Umpires-how do you like catchers to set up

[KCPRK]

Umpires-how do you like catchers to set up so you can have the best view of the zone/plate. I umpired my first games yesterday behind the plate to help myself as a coach better understand the umpires point of view.

All four catchers in the club set up slightly different which I noticed changed my point of view and in one case made seeing every pitch difficult (especially curve ball.)

If you as an umpire could tell every catcher how to set up to help you get a good read on every pitch how would you do it?

Help me teach my catchers to give the umpires the best point of view.

 

[Comp]

Middle of the plate, shift slightly left or right but DO NOT pinch off the inside corner and block the umpire from seeing through the slot. Try not to bounce up and down a lot, or make any big movements after the pitcher has already started thier motion. Obviously if the pitch is in the dirt or way out of the zone the catcher is going to have to make big movements to catch the ball.

The worst time you will have seeing is with a batter crowding the plate who is a hand hanger and a catcher moving over on the inside corner of the plate. Leaves nowhere for the umpire to go but up over the top of the catcher and toward the middle of the plate.

 

[KCPRK]

Thank you for the insight Comp.

The catcher that set up straight over the middle of the plate and stayed there was the hardest for me to see the whole zone. If I set up inside I missed the curve ball breaking but if I set up outside I missed the very inside pitch that on a batter crowding the plate may have been a strike.

I did feel the catcher that angled herself a tad bit towards the intended pitch (inside or outside) allowed me to angle with her and see so much more. What downfalls would that setup have for an umpire?

 

[Ajaywill]

As Comp said, set up basically in the middle of the plate allowing me to set up in the slot between the batter and plate.
I also prefer that the catcher, once she is set, not move. I position myself based on the catchers setup. If she moves after that, I am pretty much locked into my setup and her movement may take away some of my look. That makes any borderline pitch a ball.

KCPRK....I'm going to make an assumption here that haven't had much, if any, training prior to working the game. We teach umpires to set up in the "slot" between the plate and the batter. Your inside ear should be aligned to the inside edge of the plate. Your belt buckle should be pointing at an angle from the back of the plate through the opposite front corner of the plate. This allows you to look down through the zone. You should drop down so that your eyes are at the top of the batter's strike zone and your head is above and beside the catcher's head. If you are behind the catcher and trying to look over her head, you are taking away a good portion of the zone.

 

[KCPRK]

Correct on the assumptionAjay and thank you. I tried to mimic the postures I see out of the umpires we saw this last month in tournies to better understand the zones we got.

I now realize the umpire that sets up over the top of the catcher is not doing his job correctly which explains the erratic zones. I will be able to notice these things as I learn the C/U relationship and notify my hitters accordingly.

 

[FP26]

I also prefer that the catcher, once she is set, not move. I position myself based on the catchers setup. If she moves after that, I am pretty much locked into my setup and her movement may take away some of my look. That makes any borderline pitch a ball. .

Interesting. We are working with our catchers quite a bit right now. I have seen some other posts mention that the catcher should give the sign to the pitcher, but not move to either corner until the pitcher starts her windup, therefore moving relatively late. They don't want the catcher to give away the pitch location to the hitter. However, based on your information, this practice could hurt the pitchers in the long run.

 

[KCPRK]

Interesting. We are working with our catchers quite a bit right now. I have seen some other posts mention that the catcher should give the sign to the pitcher, but not move to either corner until the pitcher starts her windup, therefore moving relatively late. They don't want the catcher to give away the pitch location to the hitter. However, based on your information, this practice could hurt the pitchers in the long run.

Should the catcher not get set until the pitcher starts her windup then or is that too late? can she shift slightly/smoothly to the location during windup?

Great question fastpitch as I have heard both sides of this equation before and see the logic in both. Question is what do I teach?

 

[Comp]

Shifting a little is not a problem, big moves after the pitcher has started their motion is a problem. I had a catcher a couple of years ago who would take a gigantic step toward the plate and to the inside corner well after the pitcher had started their motion. The only view I had at that point was the back of the catchers helmet. It was next to impossible to have a consistent strike zone because I would have to wait until she made her move, chase her to her new position and then try to get set and find the ball and plate after the ball was already out of the pitchers hand.

 

[Comp]

Is there suppose to be 2 pictures in your post? Whatever that first attachment is doesnt open so not sure what the comment about the umpire being set up opposite is about.

 

[InsidePitch]

Comp, let me try it again....

I see most setup like this.

This guy set up opposite but was great behind the plate.