Who says you’re too old to go to school (clinic)? July 2008

Marvin H Young
South Shore Little League
Staten Island, NY.
District 24

The first 10 years or so of umpiring, all my knowledge was acquired ‘on the job’. Guided and coached by mentors. And of course watching others and learning. I had what I thought was enough plate time that an hour or two clinic wasn’t really going to be much of a benefit for a veteran like me. But it did and they still do. Here’s a tip I leaned at a clinic and to this day as I relate it to other similar veterans each remarks the same – “I didn’t know that?”

I had observed that a plate umpire would position himself behind the catcher during a pitcher’s warm up. Just a few pitches at the start of the game and the same as each new pitcher entered. I knew why, familiarizing himself with how the pitcher delivers. This may be true and is of value, but once you give it some thought and consider that the game isn’t about the umpire, but about the kids, the actual reason makes so much more sense.

The pitcher has been warming up before the game with only the catcher. Then the youngster enters the game and there’s an umpire behind the catcher. The pitcher has no idea of the rhythm of the umpire, when he bends, how he squats, etc. The pitcher starts his delivery and at some point the umpire moves, catches the pitchers eye, maybe throwing him off just a bit. It could take a couple of pitches till the youngster gets it all together.

So why does the umpire ‘warm up’ a few pitches with the battery? To help the youngster ease into the inning, knowing how the umpire moves. What I do is let the pitcher throw three, then move in and take three behind the catcher, back off and let him throw two more. And by the way, being involved at the plate during a pitching change helps to move the game along. How often do we see the umpires’ off talking with managers and/or fans?

And there you go……. lesson over.