Softball positioning help

[Justin]

Hey all,

 

Our association is in a bit of a scheduling bind because of all the rain here in WNY, and as a result I've been assigned a softball plate job (FED JV) on Friday. This will be my first softball game and it completely blindsided me, so I'm looking for a little help.

 

Could you all help me out from a mechanics/positioning perspective? What are the major differences in coverage between baseball and softball? At this point I'm just interested in getting through Friday, so I'd appreciate a focus on PU responsibilities. Found the NFHS rules differences document online and have been talking to a couple of friends who coach softball, so I should be OK from a rules perspective, but if you all have any points I should focus on I'd appreciate that as well.

 

Hopefully getting a softball mechanics manual from tomorrow's partner, but I'd like to get a jump on this if possible.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[SJA]

FWIW, I use the same PU mechs for FP as I do BB . . . but I also watch the girls feet position more closely when they make contact with the ball. They have a tendency to jump out of the box too quick especially on a "slap bunt" sometimes.

:-)

[LMSANS]

Don't worry about the mechanics, they are essentially the same.  The zone is bigger and if it's good pitching, the ball is a lot more active.  I wouldn't expect that at the JV level unless it's a really good program.  The perspective of the pitch is also a little different and throws some guys off.  In BB, they are throwing "down", SB is throwing up, you'll see more balls rising.

 

At the JV level don't be surprised to see a lot of ground ball pitches also.

 

No one will notice baseball mechanics and your still lining up in the slot.  The girls are usually more friendly and have more fun.  Enjoy it.

[treydawgmt]

However, if you don't hammer your strikes they will know you're not a softball umpire. It might be a rule, might not be, but every softball umpire I've ever watched (and I watched every softball game at my high school for four years and most at my college for six) uses the hammer.

And I think you signal and then call or maybe the other way around. But not simultaneously like baseball.

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[blue23ll]

When in doubt, cover third. Also, be ready to  loan your partner your spare plate brush to clean the bases between innings, if he forgot his.

[Mark Pepper]

When in doubt, cover third. Also, be ready to  loan your partner your spare plate brush to clean the bases between innings, if he forgot his.

I chased down the softball PU after a game at our park last week to give him back his paint brush that he had left in the chain link fence.  I don't know if that's standard issue for SB.  It wasn't when I used to do men's league FP (which was my record year for EJs by more than double just because of that league!)

[ynot0002]

Call then stand and signal is the "proper" SB mechinc on the plate. In FED PU has all fly balls unless BU goes out. And he should only go out in a. PU has 3B responsibilities with a sub throw with runner on first. Also PU has tag up duties on all lead runners except if only one runner. It's not that different than baseball at the HS level.

[blue23ll]

Call then stand and signal is the "proper" SB mechinc on the plate. In FED PU has all fly balls unless BU goes out. And he should only go out in a. PU has 3B responsibilities with a sub throw with runner on first. Also PU has tag up duties on all lead runners except if only one runner. It's not that different than baseball at the HS level.

 

Really?

[BretMan]

It's WAY different than baseball. There are lots of differences in both rules and mechanics.

Frankly, I think that it does the teams a disservice to give them umpires who aren't familiar with the intricacies of their game. And it's also a disservice to the umpires that they throw into these situations unprepared. I suppose that any umpire is better than no umpire, if that's your only option.

But I'm sure you'll muddle through. Just like the baseball guys who aren't too sharp on the baseball field can muddle through game after game without any major blow ups- that is, until something actually blows up and they have to deal with something that they're ill-equipped to handle.

Good luck. Act like you've been there before!

[ynot0002]

Take my last line and BretMans last paragraph...around here...that's what you get into. Guys just there to be standing around and collecting a check.

I gave him the big difference for behind the plate and if all else fails default to baseball.

[charliej47]

When in doubt, cover third. Also, be ready to  loan your partner your spare plate brush to clean the bases between innings, if he forgot his.

After doing HS SP for 30 years, last week I'm the PU and after the plate meeting, I told my partner that I forgot my brush.  He kindly let me use his spare for the game so that I wouldn't have to go back and get mine.

[Mark Pepper]

It's WAY different than baseball. There are lots of differences in both rules and mechanics.

Frankly, I think that it does the teams a disservice to give them umpires who aren't familiar with the intricacies of their game. And it's also a disservice to the umpires that they throw into these situations unprepared. I suppose that any umpire is better than no umpire, if that's your only option.

But I'm sure you'll muddle through. Just like the baseball guys who aren't too sharp on the baseball field can muddle through game after game without any major blow ups- that is, until something actually blows up and they have to deal with something that they're ill-equipped to handle.

Good luck. Act like you've been there before!

Certainly there are differences, but I would argue that a "baseball guy" who is seeking out education in advance so he can do his best will be better than a large percentage of "softball guys" who are out there every day.  I mean no disrespect to either sport--baseball has plenty of the same type, and I'd rather work baseball with a "softball guy" who seeks out advice than the Smitty who hasn't updated his rulebook since his first test.

 

My only thought, if you're PU, really really really focus on tracking the pitch.  The changeups alone can be ridiculous--in my best baseball playing days I'd have spun myself into the ground trying to hit them!  

[Justin]

I appreciate all the help, guys. Got an alert from Arbiter around noon today saying the game was cancelled, so it looks like I'm off the hook this time. Now that I know this kind of an assignment is a possibility, I'm planning on digging deeper into the softball rules so I can be a bit more prepared if this happens again.