Solo - Protocol

[wolfe_man]

I'm about to do my 7th solo HS game tonight.   I'm starting to think about calling the game from behind the pitcher.  The only thing I'd lose from out there is the fair/foul call - and only on hard shots. The positive to being out there is closer to plays on bases, especially pick-offs and double-plays.

Is this considered bad form or ...?  What's your take?

I mentioned it last go-around to the HT coach and he acted like he would prefer it that way.  VT coach actually verbalized that he was in favor of it.

[scrounge]

Wow, we're that short in our area? I hadn't really seen too many emails going around looking for people (just one last night). 

So, it's not recommended. If you hustle out to get a good angle you're not that much further from 1B or 3B. Ok, pickoffs and DPs are tougher - if the ball clearly beats the runner, go with that. I think the coaches will be ok with you being behind the pitcher - right up to the very first pitch they thought should have been a ball/strike and wasn't. I think you'd get far more grief over the strike zone than anything out on the bases. Heck, you may not even have a close call at 2nd,  but you're guaranteed to call a couple hundred pitches. 

I'd recommend staying at the plate, hustling to do the best you can, and taking absolutely no grief from anyone about anything. 

[wolfe_man]

9 minutes ago, scrounge said:

1. Wow, we're that short in our area? I hadn't really seen too many emails going around looking for people (just one last night). 

2. Heck, you may not even have a close call at 2nd,  but you're guaranteed to call a couple hundred pitches. 

3. I'd recommend staying at the plate, hustling to do the best you can, and taking absolutely no grief from anyone about anything. 

1. I'm out in Knox County and no one seems to want to come out here.  I am also solo for a double-header on Saturday at Licking Valley (Newark) and have more next week.  I'm going to end up with roughly half of my games being solos.  It's been a long year between weather and this solo stuff is for the birds.

2. Yeah, that's my gut feeling as well. I'm better off behind the plate.  To me, it just feels more professional too.

3. I'll stay home and I let them know right up front, there are some plays I will not have a good look at so I'll call what I can see and that's it.  For example, a dive back into a base when the play is going away from me - like a pick-off play at third base. 

[scrounge]

13 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

1. I'm out in Knox County and no one seems to want to come out here.  I am also solo for a double-header on Saturday at Licking Valley (Newark) and have more next week.  I'm going to end up with roughly half of my games being solos.  It's been a long year between weather and this solo stuff is for the birds.

You're really stretching the definition of 'central' OH there!

2. Yeah, that's my gut feeling as well. I'm better off behind the plate.  To me, it just feels more professional too.

That too, calling behind the pitcher has a "coach pitch" feel to it

3. I'll stay home and I let them know right up front, there are some plays I will not have a good look at so I'll call what I can see and that's it.  For example, a dive back into a base when the play is going away from me - like a pick-off play at third base. 

I wouldn't even say anything, they know you're alone. Hustle, get out from behind the plate when you can, create the best angle you can, and do your best. If they get angry about something ridiculous like claiming a shortstop missed a tag by an inch when the ball beat the stealing runner by 5 feet, then they can shove it. 

 

[wolfe_man]

5 minutes ago, scrounge said:

You're really stretching the definition of 'central' OH there!

I grew up in Newark and work in Columbus, so it feels Central to me.  

I'm in a tri-county area as Coshocton is less than 30 minute drive, Mt Vernon is 20, Newark is around 20, and Zanesville is maybe 35 minutes.  I'm in Knox County, but Licking County and Coshocton County lines are less than 3-5 miles away respectively.

Its farming and oil country out in my neck-of-the-woods! 

[LRZ]

Wow, a solo doubleheader, both behind the plate. Good luck. I'm way too old for such a feat.

[Mudisfun]

In our neck of the woods, the majority of all JV and all Freshman games are solo... Then come off season ball and pretty much everything is solo unless you're working a tournament. 

Balls hit to the infield, go towards the mound except for a play coming direct into home. This gives you angle and some distance for pretty much all calls on the bases. If you go inside and for some reason you end up with a play at the plate, just take the reverse angle and stay inside. Just be mindful of where the throw is coming from...

