Blue IamSorry

[alan2703]

Had a varsity high school summer league game, team trying out new catcher. Blocked the low stuff ok but anything above his shoulders was an adventure. Took two of chest protector and even one off of the mask he did say he was sorry. Coach said he has to learn felt like saying how about letting him learn during batting practice, that was how I learned my skills and I only caught for 25 years

[BillKen]

I'm sorry...but this is summer league.  I may be 100% wrong but I think this is our time to teach this level of kid.  This is HS ball and the kid knows nothing about catching.  So if the coach isn't going to train him up, I will.  I'll explain to him that my 1st priority is to call as many strikes as I can get.  If I can't trust him to protect me, I'm going to be jumpy and that is going to affect his team.  When he drops a strike (borderline), I will call a ball and tell him that he can't have close pitches that he doesn't handle...it makes us both look bad! When he pulls a low pitch to the dirt, I'm going to tell him what he needs to do to turn that into a strike.   When he doesn't take care of me (like lets one hit me that he should glove), I'm going to call a ball on the next pitch (unless it is perfect) and tell him why.  I'm going to be friendly throughout the game and let him know that I'm here to help him improve and better understand the catcher-umpire relationship.  I'm going to try and make him like me...if he likes me he will work hard for me.  Fire away!

[JaxRolo]

When the coach says that take your gear off and go behind the mound.

Edited July 10, 2015 by JaxRolo

[HokieUmp]

While I agree with as good an F2-PU relationship as possible, I take issue with:

When he doesn't take care of me (like lets one hit me that he should glove), I'm going to call a ball on the next pitch (unless it is perfect) and tell him why.

Really?  You're going to - for lack of a better term - cheat his team for being hit?  Aren't we supposed to ignore grudges as best we can?  To me, that statement says you're just about going to deliberately make an incorrect call to punish the catcher.  Maybe I'm reading that statement too literally, and you're more talking about anything that's arguably borderline becomes a ball on the next pitch, but I can't get behind this idea.

[catsbackr]

When the coach says that take your gear off and go behind the mound.

THIS^^^^^!

[Rich Ives]

Had a varsity high school summer league game, team trying out new catcher. Blocked the low stuff ok but anything above his shoulders was an adventure. Took two of chest protector and even one off of the mask he did say he was sorry. Coach said he has to learn felt like saying how about letting him learn during batting practice, that was how I learned my skills and I only caught for 25 years

You learned how to catch by catching grooved BP speed straight pitches?

[alan2703]

I learned in the late sixties, bp was live pitching from pitchers you where expected to learn strike zone, and catchers to catch. Did not see grooved pitching till college when they had one of those fancy pitching machines

[ElkOil]

My last regular season HS game featured a catcher who wasn't able to catch anything above his face, so I took three square in the mask.  I can't begrudge someone who isn't so skilled.  It's why we wear our equipment.

[alan2703]

The catcher was truly trying and felt sorry the only I could say was that Iam ok and keep trying. The pitcher had more velocity then he could handle I think but the effort was there. Like ELKOIL wrote that is why I have the equipment on.

[Majordave]

All I can say is better you than me.  I "open the gate" every chance I get on passed balls.  Especially when there are runners on base.  It does a disservice to the offense when the umpire plays backstop to a "swiss cheese" catcher or "hind catcher" (A country Kentucky term I've never heard anywhere else) for a  "Couldn't hit water if you fell out of a F*#Kin' boat" pitcher.

If they're not moving to block and if I can, I grab their middle strap and move them around like a balloon protector to help them learn how to move and block.  I have seriously done that-twice.  Once in a Missouri HS "VARSITY" game.

 

Some of you guys are way better and more patient than I am.

[umpstu]

All I can say is better you than me.  I "open the gate" every chance I get on passed balls.  Especially when there are runners on base.  It does a disservice to the offense when the umpire plays backstop to a "swiss cheese" catcher or "hind catcher" (A country Kentucky term I've never heard anywhere else) for a  "Couldn't hit water if you fell out of a F*#Kin' boat" pitcher.

If they're not moving to block and if I can, I grab their middle strap and move them around like a balloon protector to help them learn how to move and block.  I have seriously done that-twice.  Once in a Missouri HS "VARSITY" game.

 

Some of you guys are way better and more patient than I am.

Suck it up, buttercup.

[Majordave]

I've got an appointment with my gyno next week Stu.  I'll see if she has anything that can help me with my problem. 

[BillKen]

While I agree with as good an F2-PU relationship as possible, I take issue with:

Really?  You're going to - for lack of a better term - cheat his team for being hit?  Aren't we supposed to ignore grudges as best we can?  To me, that statement says you're just about going to deliberately make an incorrect call to punish the catcher.  Maybe I'm reading that statement too literally, and you're more talking about anything that's arguably borderline becomes a ball on the next pitch, but I can't get behind this idea.

