Baseball
Concussion Risk Leads MLB Umpire Scott To Retire
Concussions and their risks to players are in the news on an almost daily basis. What isn’t covered as frequently is that officials are...
8 Ways to Avoid Perception Issues
It’s always useful to review a few perception issues that can get umpires off on the wrong foot at the start of a contest or create negative feelings...
Pre-Pitch Checklist For Improved Focus
Over the years, I found that the best way to stay focused and lessen the chance of a screw-up is to go through a...
How Should We Relate To Catchers?
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 some umpires...
Reality of Calling A Checked Swing
Many umpires would agree that there are very few judgment calls in baseball that are tougher to make than a checked swing. Whether you are the plate umpire...
Pick Up The Pickoff
One way to develop a reputation of being "on-the-ball" is to always be prepared for pickoff plays on the bases. Here are three important standards that...
An Inside Perspective On Evaluation Camps
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ne of the hallmarks of Referee is the willingness to publish articles offering advice on how officials can advance in their particular sports. In...
Head of the Class
Early in my umpiring career I took a cavalier approach to the rules. I got by because I had played the game and knew...
Homeward Bound
By George Demetriou
Grand larceny is a term used to designate theft that is large in magnitude. Grand larceny can be contrasted with petty larceny, theft that is...
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...
The Mindset of a Successful Umpire
Consider the top umpires at any level. What mindset do they have? How do they get it? For me, the key ingredients for the...
Off on the ‘Right’ Foot
The NFHS Baseball Rules Committee approved a modification of rules regarding the pitcher’s pivot foot. From the set position, it will no longer be...
Changing a Call
For many years, an umpire changing a call was considered a sign of weakness. The current thinking at all levels of play is that...
Players Can Drop Clues to Help On Tough Calls
I didn’t get away with much as a kid. If I’d broken a family heirloom or eaten the last piece of pie, I’d crack under even the...
Level Up?
Many new umpires want to advance to the major college ranks. Some will, most won’t. Some who fall by the wayside will be perfectly...
Mental Checklist on Every Pitch Ensures Focus
The best way to stay focused and lessen the chance of a screw-up is to go through a mental checklist before each pitch. This...
On Your Mark, Get Set … Stay There
Recently, I came across a couple of film clips taken from major league games played decades ago. In one, an umpire called a tag...
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...
Off on the ‘Right’ Foot
The NFHS Baseball Rules Committee approved a modification of rules regarding the pitcher’s pivot foot. From the set position, it will no longer be...
Oh What a Relief it is
During the 2017 MLB season, 61 percent of the innings were pitched by the starting pitchers. That left over one-third of the innings for...
Pass Judgment
If two runners pass each other on the basepath, one of them is out. The out is immediate, just as if a tag had...
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...
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...
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...
