Baseball
Solid Stance: Gerry Davis Profile
The honor hardly could be more fitting.
OK, perhaps having a behind-the-plate stance named after you — as Gerry Davis does — isn’t technically an...
Progression of Responsibilities Helps Simplify Rulings
This past summer I had the opportunity to attend an evaluation camp for umpires looking to advance their collegiate careers. The camp schedule called...
Not All Double Plays Are Created Equal
Some umpires are unabashed about their love of double plays; they do serve to shorten the inning. Double plays can occur in a variety...
How to Have a Playoff Mentality On and Off the Field
For those lucky enough to be chosen for postseason assignments, it’s a reward for a job well done during the season. But there can be pitfalls. Most umpires do...
Detecting When a Player is Hit by the Pitch
Determining whether a batter was hit by a pitch can sometimes be a challenge for the plate umpire. Sometimes an umpire will have to...
Little Things, Big Consequences
Newer umpires sometimes think if they master the rules and mechanics and have good judgment their careers will take a steady upward trajectory. There’s...
Locked In: Lessons From a Triple-A Crew
I recently watched a Minor League Baseball crew work a Triple-A game at Coolray Field in Gwinnett, Ga. At that level, you expect professionalism,...
Three Keys to Plate Perfection
Do you sometimes suddenly feel like you’re struggling at the plate? One game, you’re fine, and the next you’re just … off? Take a...
Call With Authority, Not Theatrics
As umpires, we know we must sell our calls — especially the close ones. But how we sell them matters. Over the years, the...
Catcher You Later
By Jon Bible
A long-standing topic of debate in baseball circles is how we should relate to catchers. There are several schools of thought.
I’ve heard...
How to Keep Calm During Rundowns
Rundowns are usually the result of a runner being too aggressive. Depending on the level of play, players may go into panic mode. Umpires...
11 Hacks for Onfield Umpires
With a new baseball season rolling along, here are a few tips and hacks involving plate work that can help you out as an...
Improve Your View of the Play
When an article says that using your eyes properly will improve your umpiring skills, your immediate reaction is probably, “No kidding.” But upon closer...
Hot Buttons
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and apparently you can’t get umpires — old, new or in between — to clean up...
Listen Up to Go Up
“Keep your mouth shut and listen.”
Although it sounds harsh, it might be one of the most important pieces of advice an aspiring umpire can...
Always Assume You Are Being Assessed
For roughly the first half of my amateur umpiring career — which lasted from 1966-2016 — umpires could go about their business without having to deal with rating...
Seeing Is Believing
No matter what umpiring mechanics are being used in a particular game — whether it’s a single umpire working a youth baseball game or...
No Happy Accidents
Last summer, I was working the bases as part of a two-person crew when it became apparent the defensive team was thinking about making...
All Eyes Are On You
There are close plays all over a baseball field and in every game. Half-steppers at first base. Fingertips on stolen base attempts. Pitches at...
Eye Didn’t Miss It
Umpiring a baseball game is full of visual challenges. Some are unusual and others are more common. In a recent game, the uninformed runner...
When To Stop A Game
When to stop a game because of darkness or weather are among the toughest calls of an umpire's career. Next to those, you might think...
Use Fundamentals When Changing Field Size
We’ve all been there. It’s your night off. You’re settling into your seat to watch your kids or your friend’s kids play a game...
10 Tips to Move Up the College Baseball Ranks
An umpire buddy was planning a presentation to a high school umpires association on how to advance to the college level and asked me...
5 Time-Tested Tips to Be Great Behind the Plate
There is nothing quite like the feeling of walking off the field after a stellar performance behind the plate. But having a great game calling balls and strikes...