Pick-off and steals... ball beats the runner and the tag is down in time, you have an out. Unless you see an obvious miss, grab the out. Reverse this on pick-off's... unless you see an absolute out, especially at 3rd, benefit of the doubt goes to the runner. Your angle on pick-off's is not great from behind the plate, so be positive on an out.

Hustle out but don't over commit. Chest to ball and head on a swivel... 

 

As for mentioning anything to the coaches... I would just mention at the plate meeting that as they know I am solo. If a play happens, they have a question, whatever... they need to stay in the dug out, wait for the play(s) to end and then ask for time. When granted, come on out and we will discuss whatever... Nothing else about how you will handle the game, make calls, not make calls etc...

Ohh yeah.. don't go behind the mound. Your in and out will be good, but your up and down will be atrocious since your frame of reference will be poor to judge the vertical. My daughter is in 8u and most of the 'umpires' call from behind the mound. They call strikes at the chin because F2 catches it mid chest... looks like a strike from back there, but not a real hit able pitch. Even freshman HS expects up and down to be decent.

 

 

[wolfe_man]

14 minutes ago, Mudisfun said:

In our neck of the woods, the majority of all JV and all Freshman games are solo... Then come off season ball and pretty much everything is solo unless you're working a tournament. 

Balls hit to the infield, go towards the mound except for a play coming direct into home. This gives you angle and some distance for pretty much all calls on the bases. If you go inside and for some reason you end up with a play at the plate, just take the reverse angle and stay inside. Just be mindful of where the throw is coming from...

Pick-off and steals... ball beats the runner and the tag is down in time, you have an out. Unless you see an obvious miss, grab the out. Reverse this on pick-off's... unless you see an absolute out, especially at 3rd, benefit of the doubt goes to the runner. Your angle on pick-off's is not great from behind the plate, so be positive on an out.

Hustle out but don't over commit. Chest to ball and head on a swivel... 

 

As for mentioning anything to the coaches... I would just mention at the plate meeting that as they know I am solo. If a play happens, they have a question, whatever... they need to stay in the dug out, wait for the play(s) to end and then ask for time. When granted, come on out and we will discuss whatever... Nothing else about how you will handle the game, make calls, not make calls etc...

Ohh yeah.. don't go behind the mound. Your in and out will be good, but your up and down will be atrocious since your frame of reference will be poor to judge the vertical. My daughter is in 8u and most of the 'umpires' call from behind the mound. They call strikes at the chin because F2 catches it mid chest... looks like a strike from back there, but not a real hit able pitch. Even freshman HS expects up and down to be decent.

 

 

This is pretty much exactly what I've been doing, so thanks for confirming I'm doing it correctly.   I'm not being smart, I'm serious as I was looking for confirmation I was doing it right thus far. 

Good point on the up/down strike zone... of course at higher levels, the drop of the pitch should be less since the pitcher throws harder theoretically.  Regardless, I can't bring myself to call from behind the mound as I keep thinking of LL coaches doing that for scrimmages and how much I hated it as a player.  It just "feels" wrong.

[Jimurray]

I only wear ball bags behind the plate

[udbrky]

Dang, I came pretty close to moving back to Columbus at the end of the month, could've helped the area out next season.

[udbrky]

Be careful going out too much with R3, hard hit to SS the other day (1st solo in 2 years), I start out and he's squaring up to throw home, I took a couple quick steps to 1B line to get out of the way.

[jjb]

I just moved from Texas, where everything above T-ball is 2 man. I'm up here in New England and have a dozen solo games. Gonna be a little tough, and I know I'm going to be, by definition, out of position. Hey, go make the best call and you can. If they have a problem, write a check for 2-man. ...

[blue23ll]

The trick to one man games is to just hustle, and be sure to follow the ball. There will be times when because you have to focus on the ball you will miss touches at 3rd, or tag ups with multiple runners. It can't be helped. Also, don't take one bit of crap from anyone about a judgement call.