What happens without proper head height

[ricka56]

Umpire's worst nightmare

[VAUmp]

Is there supposed to be a video?  I can't see one if there is.

[Majordave]

Very short "vine" video of umpire getting smacked on top and side of head and mask with a left handed batter's backswing. Umpire was rather high and very close to catcher in his stance.

[Thunderheads]

he wasn't THAT high ...and even if he was a tad lower, that bat would have got him ......... it's his proximity to the catcher I believe .......

[Majordave]

Not arguing just noting that in relation to catcher he seemed a little higher than most umpires set up. I agree that he did seem overly close. The real problem is that the batter let go of the bat. I missed that on first viewing last night.

Combination of height and distance put him in the kill zone. But it might have hit him anyway no matter where he set up. Had that happen once into the mask. High school game. Hot humid day.

Hope he's okay.

[Thunderheads]

Not arguing just noting that in relation to catcher he seemed a little higher than most umpires set up. I agree that he did seem overly close. The real problem is that the batter let go of the bat. I missed that on first viewing last night.

Combination of height and distance put him in the kill zone. But it might have hit him anyway no matter where he set up. Had that happen once into the mask. High school game. Hot humid day.

Hope he's okay.

not arguing either .....sorry Dave, that came across wrong ...it was just my .02

[MidAmUmp]

His head is not too high, a little high, but he's getting squeezed.

 

That's why we say:

Up and back - go higher but you have to get some distance back from the catcher. You'll lose the ball, but it will reappear. 

OR 

Down and in - go lower, get your head right next to the catcher's and you're right on top of him so you can see the entire zone.

 

Sometimes you're just going to get smoked. It's unfortunate, but we need to be aware of catchers getting too close and make sure we're adjusting accordingly and not get so close that we're putting ourselves in harms way.

[Majordave]

@MidAmUmp

Great advice. Sometimes you have to learn some lessons the hard and painful way. I'm sure he thought he was in a good position when the pitch was released. Sometimes you just gotta umpire. You WILL get hit from time to time.

[GreyhoundAggie]

I have had good luck with Down and In. It is where I feel most comfortable.

[blue23ll]

I think an umpires worst nightmare is splitting your pants, just sayin

[Thunderheads]

I have had good luck with Down and In. It is where I feel most comfortable.

up and back can work, but sometimes when crowded, the batters arms are in your way

[goody14]

I think an umpires worst nightmare is splitting your pants, just sayin

Replace 'pl' with 'h' and you might be onto something...

[ricka56]

His head is not too high,

 

It was for that pitch/swing.

[blue23ll]

 

I think an umpires worst nightmare is splitting your pants, just sayin

Replace 'pl' with 'h' and you might be onto something...

 

OMG, I just figured that out....

[cp9]

A bit off topic, but concerning a worst nightmare scenario:

 

Last year in a HS summer league game, I was PU when a RH batter hit a rope down the LF line.  I cleared the catcher and was down the line only a couple steps when I set and called the ball foul.

 

I was in the process of turning to go back behind the plate when I heard WHOOSH! right next to my ear.  It couldn't have missed me by more than an inch.

 

The batter never took a step towards first, and was already doing a MONSTER practice swing.  I will admit, I was a bit shaken up.  There was no doubt that if that bat had hit me I would have had major damage.

[Umpirechick1]

Being a 5' 4" PU when some of my catchers are 6' or more, down and in is definitely the way to go for me..  Although... my plate shoes make me 5' 4 1/2"

[catsbackr]

Not arguing just noting that in relation to catcher he seemed a little higher than most umpires set up. I agree that he did seem overly close. The real problem is that the batter let go of the bat. I missed that on first viewing last night.

Combination of height and distance put him in the kill zone. But it might have hit him anyway no matter where he set up. Had that happen once into the mask. High school game. Hot humid day.

Hope he's okay.

He's not in the "kill zone."

The "kill zone" is directly behind the MEAT of the bat, not where the umpire in the video was positioned.

[Majordave]

You're right for baseballs fouled back but bats the batter fails to hold onto?  It's pretty damn hard to dodge that as we see and as I have felt on one occasion.

 

I think that was going to get him no matter where he stood or set up.   Nothing he could have done to avoid it when the batter releases the bat like that.  Just pray it doesn't happen to anyone else.  I was okay.  Not sure if he was.  I have heard of guys having to leave games due to getting hit by a bat. 

[MikeSafari]

Yeah, just follow the trajectory of the bat and you'll see that he was going to get hit by it no matter where he set up.

 

Hell of a shot, though, and things like this make me consider getting a HSM.

[MB_Ump]

I worked with a guy last weekend that would move out with the catcher when the catcher set up outside. The wierd thing was that he would go to one knee directly behind the catcher (normally he was in a slot position) and basically hide. This was a HS umpire. It was kind of entertaining for me...