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Umpire Plate Mechanics
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FASTPITCH PLATE MECHANICS
by ROBERT F. HENNING
Softball Canada - I.S.F. Umpire

PREPARATION
Feel comfortable by being dressed professionally, fully protected by wearing all of the proper equipment and by meeting your own standards as well as those that are required by SOFTBALL CANADA. Set high standards for your own physical fitness levels.

Mentally prepare yourself by eliminating all of the daily distractions that come our way and allow your mind enough time to think about your upcoming assignment and game plan.

Approach your plate assignment armed with all the knowledge and experience you have attained from studying the CERTIFICATION MANUALS, reviewing the RULEBOOK, examining the UMPIRE CASEBOOK and from all those ball games that you have officiated.

Total preparation will allow your PLATE MECHANICS to kick into auto-pilot. Leave your mind clear to officiate and ready to "expect the unexpected".

Stay relaxed and focused on being the "best that you can be" by remembering that it's just a game. All that really matters is that you give all you have to offer each and every time you put on the BLUES. Enjoy and have fun!

BEING READY FOR THE FIRST PITCH
While waiting for the pre-game conference to begin, take time to watch both pitchers during their warm-ups. This will allow you time to evaluate each pitcher's rhythm and motion.

After the pre-game conference, you may want to observe a few warm-up pitches in the first inning. Now is the time to adjust your footwork, balance, and body position. This valuable time also allows you to work on your own timing and rhythm, seeing the movement of the ball, speed of delivery, and making sure you can see the entire strike zone with BOTH EYES.

KNOWLEDGE OF PLAYERS' HABITS
Sometimes being a student of the game can assist your PLATE MECHANICS in other ways. For instance, knowing a pitcher's style, being aware of the power hitters, and those most likely to bunt or slap may help you to react a bit more quickly and be able to anticipate how you might get into the optimum position to see a particular situation. The softball generally breaks eight to ten feet from the catcher. Remembering that we see hundreds of different players over the years, it is to our advantage to try and remember some of these variations for later use.

STEPPING INTO THE STANCE
From your relaxed position, pivot on your inside foot. If it is more comfortable for you, then use a few small steps to position yourself in the slot by using an offset square stance, where your outside foot (closest to batter) is a bit more forward than your inside foot (behind the catcher). You must always feel balanced with most of your weight on the balls of your feet. Keeping your feet spread at least as much as the width of your shoulders will put you in perfect position. Having your feet too close together can cause more movement of the upper body. Dig in and get comfortable.

WORKING IN THE SLOT
This is known as being in the driver's seat. It gives you an unobstructed view of the entire pitch and allows you the opportunity to see the ball clearly with BOTH EYES. The catcher should rarely block your view. If the catchers do move, you can adjust as necessary, but never let the catchers work you. Work with them to attain the best look you can. If the catchers take away the inside corner, let them know. If batters take away the inside corner, make a small adjustment to your stance. If you can't see the corner, any pitch that is inside must have crossed the plate. More strikes lead to more cooperation.

Those officials who still hide-out behind the catcher in the perimeter of the strike zone cannot see the ball with BOTH EYES and will lose check swings, double batted balls, batters hit by a pitch, foul tips, balls in the dirt, and I could go on and on. Evaluators refer to these umpires as PEEKERS and sometimes describe them as impossible to see from center field. Because of their position they WILL get hit more often since the majority of foul balls go straight back. Because PEEKERS cannot see the plate at all times, the plate will tend to float and cause an extremely inconsistent zone.

WAITING FOR PAUSE AND FIRST MOVEMENT OF A PITCH
Your next thoughts are to observe the pitching motion and wind-up prior to the pause. The next movement you see will be the beginning of the pitch and you must set up for it immediately. Don't set up too early or your legs and body movement will cause you to become tired in the late innings. If you set up too late you will lose perspective of the strike zone because you will still be moving after the ball has been released from the pitcher's hip area. Supervisors look at this irregularity as a major cause of strike zone inconsistency.

GETTING SET IN THE DOWN POSITION
With a smooth and brisk motion drop into your set position. This will include doing a multitude of things all at once. Keep your head square to the plate.

Bend from your knees to your waist.

Your back should feel a bit straight and stiff, although it never really is.

Your eyes should never be in the zone, but they will be set at the top and inside corner of it.

Your shoulders will be a bit offset, due to your footwork but could even be square if you prefer.

This may give you the feeling that you are just about to sit in a chair, but it is much more effective than bending your back and trying to look up.

Always protect your hands and arms as much as possible. Most officials keep them in front, but a few others prefer one or two hands behind their knees. As crazy as it may sound, it seems that the more exposed you are in the slot the less you will get hit. The bottom line is to do what is best for you.

Keep your entire body STILL while preparing to judge the pitch, even if the catcher moves in front of you after you are set.

Leave enough room between the catcher and you. There should never be contact, other than a light touch with the fingertips of your inside hand. This will allow you to react to any sudden reverse movement.

ANNOUNCING THE PITCH WITHOUT YOUR VOICE
Never use any hand movements to announce the location of a pitch. The use of a strong verbal call will help to sell it and accomplish the same thing allowing the umpire to look and sound more professional. Often times our body language can tip off what we were thinking of calling rather than what we actually call. My point here is a subtle reminder not to hurry your decision making process. See the pitch, DELAY, and then deliver the call with confidence.

TRACKING THE BALL
Begin to pick up the ball from the pitcher's hip.

As the ball leaves the pitcher's hand, try to pick up the rotation of the ball, much the same way as a quality hitter would. Next you should lock in the batter's normal zone.

Follow the ball through the zone and watch the ball all the way into the catcher's glove, using the pop of the glove as a timing tool. A slight tip of your head will help you see the ball hit the glove. This technique is a great way to double check the location of the ball, create a natural delay in your timing, and ensure that you have seen the ball with BOTH EYES into the glove. Never blink your eyes as you could miss a number of important actions taking place around the plate.

TIMING AND RHYTHM
It is very important that an umpire develop proper timing and rhythm in making decisions. That timing and rhythm should never vary. Only the emphasis of various calls will differ. It is said that the plate umpires set the tempo and control the game, but to do this the umpires must first be in control of themselves. Umpires who makes calls quickly on every pitch will appear to be guessing. DELAY! DELAY! DELAY! Timing must be slow, deliberate, repetitive and consistent. CONCENTRATE!

Everyone appreciates the umpire who has developed proper timing in administering decisions as a plate umpire. This sets the tempo of the game more than any other facet of umpiring.