When you just take that sentence and not the context of the entire post it does sound horrible.  But the entire point I'm making is related to one pitch in a game that means very little.  Would I do that in a varsity HS game?  No.  Would I do it in LL Playoffs? No.  Would I do it in collegiate wood bat league?  Maybe!  

If a kid is ill trained or lazy...using one pitch to teach him a lesson or make him understand his role in working WITH us as umpires is worth it IMHO in a game that doesn't carry a lot of meaning.

Edited July 11, 2015 by BillKen

[Rich Ives]

 bp was live pitching from pitchers you where expected to learn strike zone, and catchers to catch.

That's not what BP is for. BP is to work on the swing and the timing. That's why it's batting practice, not catching practice or pitching practice.

[HokieUmp]

When you just take that sentence and not the context of the entire post it does sound horrible.  But the entire point I'm making is related to one pitch in a game that means very little.  Would I do that in a varsity HS game?  No.  Would I do it in LL Playoffs? No.  Would I do it in collegiate wood bat league?  Maybe!  

If a kid is ill trained or lazy...using one pitch to teach him a lesson or make him understand his role in working WITH us as umpires is worth it IMHO in a game that doesn't carry a lot of meaning.

I get your context, and what you're saying, but I'd be careful putting it in terms of a game's meaning.  Sure, for ALL of my games, they all mean 'very little' - I give the best job I can, but the game itself holds no meaning beyond a workout, some form of compensation, maybe a laugh or two, maybe a story to tell the next workday, but nothing that lasts forever.  But for SOMEone out there on the field, it's a different story.  Maybe it's t a game they've been waiting all day, or all week, to play, and Regular Life isn't that good.  Or have a parent/relative/friend/partner see them play.  Or winning and losing is Just.  That.  Important.  to them.  But it does mean something.

...... holy SH*#, when I read that back, I sound like friggin' Mitch Albom.  But, I'll stand by it.

And more to your point:  if the kid is ill-trained, I just suck it up.  Gotta start somewhere.  We all we newb umpires once, too.  Lazy, I'm feeling you, but I tend to just call it out:  "Son, you GOTTA catch those."  If they think that's some kind of threat?  Good.

Like Majordave, I also tend to dance back there.  When it hits the ground, it can't be anything but a ball, and most players don't realize they could hit those bouncers legally, so not much is going to happen that I need to hang in there for.  If a guy's REAL bad, though, it tends to give me the yips in my next game until I get that back under control.

[Majordave]

I don't mind getting hit. But I don't like it either. I wear between $850 and $1100 worth of gear and uniform and for some reason the damn baseballs find a place I'm not wearing a pad. Hahaha. 

I get hit plenty of times on the pitches    close enough to stay locked in for. 

Early this summer in a La Liga Mexicana (my term for our local Hispanic men's league) I took a direct untouched fastball in left bicep thrown by a guy who just got released from the Nationals organization. I know why too. Wild as hell. The catcher was the team's backup. He was 50ish and NOT up to the task with that blocking the ball thing catcher's are supposed to try and do. 

[JDavis225]

All I can say is better you than me.  I "open the gate" every chance I get on passed balls.  Especially when there are runners on base.  It does a disservice to the offense when the umpire plays backstop to a "swiss cheese" catcher or "hind catcher" (A country Kentucky term I've never heard anywhere else) for a  "Couldn't hit water if you fell out of a F*#Kin' boat" pitcher.

If they're not moving to block and if I can, I grab their middle strap and move them around like a balloon protector to help them learn how to move and block.  I have seriously done that-twice.  Once in a Missouri HS "VARSITY" game.

 

Some of you guys are way better and more patient than I am.

Hind catcher. Ha! How about "back catcher" a similar term used here by some country older folks for Louisiana. 

[Majordave]

Hind catcher. Ha! How about "back catcher" a similar term used here by some country older folks for Louisiana. 

We rednecks are all cousins at some branch on our tree anyway so back catcher/hind catcher both make sense to me. 

[UmpJeff]

My last regular season HS game featured a catcher who wasn't able to catch anything above his face, so I took three square in the mask.  I can't begrudge someone who isn't so skilled.  It's why we wear our equipment.

You're a better man than I.  My last HS District game I got hit 6 times before there were 2 out in the T1!  I knew I was in trouble the moment I saw F2 come out with his CP hanging about 6-7" lower than where it should be.  () Luckily, I only got hit 4 times in unprotected areas...

Edited July 14, 2015 by UmpJeff