R1 Only, Partner says C is Best

[NCAAump2]

There is an umpire in my local HS and college group who I'm paired with fairly regularly this year...he's "that guy" who thinks he knows everything already, and has an excuse for everything he does. Anyway, I worked a JUCO DH with him earlier this spring, and every time there was R1 only, he would go right past B and start in C. After the game, I asked him about this and he said that he had a better angle for a pickoff at first, had the runner and F4 in front of him, and was in a better position for a steal attempt. I told him B was the proper position, he said he knew that but liked being in C better so that's what he was going to do. I just said Okay, didn't see the point in arguing with him.

Fast forward to yesterday, we are at an on-field clinic for our HS group and sure enough when he is on the bases, he goes to C with R1. Our evaluation chair asks him about this after his innings and tells him B is proper, and this guy argued for a good 5 minutes trying to defend that C is better than B with R1 only.

I guess my question is, is there anything I could say to this guy to convince him he is wrong? I'm just envisioning working another game with him, he misses a call because he is in the wrong position, and then the SH*# hitting the fan. Thoughts?

[JaxRolo]

Nothing you can say. He has his mind made up already!

[Mike Prince]

Sounds like he will learn on his own eventually.  If the evaluator is dinging him on it, that at some point will effect his progression in the association.  The "standard"  mechanics are in place for a reason.

 

Don't say anything, people like this cannot be convinced they are wrong.  If he misses a call he is on his own anyway.

[blue23ll]

Doesn't sound to me like there is any way to convince him, and you are wasting your time and energy trying. My question is, he is working JUCO ball and still is using C instead of B? I don't get that.

[ricka56]

I see umpires (the immobile type) that are so close to 2B (their idea of 'B') that they'd be better off in 'C' (almost as close and a better angle).

 

I had a F4 say, "I remember you, you're the only umpire that takes steps to the left, when I ask for a step to your right". I had to explain that I do know left from right (sometimes), but I want a better view of a pickoff at 1B, not a worse one.  

[Stan W.]

tell him......"when its you against the world........bet on the world".........its like @JaxRolo said............he has made up his mind already.........

[jjb]

If he won't listen to his evaluator, he's not going to listen to you. Let it go. He'll live and die with his own calls.

[semper_fi_72]

Sounds like one of those Umpires who keeps repeating his First Year.

How the Hell did he move up??????

[Jocko]

DAMMIT ROLO! I TOLD YOU TO STOP THAT!!! :smachhead:

[afaber12]

I see umpires (the immobile type) that are so close to 2B (their idea of 'B') that they'd be better off in 'C' (almost as close and a better angle).

 

I had a F4 say, "I remember you, you're the only umpire that takes steps to the left, when I ask for a step to your right". I had to explain that I do know left from right (sometimes), but I want a better view of a pickoff at 1B, not a worse one.  

 

I know my left from my right, but somehow I always hear "Hey Blue, can you move to the left please?" as "Hey Blue, can you move towards left field please?" 

[NCAAump2]

I'm not exactly sure how he got moved up to JUCO, but he still works in C with R1, even at the JUCO level. Its just a matter of time before he works a game where a coach knows where he is supposed to be and just tears him apart.

[MadMax]

Its just a matter of time before he works a game where a coach knows where he is supposed to be and just tears him apart.

 

Nonsense. A coach will never know where we as umpires are supposed to be. If they do, they're former umpires... and that too an impossibility because we umpires always progress, never regress.

 

Tell him he's in violation of contractual TV rights since the off-axial-center TV camera over the outfield fence can't see into home plate with him standing in C.

 

Black helicopters.

[JaxRolo]

Disagree. There are 1 or 2 knowledgeable coaches out there.

[Mr Ump]

Sooner or later the 'Lone Wolf" will get caught using his own mechanic and having to explain a call. You did your part by mentioning it to him. Some people just have their own way of doing things. When it hits the fan, it will only hit his fan since it is his call.

[FearNot]

You tried bro, let him keep sailing his own course. Some people can not simply be helped.

[Ump29]

Agree with everybody above. Let him live/die with this. (Mostly die)