are not squared then at least square your head to the pitcher the track the ball. On an outside pitch it is ok to slightly move your head.

This is what they teach at the college association here. They said if your head does not move slightly then you are not tracking it properly.

[wingman3110]

The drilled us at TUS to always have shoulders square. Also for TUS, proper stance was heel/instep not heel/toe. Took a little adjustment for me.

[BigSimonia]

I believe if your shoulders are not squared then at least square your head to the pitcher the track the ball. On an outside pitch it is ok to slightly move your head.

This is what they teach at the college association here. They said if your head does not move slightly then you are not tracking it properly.

We've been told that if you are going to square up (rather than turning your whole body slightly inward) that it's helpful to turn your head slightly toward the catcher.  That way as you track the ball it starts (at the release) in the corner of your eye and as it crosses the plate your looking directly at it - easier on the eyes.  Keeping your head square means as you track the ball you're looking at it out of the corner of your eye as it crosses the plate

[JDavis225]

The drilled us at TUS to always have shoulders square. Also for TUS, proper stance was heel/instep not heel/toe. Took a little adjustment for me.

Same here. I STILL have to make a conscious effort to square my shoulders.

[alex7]

If you're not being evaluated at the upper college levels AND have been told which way is "right,", then do whatever helps you get your calls right.

 

I agree that if you're going to tilt your body slightly towards the 2b, then keep your head at that same angle so so eyes are squared with the plate when the pitch crosses, instead of square with the pitcher's release and seeing the important plate cross more towards the corner of your eye.

[JaxRolo]

Was told today by a Major League ump that there was a MLB supervisor that when he evaluated AAA umpires if he saw that if you didn't have chest to ball (square) he would scratch you off the list of possible Job

[noumpere]

If you're not being evaluated at the upper college levels AND have been told which way is "right,", then do whatever helps you get your calls right.

 

Agreed.

 

There's 100 different ways to stand and what really matters is getting the call right not the specific way you stand.  Now, some are probably more likely to help than others, but this specificness is just the lazy way of evaluating somebody.

[Haid D' Salaami]

Was told today by a Major League ump that there was a MLB supervisor that when he evaluated AAA umpires if he saw that if you didn't have chest to ball (square) he would scratch you off the list of possible Job

It's like that at the PBUC eval course.. they will get in your behind if your chest doesnt face the ball

[johnnyg08]

The reputable clinics I've been to have taught me both ways.

 

Evans taught me to square my shoulders to the pitcher.  But when I got an instructor to speak w/ me off the record, he said that he does what he needs to do to get a good look at the pitch.

 

Another clinic down south taught me to angle my slot foot just a bit.  

 

In the end, I think both schools of thought help me get more pitches right.

[UMP45]

if your at a slight angle , that opens up the outside corner

Nope.

[JaxRolo]

if your at a slight angle , that opens up the outside corner

Nope.

I agree

[spiritump]

 

 

if your at a slight angle , that opens up the outside corner

Nope.

 

I agree

 

 

I disagree with your agree !!!!!! 

 

if your at a slight angle , that opens up the outside corner

Nope.

 

 

 

yes

[UMP45]

What opens the outside corner is to make sure you are in the right place in the slot. Does chest to the ball ring a bell?

[spiritump]

if you are in the  slot on a RHB and the pitch is on the outside corner at the knees and the catcher sticks-if you are at a slight angle your chest is to ball--RING THE BELL, SCHOOL IS IN !!!!!

[UMP45]

Then I guess what is taught at Harry's and TUS is wrong. Silly me.I'll let my my buddies at PBUC/TUS and Harry's that they are teaching it all wrong then!

[JaxRolo]

Then I guess what is taught at Harry's and TUS is wrong. Silly me.I'll let my my buddies at PBUC/TUS and Harry's that they are teaching it all wrong then!

We had TUS instructors at our clinic this weekend. They all said stay Square,

[spiritump]

Then I guess what is taught at Harry's and TUS is wrong. Silly me.I'll let my my buddies at PBUC/TUS and Harry's that they are teaching it all wrong then!

 

In a couple of NCAA clinics I was taught to be at a slight angle and it worked for me.  Next time we go out for Ice cream you get cherry and I get vanilla we will both be happy.

[Umpire in Chief]

I believe we may be looking at the same thing from different frames of thought. 

 

I consider myself square to the pitcher - overall. I am not perfectly square (maybe 10 degrees or so off), there is some angle, but not exaggerated like the OP picture. 

 

I have worked with guys who I feel are square to 1st/3rd base. IMO that is too much exposure. 

 

While I realize being square to the pitcher does give some angle vs being square to the plate.

[Richvee]

 

I believe if your shoulders are not squared then at least square your head to the pitcher the track the ball. On an outside pitch it is ok to slightly move your head.

This is what they teach at the college association here. They said if your head does not move slightly then you are not tracking it properly.

We've been told that if you are going to square up (rather than turning your whole body slightly inward) that it's helpful to turn your head slightly toward the catcher.  That way as you track the ball it starts (at the release) in the corner of your eye and as it crosses the plate your looking directly at it - easier on the eyes.  Keeping your head square means as you track the ball you're looking at it out of the corner of your eye as it crosses the plate

 

Had a cage session tonight with some college umpires instructing and they were teaching this. I loved it. Tracking to glove felt much more natural, the view of the strike zone was better, and with some work, I believe keeping my head still will become easier as well. 

[spiritump]

Rich--at first it felt a bit strange to me but after a while the WHOLE plate just opens up

[Richvee]

Rich--at first it felt a bit strange to me but after a while the WHOLE plate just opens up

exactly. Very different picking up the pitcher's release out of the corner of your eye, but when you track, and that ball gets to the plate and the catcher's glove, it's so wide open. I was amazed at the difference.